CK Architecture

CK Architecture I am a fully qualified architect and certified PassivHaus Designer who has much experience in design

What is a cost plan?A cost plan (as seen is this image) is a document that gives you a breakdown of all the likely costs...
17/06/2026

What is a cost plan?

A cost plan (as seen is this image) is a document that gives you a breakdown of all the likely costs involved in your proposed build.

Costs are for the materials and the labour (which can vary depending on the chosen contractor) & VAT (contractors don't usually state VAT in their costs, which can be a bit of a shock to clients).

I recommended cost plans when clients have a strict budget that they need to stick to.

This allows for any necessary tweaking of the design to ensure the cost of the works is in line with the clients budget before any planning applications etc are submitted.

If you have any questions about cost plans please feel free to ask. 😀🏡😀

The dangers of not having someone inspect the works on site - And also of getting it wrong when hiring a builder -FYI it...
12/06/2026

The dangers of not having someone inspect the works on site -

And also of getting it wrong when hiring a builder -

FYI it's a long post!

A couple of years ago I returned from a holiday to an email from a client who I got planning permission for a loft conversion, including a hip to gable conversion & a new rear dormer window.

In that email the client asked if he should be concerned that the "builder" left out 2 steels specified by the structural engineer to go into the floor of what will be the second storey of the house.

YES absolutely you should be concerned was my reply.

I suggested getting the structural engineer to see what had been done and advise on whether it was sufficient or not, or they tell the "builder" to install the steels as specified.

I'm saying "builder" because from my research into the company undertaking this work the person in charge of the company is a welder.

I visited the site to find that lots of things were not as they should be.

the "builder" had given some excuse to the client but when I met with them on site the "builder" said they would build it as per the drawings at their own cost - quite right too!

Following my site visit I contacted the structural engineer as I had concerns about the structural elements that have been installed and about the "builder" installing the steels in the floor now, which should have been done already.

Unsurprisingly the structural engineer has concerns too!

The ridge beam did not have a padstone at all.

Not only that but the ridge beam was installed as 2 pieces but the "builder" hadn't put steel plates above and below this joint.

This situation caused the client quite considerable stress!

The client said to me that they wished they'd had me involved in the construction phase all along as it would have saved them both time and money!

With inexperienced clients (who are not familiar with building works) trying to save money on having a professional inspect the works to ensure they are being done in line with the drawings is a false economy.

In this case it seems the "builders" were inexperienced too - a double whammy if you like.

As a result the project too longer to complete than it should have done as the "builder" had to put right the things that were wrong.

Which in turn meant more disruption to the client who had building work continuing on into winter, which wasn't what had originally been planned.

Plus the clients had to pay for my involvement to help get the project back on track.

This was such a stressful time for the client.

And a situation that could have easily been avoided had they continued with having me involved post building regulations drawings stage.

I hope it's not too familiar a story for any of you here.

Deviations from the designs can be avoided by having your architect administer the construction contract and inspect the work on site to ensure you are getting what has been designed.

To help prevent similar issues with your home extension project feel free to join me and my team inside the D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extension Support Network - https://support-network.ckarchitecture.co.uk/join

😀🏡😀

Permitted development confusion - An often misunderstood part of permitted development is when an extension is both a re...
10/06/2026

Permitted development confusion -

An often misunderstood part of permitted development is when an extension is both a rear and a side extension.

When a rear extension extends beyond a side elevation of a house it must comply with the criteria for both rear and side extensions.

This means the width of the entire extension can be no more than 50% of the width of the original house.

It does not mean that the part which extends beyond the side elevation must be no more than 50% of the width of the original house - that would be if it was only a side extension.

If you’re unsure whether your proposed extension would be considered permitted development by all means ask.

For guidance on permitted development, planning applications, design, costs and many other aspects of your extension project from a team of construction professionals including me (an architect), a builder, a quantity surveyor and a party wall surveyor The D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extension Support Network has got you covered.

Drop me a message for details. 😀🏡😀

In the live Zoom calls for the D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extensions Support Network we've covered things such as -Missing info i...
28/05/2026

In the live Zoom calls for the D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extensions Support Network we've covered things such as -

Missing info in a schedule of work - after the call the client knew what to seek clarification for and could then find out if the builder had included for these items in their price.

Kitchen - we've talked saving money on a new kitchen by buying carcasses from one company and then buying nice doors from another.

Ironmongery - we've discussed where to get great quality door handles, sockets, light fittings etc from.

Whether you're just starting to plan your home extension, or the build is about to start, my team and I can offer you unique support to help ensure your project runs smoothly, without unnecessary delay & on budget.

You can't get this type of support anywhere else.

If you'd like to join us feel free to do so and you could be chatting through whatever issues you may have with me on the next Zoom call. 😀🏡😀

For more info just follow this link - https://support-network.ckarchitecture.co.uk/join

If you think the cost of hiring professionals, such as architects, is high then consider the cost of fixing mistakes on ...
27/05/2026

If you think the cost of hiring professionals, such as architects, is high then consider the cost of fixing mistakes on site due to not hiring said professionals!

Mistakes like the new staircase not being compliant with building regulations.

And, trust me, there are so many regulations relating to staircases that you could easily fall foul of these if you are not familiar with them.

Such as not having the required head height above the pitch line of the staircase,

Or not having enough space at the bottom or top of the stairs before a door swing.

Or not knowing that you have to provide a protected means of escape from your new loft conversion down to a point of safety at ground floor level when converting your loft in your existing house, and how to achieve that.

These costs can be avoided at the design stage & are often far in excess of design fees.

However, there is another way to get expert advice and guidance on your project, at a fraction of the cost of hiring an architect the traditional way.

Plus, this small fee also includes access to other construction professionals including -

A builder to help with the practical side of building your extension.

A quantity surveyor (QS) to help with the costs of your projects, and

A party wall surveyor to guide you through this little known piece of legislation which affects many house extension projects, and if often not dealt with correctly when homeowners try to go it alone and use free online template letters and notices.

So don’t risk making mistakes which could be avoided due to the cost of hiring the right professionals to help you out, come and join our support network and get the advice you need at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods of hiring professional consultants.

The D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extension Support Network has got you covered in the same way we are currently helping Mr & Mrs D decide what elements of their wish list they can afford to do and the best, most cost effective ways to achieve them.

Feel free to message me to discuss how the support network can benefit you. 😀🏡😀

Indoor/outdoor connection is very much desired. Many of my clients have requested this as part of their brief so I thoug...
22/05/2026

Indoor/outdoor connection is very much desired. Many of my clients have requested this as part of their brief so I thought I'd share an example of how it can be achieved.

This is an example from my own home.

I designed this space so that the garden and house merged into one. I did this by -

1) Continuing the brick garden wall inside the house with the exposed brick wall.

2) Using the same floor tiles inside as well as outside.

3) Large floor to ceiling bifold doors allowing great views of the garden from the kitchen/breakfast room, and allowing the end of this room to be completely opened up to the garden.

4) Level access between the house & garden, there's no step down making a seamless transition between inside & out.

5) Indoor and outdoor planting so the house and garden blend together.

6) The colour palette inside the space is full of shades that are seen in the garden.

If you're looking to create a more connected house & garden, and you'd like some assistance, feel free to get in contact. 😀🏡🪴🏡😀

How low walls can be used inside your D.R.E.A.M home.Low walls can be a great way to divide space inside larger rooms an...
21/05/2026

How low walls can be used inside your D.R.E.A.M home.

Low walls can be a great way to divide space inside larger rooms and create defined areas.

I like to use low walls in principal bedrooms to separate the dressing area from the sleeping area, whilst also allowing natural light to get to the dressing area.

This also gives somewhere for the head of the bed to be located against and can house light fittings & bedside tables / shelves etc.
If you'd like my help in designing your home feel free to drop me a message. 😀🏡😀

Don't pay a builder anything before work starts on your home extension project.This is how projects operate when I'm inv...
20/05/2026

Don't pay a builder anything before work starts on your home extension project.

This is how projects operate when I'm involved in the construction phase.

My clients don't pay the builder any deposits.

And they've never been left out of pocket.

They've never paid for work which hasn't been completed.

I see it in other groups every day where clients have paid huge sums upfront and been left with substandard, unfinished, or even not even started works.

Part of the problem is that you don't know what you don't know.

My husband and I were talking about this this morning whilst watching the news & the talk of regulation for builders and it struck me that a lot of problems homeowners face when dealing with builders is they haven't set themselves up to succeed because often they trust the builder to make the project a success.

Clients don't often have a working knowledge of construction contracts & building regs etc and rely on, and trust, their builders to do what they say they will & often forgo having any formal contract in place.

This is a big no no for me.

When investing thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of your hard earned pounds why would you not protect yourself as much as possible?

I understand that you don't know what you don't know, but there are ways to get the knowledge & support you need to ensure you're tooled up to deal with builders/trades people etc & to protect yourself from rouge traders and financial difficulties.

Get confident in discussing contracts & payments etc by having a team of seasoned professionals in your corner, advising and guiding you through the process via the D.R.E.A.M UK home Extension Support Network - https://support-network.ckarchitecture.co.uk/join

Try it for 7 days free of charge now.

FYI - Not a single client of mine, where I have been contract administrator & inspected the works on site, has been left out of pocket or with sub standard work.

Don't you want that for yourself and your project too? 😀🏡😀

I've just seen this amazingly lovely review from a recent client so I thought I'd share it here. ☺If you have any questi...
11/05/2026

I've just seen this amazingly lovely review from a recent client so I thought I'd share it here. ☺

If you have any questions or if you'd like to run through any ideas you have for extending or altering your home please feel free to get in contact. 😀🏡😀

I love getting messages about how much people get out of the D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extension Support Network. 😀There's nothi...
04/03/2025

I love getting messages about how much people get out of the D.R.E.A.M UK Home Extension Support Network. 😀

There's nothing else like this in the UK so it's wonderful to know how beneficial and appreciated it is. 😄

If you'd like to join us the 7 day free trial is still on.

The next live Zoom call is at 5pm tomorrow.

Hopefully see you there. 😀🏡😀

Here's the link - https://support-network.ckarchitecture.co.uk/join

Address

58 Moreland Avenue
Hereford
HR11BN

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Thursday 9am - 6pm
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