# Archicon: Frequently Asked Questions Archicon is a London architecture and construction practice. We deliver ROI-led conversions for property developers (HMO, commercial-to-residential) and extensions, loft conversions and refurbishments for homeowners, including listed buildings and previously refused sites. 95% planning approval rate across 25+ London boroughs; one senior team from feasibility to completed build. ## For property developers ### Do you work with independent and boutique property developers? Yes. Independent and boutique developers are who we work with most. You get the same senior team on every scheme, from first site appraisal to completed build, so nothing is passed to a junior or lost between separate firms. We're set up for the pace and margins smaller developers work to. ### How do you design schemes to maximise ROI? We start from the numbers before we start the drawing. Before design begins we work out the most valuable use a site will support and the most ambitious scheme it can realistically get approved, then design to that ceiling. That gives you more sellable or lettable space per square metre, fewer costly redesigns, and a planning strategy built to pass first time, which means a higher GDV against a controlled build cost. ### What does cost-effective space look like in a London scheme? Cost-effective space earns its floor area. It means efficient circulation, unit layouts that meet space standards without waste, and rooms that let and sell because they're liveable, with good light, sensible storage and workable proportions. On a London site the gain usually comes from unlocking one more unit or a better mix rather than from cutting quality. ### Can you rescue a scheme that's been refused by the planning committee or council? Often, yes. Roughly one in five schemes we take on is a rescue. We read the refusal and the officer's report closely to find what drove the decision, then choose whether a revised application or an appeal gives the stronger route. Many refusals come down to fixable issues in massing, daylight or policy interpretation rather than a site that can't be built on. ### How early should we involve you in a site? As early as you can, ideally before you buy. A feasibility study at offer stage tells you what a site will realistically support and what it's worth to you, so you bid on evidence. Bring us in early and planning risk is priced in from the start rather than discovered after completion. ### Our site is tight, awkwardly shaped or has tricky constraints. Is a feasibility still worth doing? Especially then. Constrained sites are where a feasibility earns its fee, because the difference between one scheme and another can be a whole unit of value. We test what the shape, access, daylight and policy will allow, and show you the options and their numbers before you commit. Difficult sites are much of what we do. ### Do you take on HMO and commercial-to-residential schemes? Yes, both are core work for us. We handle HMO conversions, including layouts that meet room sizes, licensing and Article 4 requirements, and commercial-to-residential schemes under permitted development (Class MA) or full planning where that unlocks more value. We'll advise which route gives the better return before you commit. ### What's a realistic project value you'll take on? We're built for schemes from around £25,000 to £2.5 million, from homeowner extensions and loft conversions up to residential developments and conversions of up to nine units, staying below the threshold where affordable housing contributions usually apply. If you're unsure whether your project fits, tell us the site and the ambition and we'll be straight about whether we're the right team. ### Do you offer fixed-price contracts? Once the design and specification are settled we can work to a fixed-price build contract, so you know your cost before work starts. Where a scheme is still evolving we'll be clear about what's fixed, what's provisional, and how any change is priced. ### Do you do planning applications only? We can, though most clients use us end to end. If you only need planning, covering feasibility, drawings, strategy and the application, we'll take it to a decision and hand over clean information. Many then keep us on to build, because the team that won the permission already knows every detail of the scheme. ### I already have planning permission. Do you build from there? Yes. If you hold a valid permission we can take it straight into technical drawings and construction. We'll review the approved scheme and its conditions first, since discharging conditions and getting the details right is where build cost and programme are won or lost. ### How long does planning permission take? Once submitted and validated, a householder or minor application usually runs to an eight-week target and a major application to thirteen weeks, though London boroughs often take longer. Pre-application advice, drawings and consultant reports add time before submission, so a realistic end-to-end timeline is a few months. We'll give you a schedule specific to your borough and scheme. ## For homeowners ### What types of homeowner projects do you take on? Extensions, loft and attic conversions, and full refurbishments, including listed buildings, homes in conservation areas, and sites where planning has been refused before. If it involves reshaping how you live in the space and getting it approved, it's the kind of work we do. ### Do I need planning permission for my project? Not always. Many extensions and loft conversions fall under permitted development, so no full application is needed, though conditions, conservation areas, listed status and previous changes can remove those rights. The safe step is to check before you design. We'll tell you early whether you need permission, prior approval, or nothing at all. ### Will I have to deal with multiple contractors? No. Design, planning and construction sit with one team, so you have a single point of contact from first sketch to handover. You never coordinate a separate architect, builder and project manager, or stand between them when something needs a decision. ### How much will my project cost? Cost depends on size, specification and site, so an honest figure needs a short conversation rather than a headline rate. What we can do early is give you a realistic range for your type of project and the main things that will move it, so nothing surprises you once design begins. ## Coverage ### What areas do you cover? We work across Greater London and know 25+ boroughs well, including Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Bexley, Croydon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Enfield and Brent. That local knowledge matters, because each borough interprets planning policy differently and we design to the one deciding your application. ### Do you work outside London? London is our focus, and it's where our planning knowledge is deepest. We do take on projects elsewhere in the UK for established clients and partners where the scheme suits our approach. If you're outside London, ask us and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit.