12 Things to Think About Before Contacting a Designer

If you're thinking about extending or remodelling your home, you don't need to have everything worked out before speaking to a designer.

In fact, you probably shouldn't.

But spending a little time thinking about why you're doing the project and what you want it to achieve can make those first conversations much more productive.

I'm Kieren from KJB Design & Planning. With over 25 years' experience in the construction industry, I've seen that successful projects aren't simply about adding as much floor space as possible. They're about creating a home that works better for the people who live there — while also considering the practical realities of the property and the eventual build.

Here are 12 things worth thinking about before you start.

1. What problem are you actually trying to solve?

Try not to begin with:

"We want a 4-metre rear extension."

Start with:

"What isn't working about our home now?"

Perhaps:

• The kitchen is too small

• The dining room is rarely used

• You're short of storage

• The house feels disconnected from the garden

• There's nowhere quiet to work

• The children need more space

• Everyone seems to congregate in the same part of the house

• The layout simply doesn't suit the way your family lives

These are the problems.

The extension is only one possible solution.

A designer who understands why you want to change the house has much more opportunity to find the right answer.

2. How do you actually use your home?

Think about an ordinary Monday rather than how you'd like the house to look in photographs.

Where does everyone enter?

Where do coats, shoes, bags and everyday clutter end up?

Where does everyone naturally gather?

Who cooks?

Do you eat together?

Does anyone work from home?

Do children need somewhere to play, study or spend time with friends?

Do you regularly entertain?

Do you need quiet spaces as well as family spaces?

Also look at the rooms you already have.

Which are constantly used?

Which are rarely used?

Which spaces do you simply pass through?

A good design should respond to your household, rather than simply following the latest design trend.

3. Separate NEEDS from WANTS

Most projects start with a wish list — and that's a good thing.

But try separating it into:

MUST HAVE

WOULD REALLY LIKE

NICE IF POSSIBLE

You might genuinely need another bedroom or larger kitchen.

You might really like a utility and downstairs shower.

And perhaps a huge kitchen island, pantry and separate boot room would be nice if space and budget allow.

Knowing your priorities becomes extremely useful when decisions and compromises eventually have to be made.

4. Look at the whole house before adding more to it

More floor area doesn't automatically create a better home.

Sometimes the problem isn't how much space you have — it's how the existing space is arranged.

Could an underused dining room have another purpose?

Could changing the circulation improve several rooms?

Would moving the kitchen make the house work better?

Could alterations to the existing layout combined with a modest extension achieve more than simply adding a large room to the back?

Before asking:

"How big can we extend?"

ask:

"How can we make the whole house work better?"

5. Think five or ten years ahead

An extension is a significant investment.

Try not to design exclusively around your circumstances today.

Children grow up.

Working arrangements change.

Teenagers want different spaces from young children.

Older relatives may need support.

You may want to stay in the property well into later life.

You may eventually sell.

Nobody can predict the future, but thinking ahead can help avoid spending a substantial amount of money creating a house that only suits one short period of your life.

6. Establish a realistic overall budget

It's worth discussing money early.

You don't necessarily need an exact figure before contacting a designer, but having a realistic range is extremely useful.

And think about what you're comfortable spending on the whole project, rather than simply asking how much you could potentially borrow.

There is little benefit in developing a design you love if there's very little chance you'll be able to build it.

Budget shouldn't simply be checked at the end of the design process.

It should help inform the decisions made along the way.

7. Remember that the extension isn't the only cost

The building work may be the biggest expense, but it isn't necessarily the whole project budget.

Depending on your project, there could also be:

• Professional fees

• Planning and other application fees

• Structural engineering

• Kitchens

• Bathrooms

• Flooring

• Decorating

• Heating and electrical alterations

• Specialist glazing and doors

• Drainage work

• Landscaping and patios

• Temporary storage or accommodation

• Unexpected work and contingency

Not every project will involve everything on this list.

The important thing is to think in terms of total project cost, rather than concentrating only on the cost of constructing the extension.

8. Take a proper look around your property

Before becoming committed to a particular idea, walk around the property and simply notice what's there.

Look for things such as:

• Drains and manholes

• Trees and substantial vegetation

• Changes in ground level

• Boundaries

• Neighbouring buildings and windows

• Existing extensions and outbuildings

• Roofs

• Overhead or visible services

• Access into the rear garden

You aren't expected to assess these technically yourself.

That's an important distinction.

The purpose is to recognise that they exist so they can be discussed and, where necessary, properly investigated.

Something that looks relatively insignificant at the beginning can sometimes have a considerable effect on design, cost or construction.

9. Think about your neighbours too

An extension doesn't exist in isolation.

Look at where neighbouring houses sit in relation to yours.

Where are their main windows?

How close are they to the boundary?

Have they already extended?

Could your proposal affect light, outlook or privacy?

This doesn't mean trying to decide for yourself whether an extension will receive planning permission.

It's simply recognising that the relationship between properties can influence the design.

And while neighbours don't personally decide a planning application, considering them early can sometimes prevent avoidable problems later.

10. Think about how the project could actually be built

Eventually, the lines on a drawing have to become a construction site.

Can machinery reach the rear garden?

How will excavated material come out?

Where could a skip go?

Where will bricks, blocks and other materials be stored?

Is there a narrow side passage?

Will everything have to pass through the house?

Could you realistically remain living there during the work?

You don't need to solve these issues before speaking to a designer.

But identifying obvious constraints early gives everyone the opportunity to consider them.

A good design has to work on paper and in the real world.

11. Don't make assumptions about what you're allowed to build

Perhaps several neighbours have similar extensions.

Or somebody has told you that you can extend a certain distance without planning permission.

Use that information as a starting point — not proof.

Properties can have different planning histories and circumstances, and Permitted Development rights aren't identical in every situation.

Likewise, planning permission and Building Regulations are separate matters.

You don't need to understand all of this before contacting a designer.

You simply need to avoid becoming completely committed to an idea before the relevant checks have been made.

12. Put it all together into a simple project brief

You now have the beginnings of a very useful brief.

Write down:

What's wrong with the house now

How you actually use it

What you must have

What you'd like

Your priorities

Your approximate overall budget

How your needs may change

Anything you've noticed about the property

Any concerns or questions you have

You can also collect photographs of spaces, materials and designs you like.

Don't worry about producing drawings yourself.

And don't feel that you need to know all the answers.

The purpose of your brief isn't to tell the designer what the extension should be.

It's to help them understand what you need your home to become.

Ready for the next step?

If you've thought about these 12 things, you're in a much stronger position to have a productive first conversation with a designer.

That's when the property itself, the planning position, the practical constraints and the different design possibilities can start being investigated properly.

I'm Kieren Bentley from KJB Design & Planning, based in Leicestershire.

With over 25 years' construction industry experience, I help homeowners develop their ideas into practical designs for extensions, alterations and home remodelling, including Planning and Building Regulations drawings.

Thinking About a Project?

You don't need to have everything worked out before getting in touch.

If you're considering an extension, conversion or home remodel, tell me a little about your property and what you're hoping to achieve.

I'll explain how I may be able to help, what the likely next steps are, and provide a clear quotation for the design work you need.

Prefer to talk? Call Kieren on 07791 914801