At CODA Bespoke, we work with clients across Yorkshire to design extensions that feel effortless and add real value. Whether you are extending to gain space, improve natural light or modernise your home, involving an architect early ensures the result looks beautiful, functions perfectly and meets all regulations.
An architect does far more than draw plans. They bring creative thinking, technical knowledge and an understanding of planning policy that can transform what is possible. A well-designed extension should feel like a natural part of your home, not an add-on. Architects help you achieve this by carefully considering proportion, light, materials and flow.
They also anticipate practical challenges — from structural issues and drainage to orientation and privacy — ensuring the finished design is both functional and inspiring. The result is a space that enhances your daily life and adds long-term value to your property.
There is no legal requirement to use an architect for a domestic extension in the UK, but the benefits are significant. While some homeowners go straight to a builder or draughtsperson, an architect provides professional oversight that protects your interests throughout the process. They are trained to balance creativity, cost, regulation and buildability, ensuring you make informed decisions at every step.
When you invest in an architect, you are investing in expertise that saves time, reduces risk and improves the final outcome. Here are some of the ways an architect adds value:
Many smaller extensions fall under permitted development rights, which allow certain works without full planning permission. However, these rights have strict limits on height, depth and proximity to boundaries. An architect can confirm whether your proposal qualifies and, if not, prepare and submit the necessary application.
Working with an experienced practice such as CODA Bespoke ensures compliance with local planning requirements and helps your project move smoothly through the approval process.
Good design can completely change how a home feels and functions. Architects look beyond square footage to understand how spaces connect and how natural light can enhance the experience. They consider how your family uses each room, where storage is needed and how views to the garden or street can be framed.
At CODA Bespoke, we often reconfigure internal layouts so that new and existing spaces work together seamlessly. Our aim is to create extensions that feel as though they have always belonged to the house.
One of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an architect is cost. In reality, professional input often saves money overall. By designing efficiently and resolving potential issues early, architects reduce the risk of costly changes during construction. They can also suggest phasing strategies if you wish to spread the investment over time.
During our process, we help clients establish realistic budgets and prioritise where spending will have the greatest impact.
When selecting an architect, look for relevant experience and professional registration. In the UK, architects must be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB), and many belong to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). These accreditations guarantee training, experience and professional standards.
Review portfolios to find examples similar in style or scale to your own plans. The CODA Bespoke portfolio includes contemporary extensions, barn conversions and modern refurbishments, each tailored to its context and client.
Some homeowners design their extension directly with a builder or technician. While this can work for simple projects, it often limits creativity and can introduce risk. Without architectural oversight, you may overlook opportunities for better layout, natural light or long-term value. Builders may also interpret plans differently, leading to inconsistencies on site.
Working with an architect ensures your vision is clearly documented, achievable within budget and legally compliant.
You can, but a builder’s focus is construction rather than design or permissions. An architect ensures the extension complements your home, meets regulations and is properly costed before work begins.
Yes. By resolving design and technical issues early, architects prevent costly changes during construction. They also help you obtain accurate prices and manage your budget effectively.
Most architects manage the entire planning process, from initial sketches to formal submission. They understand how to present designs that align with local planning policies, improving your chance of approval.
Timelines vary by size and complexity, but a typical extension may take 3–6 months for design and approvals, followed by a similar period for construction. Your architect can provide a tailored schedule.
While you are not legally required to hire an architect for an extension, professional design almost always leads to a better result. At CODA Bespoke, we combine creative thinking with technical precision to deliver extensions that feel effortless and unique to each home. Our team will guide you from concept to completion, ensuring your investment enhances both the value and enjoyment of your property.
Start your brief or get in touch to discuss your extension project today.
The honest answer: it depends. Costs vary hugely with scope, condition, finish level and planning constraints. And if you’re ever watched Grand Designs, you’ll know that budgets and expectations can quickly get out of hand.
At CODA Bespoke, we find the better question is what’s driving the cost in your project? Once you understand that, you can plan with confidence and invest where it counts.
Sometimes it’s simple: update the kitchen and bathrooms, tidy the plan, lift the finishes. Other times it’s a full reset: strip back, replace services, improve the envelope, redraw how rooms connect. Bring an extension, loft or basement into the mix and costs step up.
Our work at 119 Park Road, Timperley shows how scope sets the tone. The scheme created four new-build dwellings in the grounds of a heritage building while sensitively converting the original into a six-bedroom super home. Craftsmanship, technical detailing and integration of old and new all shaped the budget (as they should) for an enduring result.
Older properties conceal surprises. Think damp, timber decay, tired wiring, compromised drainage and roof issues. These aren’t glamorous line items, but they’re essential. We recommend a contingency of 10–15% to absorb the unknowns without derailing the project.
Bespoke joinery, natural stone, specialist metalwork, heritage-grade glazing… these elevate a home and last. They also cost more than off-the-shelf alternatives. At CODA we typically prioritise quality over quick fixes and encourage clients to accept higher upfront spend (within reason, of course) for longevity, beauty and ease of living.
Better performance often sits inside walls and under floors. Hidden features like breathable insulation, airtightness measures, MVHR, triple glazing and air-source heat pumps increase the build cost but reduce running costs and carbon emissions over time. For many of our clients, this isn’t optional. It’s part of doing things properly.
Conservation Areas, listed buildings and tight urban sites need careful handling and may involve heritage consultants, surveys and specialist trades. Labour and logistics vary by region too. For example, London and the South East typically carry higher rates than much of Yorkshire or the North East.
Every project is different, but as early guide rails:
These are starting points, not promises. Two projects of equal size can diverge significantly based on ambition, detailing and context. CODA projects often sit in the middle to upper bands because the brief is usually timeless design, excellent materials and calm, durable performance.
Square-metre rates are blunt and ignore complexity. The reality is that size isn’t always the whole story. A 40m² zinc-and-glass addition with custom interiors may cost more than a 60m² brick extension finished off-the-shelf. The same goes for performance upgrades in a period home: big spend, subtle change, most of it hidden in the fabric.
So we start with purpose. What must each space do? How should it feel in the morning light? Where do coats go? How do you move through the house when friends are over? When the brief is clear, money goes where it makes a difference.
The cheapest renovation is rarely the best value. A well-considered scheme feels effortless and remains that way for years. Poor planning shows up later in the form of overheating rooms, awkward circulation, cheap finishes that tire quickly and kitchens that never quite work. Good design prevents that.
Think of design as the framework that makes every pound work harder. It aligns structure, services, light and layout so the build is efficient, and the result is calm and coherent.
An architect’s role goes beyond drawings. At CODA Bespoke we:
Every project has trade-offs. Some rules of thumb:
Roofing, insulation, airtightness, windows and doors, drainage, electrics and heating are all unglamorous but important investments. Comfort, quietness and running costs depend on these.
They’re complex, used daily and expensive to revisit. Get the planning, plumbing and joinery right.
Get creative with wall colours, statement furniture and some fittings, but don’t overspend.
Custom usually comes at a cost, so try to save your most ‘creative’ ideas for scenarios where they’re genuinely useful.
Overdeveloping the plot (squeezing too much in harms planning prospects and liveability).
Skipping surveys (unknowns like ground, drainage, structure and asbestos can quickly eat into your budget).
Designing in isolation (ignoring context, neighbours and orientation rarely ends well).
Chasing area over quality (a smaller, beautifully proportioned space can feel more generous than raw square metres).
Under-detailing (vague drawings invite vague prices and costly site decisions).
Time is money when it comes to renovations. Early engagement with planners and, where relevant, conservation officers keeps momentum. A clear design rationale (e.g. why these materials, how the proposal enhances the street etc) builds confidence. Heritage statements, daylight studies, tree surveys and ecology reports add cost, but they de-risk the process and protect your goals.
How much does it cost to renovate a house? It depends on scope, condition, finish, performance targets and place. The constant is this: good design and careful planning pay for themselves. They create homes that feel right, work hard and age gracefully.
At CODA Bespoke, we work with clients who want more than a cosmetic reset. They want spaces that are timeless, sustainable and personal. Homes that make everyday life easier and more beautiful. If that’s your ambition, send us your brief and let’s start with a conversation.
