The RIBA Plan of Work Explained for Homeowners

A clear process makes a complex project feel manageable.

Commissioning a new home or a major extension involves hundreds of decisions, many of them made months before anything is built. Knowing where you are in the process, and what comes next, makes those decisions easier.

That is what the RIBA Plan of Work is for. Published by the Royal Institute of British Architects, it is described by RIBA as the definitive model for the design and construction process of buildings. The current version dates from 2020 and is used across the UK construction industry.

Here, we explain each stage from a homeowner's point of view. If you would like a broader overview of an architect's role, our article on what an architect does is a good place to start.

What is the RIBA Plan of Work?

The RIBA Plan of Work divides a project into eight stages. Each stage has a clear outcome that should be reached before the next one begins. This helps everyone involved, including you, your architect, engineers and eventually your contractor, understand what needs to be done and when.

It is a framework, not a contract. RIBA states that the Plan of Work is not intended to be a contractual document. The services your architect provides, and the stages they cover, are set out in your appointment agreement. RIBA's guidance for homeowners recommends making sure that agreement is in writing.

The eight stages explained

Stage 0: Strategic Definition

Stage 0 is about confirming that a building project is the right answer in the first place. RIBA describes the outcome as "the best means of achieving the Client Requirements confirmed".

For a homeowner, this might mean deciding between extending, remodelling or moving, or establishing whether a plot can realistically support a new home. Your role is to explain what you want to achieve and why.

Stage 1: Preparation and Briefing

This is where your ideas become a project brief. It sets out how you want to live in the space, the rooms and spaces you need, your priorities, your budget and your timescales. Site information is gathered, and any early surveys are identified.

Your involvement is high at this stage. A clear brief is one of the best investments you can make, and our guide to writing a design brief for your architect can help. For more complex sites, an architectural feasibility study is often carried out around this point to test what may be possible.

Stage 2: Concept Design

The architect develops the design concept: the overall layout, form, relationship with the site and the character of the building. You will usually see sketches, plans and 3D visuals, and you will be asked for feedback.

RIBA's homeowner guidance notes that the architect will also liaise with local planners as a priority at this stage. This is where pre-application planning advice often fits, if your project would benefit from it. By the end of Stage 2, you will be asked to approve the concept before it is developed further.

Stage 3: Spatial Coordination

The approved concept is tested and refined in more detail. Engineering input, such as structural design, is coordinated with the architecture, and the design is checked against the brief and the budget.

RIBA's guidance states that planning applications are generally submitted at the end of Stage 3. That is the default rather than a fixed rule. The Plan of Work recognises that some projects submit earlier, during Stage 3 or even at the end of Stage 2, once enough design information is ready, and your architect should agree the right point with you as part of the planning strategy. Either way, it is a significant milestone, because changing the design after planning approval can mean a fresh application.

Stage 4: Technical Design

Once planning is in place, the design is developed into the detailed technical information needed to build it. This includes construction drawings, specifications and details, and it is usually when your building regulations application is prepared. RIBA's homeowner guide notes that this is also when you finalise the selection of materials and finishes.

On many homes, contractor selection happens around this point. Tender documents are prepared, contractors are invited to price the work and the returns are compared. That isn't the only way, though. RIBA describes the Plan of Work as procurement neutral, and it allows for several routes, from a traditional tender on completed drawings to design and build, where a contractor is appointed earlier and takes on some of the design. Each route brings the contractor in at a different point, so there is no single fixed sequence. Your architect can explain which route suits your project and when the builder would be appointed.

Stage 5: Manufacturing and Construction

This is the building stage. Depending on your architect's appointment, they may stay involved to administer the building contract, respond to questions on site, review the quality of the work and manage changes.

RIBA notes that Stages 4 and 5 overlap for most projects, as some technical design continues once work has started on site.

Stage 6: Handover

The building is completed and handed over to you. Outstanding items are resolved, certificates and documentation are collected, and the building contract is concluded. A defects period usually follows, during which the contractor returns to fix issues that become apparent.

Stage 7: Use

The final stage covers the building in use. It doesn't wait for Stage 6 to finish: RIBA states that Stage 7 starts at the same time as Stage 6 and lasts for the life of the building. For larger projects, it can include a review of how well the building is performing, usually under a separate appointment, as the building contract and the design team's main role generally conclude at the end of Stage 6. For homeowners, it is the reward for the earlier stages: a home that works the way you hoped.

Where planning permission fits

Planning is not a separate stage in the RIBA Plan of Work. Instead, RIBA lists it among the core statutory processes that run alongside the design stages, together with building regulations and health and safety.

In most residential projects:

• early planning research and any pre-application advice happen during Stages 1 and 2
• the planning application is generally submitted at the end of Stage 3, although some projects submit earlier
• building regulations approval is usually sought during Stage 4

Some projects don't need planning permission at all. Our guide to whether you need planning permission explains the main exceptions.

How involved will you be?

RIBA states that the client is central to the decision making process at every stage. In practice, your involvement tends to follow a pattern:

• Stages 0 to 2: high involvement, as you shape the brief and approve the concept
• Stage 3: regular input as the design is refined and the planning application is prepared
• Stage 4: focused decisions on materials, finishes and specifications, and often contractor selection
• Stages 5 and 6: key decisions on site, changes and the final handover

The most valuable decisions are usually made early. Changes are far easier and cheaper on paper than once building work has started.

Why projects need different levels of support

Not every project needs an architect for every stage. A small, simple extension might only need design work through to planning and building regulations. A bespoke new home or a substantial remodel often benefits from an architect who stays involved from the brief through to completion.

The right level of support depends on the complexity of the project, the sensitivity of the site, your own experience and how much time you can give to managing it. Some homeowners are confident appointing and managing a builder directly. Others prefer the architect to run the tender, administer the contract and check the work on their behalf.

At CODA Bespoke, we cover every RIBA work stage, from design and detailed planning through to administering contract works, with a full procurement service. You can read more about our expertise and services and see how this works in practice on our process page.

Bringing your project into focus

Understanding the stages ahead makes it easier to plan your budget, your time and your decisions. It also helps you have clearer conversations with your architect about what you need from them.

If you are planning a bespoke new home, a major extension or a renovation, take a look at our completed projects, then brief the CODA Bespoke team to start the conversation.

Planning permission is rarely just a box to tick. For ambitious residential projects, it often shapes the design itself.

Most homeowners first hear about pre-application advice, often shortened to "pre-app", once an architect or planning consultant suggests it. It costs money, it takes time and it doesn't give you a decision, so it is reasonable to ask whether it is worth it.

The honest answer is that it depends on the project. Here, we explain what pre-application advice is, when it tends to help, what the process involves and how to get the most value from it.

What is pre-application planning advice?

Pre-application advice is a service offered by local planning authorities that lets you discuss a proposal with a planning officer before you apply. The government's planning practice guidance describes pre-application engagement as a collaborative process between a prospective applicant and other parties, and says it offers significant potential to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning system.

In practice, you send the council information about your property and what you would like to do. A planning officer then reviews it against local and national policy and gives you their view. That might cover:

• whether the principle of the development is likely to be acceptable
• concerns about scale, height, massing or design
• the impact on neighbours, such as overlooking, loss of light or an overbearing effect
• heritage, conservation area or green belt issues
• what information a formal application would need to include

For householder projects in England, such as extensions and alterations to an existing home, pre-application advice is not a legal requirement. Councils encourage it, but you can still submit a valid planning application without it.

When is pre-application advice worth it?

Pre-app tends to earn its fee when there is genuine uncertainty about how a council will view a proposal.

The new National Planning Policy Framework, published in August 2026, treats larger and smaller schemes differently. For major development, which in planning terms broadly means housing schemes of 10 or more homes or sites of 0.5 hectares or more, policy DM1 expects proposals to be informed by early engagement with neighbours, the local community and the local planning authority. For other development, which covers ordinary householder projects, the framework only says that pre-application engagement may also be required where proposals raise complex planning matters, with heritage given as an example. So for a typical extension, pre-app remains your choice, while a small development or a scheme affecting a listed building is more likely to be expected to involve it.

For residential projects, it is often worth considering when:

The scheme is large or unusual

A substantial two storey extension, a significant remodel that changes the character of a house, or a contemporary design in a traditional street can all be judged in different ways. Early feedback helps you understand where the line is likely to fall.

The site is sensitive

Listed buildings, conservation areas, green belt land and sites close to neighbours all bring extra policy tests. These are the cases where officers' early views are most useful, because the design can respond to them from the start.

You are building a new home or a small development

New dwellings raise questions about the principle of development, access, density, landscape and the character of the area. Testing those questions before investing in full application drawings can save considerable time and money.

A previous application was refused

If a council has already refused a similar scheme, pre-app can help you understand whether a revised design is likely to overcome the reasons for refusal, or whether an appeal is the better route. Our article on what to do if planning permission is refused covers the options.

When might you not need it?

Pre-app is not always the best use of time or budget. If your project is modest and clearly in line with local policy, it may add weeks without telling you much you didn't already know.

Some projects don't need planning permission at all. Many smaller extensions fall under permitted development rights, although some still need prior approval. If you want certainty that a permitted development project is lawful, the Planning Portal explains that a Lawful Development Certificate is a legal document confirming the lawfulness of proposed work.

It is worth keeping the two separate. A Lawful Development Certificate is a formal application that results in a decision on whether the work is lawful without planning permission. Pre-application advice is an informal, non-binding opinion on a scheme that will need planning permission. If your project may fall within permitted development, an LDC is usually the right tool; if it clearly needs permission, pre-app is the one to consider. Our guide to whether you need planning permission explains where the lines usually fall.

For some straightforward householder schemes, a well-prepared full application can be the more efficient choice. An experienced architect can help you weigh this up for your property.

What does the process involve?

Each council runs its own service, so the details vary. In most cases, the process follows a similar pattern.

1. Preparing the request

Councils usually ask for a completed form, a site location plan, a description of the proposal and drawings or sketches that show what you intend to build. Photographs of the property and its surroundings are often helpful. The Planning Portal advises being fully prepared to describe your proposals and show plans.

2. Paying the fee

Most councils charge for pre-application advice, and the fee depends on the type and scale of the project.

3. Officer review and response

Depending on the council and the level of service, you may receive written advice only, or a meeting or site visit as well. Response times vary from around a month to six weeks or more, so it is important to build pre-app into the programme rather than treat it as a quick check.

4. Refining the design

The response is a starting point. Some comments will be firm policy concerns, while others will be matters of judgement that can be addressed through design, additional information or a clearer explanation of the proposal.

How much does pre-application advice cost?

There is no single national fee in England. Councils set their own charges for pre-application advice under the Local Government Act 2003, and the government's guidance says those charges must not exceed the cost of providing the service.

As a result, fees vary widely. At the time of writing, in November 2026:

• Sheffield City Council charges £126 including VAT for a householder desk-based review
• Leeds City Council charges £156 including VAT for house extensions, outbuildings and alterations, with a typical response time of 20 working days
• Islington Council charges £480 including VAT for written householder advice, or £700.80 with a site visit

Fees usually change each April, and some councils offer several levels of service. Always check your own council's website before applying. You should also budget for the time needed to prepare drawings and supporting information, as this is usually the larger cost.

What pre-application advice can't do

This is the most important point to understand. Pre-application advice is not a planning decision.

The government's guidance is clear that pre-application engagement cannot pre-empt the democratic decision making process or a particular outcome. Leeds City Council's service, for example, states that its advice does not constitute a formal response or decision of the council.

There are several reasons why positive feedback may not lead to approval:

• officers can only comment on the information provided, and a full application will be assessed in more detail
• neighbours and consultees haven't yet had their say
• planning policy can change, as it did with the new National Planning Policy Framework in 2026
• applications may be decided by a planning committee rather than the officer who gave the advice

That said, the advice still carries weight. The guidance notes that it could be a material consideration in a later decision, and the new framework asks councils to take account of planning matters raised during any pre-application engagement. A scheme that has responded thoughtfully to pre-app comments is in a stronger position than one that hasn't.

How an architect can help

The quality of the advice you receive depends heavily on the quality of what you submit. A vague sketch tends to produce a cautious, general response. A clear, well-reasoned proposal gives officers something specific to respond to.

An architect can help at each step:

• Deciding whether pre-app is worthwhile for your property, or whether another route makes more sense
• Understanding the policy context, including local design guidance, heritage designations and any planning history
• Preparing drawings and a short design statement that explain the thinking behind the proposal
• Interpreting the response, separating firm objections from points that can be addressed through design
• Developing the scheme so the formal application responds clearly to the feedback

At CODA Bespoke, planning is considered from the very first conversations. For projects where the planning position is less certain, an architectural feasibility study can help test what may be possible before a pre-app request is prepared. You can read more about how we work on our process page.

Is pre-application planning advice worth it?

For straightforward projects, often not. For ambitious, sensitive or uncertain ones, it can be one of the most useful steps you take.

The value lies less in the fee than in what you do with the response. Used well, pre-application advice helps you understand the planning position early, shapes a stronger design and reduces the risk of a costly refusal.

Start with a clear understanding of your site

Every successful planning application begins with a good understanding of the property, its context and what you want to achieve. If you are considering a bespoke new home, a substantial extension or a residential development, brief the CODA Bespoke team and we can talk through the planning route that makes most sense for your project.