Frequently Asked Questions About Architectural Vistadesigns

We have been operating for many years, with the current limited company incorporated in 2016. Our portfolio includes Residential , Commercial, Education, Industrial planning and development work across Leicestershire, Warwickshire and surrounding areas.

Yes. We are a CIAT Registered Practice, and Mark Payne is a Chartered Architectural Technologist.

Mark Payne holds a BSc (Hons) in Architectural Design and Technology from De Montfort University and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (MCIAT).

Architects and Chartered Architectural Technologists follow similar professional routes but can work across many of the same types of projects. Chartered Architectural Technologists specialise in the technical design, construction and performance of buildings, alongside architectural design and planning.
Mark is a Chartered Architectural Technologist and a Chartered Member of CIAT and has built up a vast portfolio of design inspired projects to date.

Yes. We have completed house extensions, new homes, conversions and residential developments and many other sector projects. Our Projects section includes case studies showing different project types, locations and design challenges, with public planning records also providing independent evidence of our work.

You can read over 30 five-star reviews from previous clients on Google. Feedback regularly highlights our communication, responsiveness, planning guidance and practical advice.

Yes. We hold Professional Indemnity Insurance as well as Public Liability Insurance.

Our fees are generally based on a four-stage process, depending on the type and complexity of the project:

1. Measured Survey or Topographical Survey
2. Feasibility or sketch design
3. Planning drawings, supporting information and management of the planning application
4. Building Regulations drawings, coordination with relevant consultants and management of the Building Regulations application

If further involvement is required after Building Regulations approval, this is quoted separately depending on the level of support needed.

Your quotation will set out the stages of work included for your project. This may cover the initial survey, feasibility or sketch design, planning drawings and submission, and Building Regulations drawings and submission. Where specialist input is required, we can liaise with consultants such as structural engineers, energy assessors, ecologists or arboriculturists as part of the process.

Yes. Council application fees and other consultants’ fees are normally paid separately by you. Depending on the project, this may include costs for structural engineers, energy assessors, ecologists, arboriculturists, drainage specialists, surveyors or other consultants.

No. Council application fees and specialist consultants’ fees are normally separate from our professional fees and are paid directly by you. We will advise where additional consultant input is likely to be required.

We can provide general guidance at an early stage on whether the size and scope of your project appear realistic for your budget. A reliable construction price normally requires more detailed drawings and structural information for builders to price accurately. We also encourage you to speak to builders or, where appropriate, a quantity surveyor if cost certainty is particularly important.

No. Planning approval is decided by the relevant local planning authority, so it cannot be guaranteed. We can assess the site, planning context, design and relevant policies, advise on the likely risks and prepare the strongest application possible.

Yes. Before progressing too far, we consider the property or site, what you want to achieve, planning constraints, neighbouring development, access, drainage, trees and other factors that may affect what is realistically possible.

Yes. We will explain any clear planning or practical difficulties and discuss alternative ways of approaching the project before you spend unnecessary time or money developing an unsuitable proposal.

Where relevant, yes. We may review previous applications on the site or surrounding area alongside local planning policies and the character of existing development, particularly where there is uncertainty about what may be acceptable.

Yes. We have worked across a number of planning authority areas in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands. Requirements can vary between authorities, so we consider each property or site individually.

If an application is refused, we can discuss the available options with you, including revising and resubmitting the proposal or pursuing an appeal.
Work associated with a resubmission or appeal is outside the original application fee and would be subject to an additional quotation.

If Planning or Building Control requests drawing amendments during the application process, the necessary changes are normally included within our agreed fee. We will review the comments, make the required amendments where appropriate and respond as part of managing the application through to determination.

Yes. We start by understanding what you want to achieve, how you use the property and your priorities around layout, style, space and budget. Where appropriate, we may develop alternative options so you can compare different ways of achieving the brief.

We will work with you to refine the design. During the feasibility or sketch design stage, we normally allow around three sets of changes so an agreed solution can be reached.

For most projects, around three sets of amendments are normally included during the feasibility or sketch design stage. If the brief changes significantly from what was originally agreed, additional fees may need to be discussed before further work is carried out.

Minor changes can normally be dealt with as part of the design-development process. However, if the brief changes significantly and requires substantial redesign or additional work beyond the original scope, we will discuss this with you and agree any additional fees before proceeding.

You will work directly with Mark Payne, Director of Architectural Vistadesigns, throughout your project. We do not outsource our architectural design work. Where specialist expertise is required, external consultants such as structural engineers or energy assessors may be involved.

Yes. You will work directly with Mark Payne throughout the design, planning and Building Regulations stages. You therefore have a consistent point of contact from the initial brief through to the relevant approvals.

We do not outsource our architectural design work. External specialists may still be required for structural engineering, energy assessments, ecology, arboriculture or other technical reports.

We keep you informed as the project moves through each stage. A measured survey is normally arranged within around one week. Where a topographical survey is required from an external consultant, this may take up to around two weeks. Once the survey information is prepared, the project progresses through design, planning and Building Regulations as required, with updates throughout.

For many projects, we allow up to around four months from instruction to obtaining Planning and Building Regulations approvals. Where planning permission is not required, the overall process may be around two months shorter. More complex planning applications can take longer, depending on the site, information required and the planning authority’s response.

More complicated planning applications, additional surveys or specialist reports, council requests for further information, site constraints and changes to the brief can all extend the programme. We aim to identify likely requirements and constraints as early as possible, helping to reduce avoidable delays and give you a clearer understanding of the process from the outset.

Timescales can change because of planning authority requirements, specialist reports, additional information or changes to the brief. Where this happens, we will keep you informed and explain what is affecting the programme and what needs to happen next.

It depends on the project. Structural engineers are commonly required for structural alterations, beams, foundations or more complex construction. Other projects may need energy assessors, drainage consultants, ecologists, tree consultants or civil engineers. We will advise when additional professional input is likely to be needed.

Yes. We can recommend structural engineers and other specialists where their input is required. You will normally appoint and pay those consultants directly.

Yes. We can advise on builders and provide recommendations where appropriate. You will normally make the final appointment and agree costs directly with the chosen contractor.

Yes. Where specialist consultants are required, they will normally be appointed and paid directly by you. We can advise which consultants may be needed, recommend suitable specialists and liaise with them where their information is required for the design, planning or Building Regulations work.

You will normally source builder quotations directly. However, where we are specifically instructed to manage the tendering process, we can assist with obtaining and coordinating contractor quotations as an additional service.

We are based in Hinckley and work across Leicestershire, Warwickshire and surrounding areas, including Leicester, Loughborough, Nuneaton, Rugby, Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Yes. Hinckley is our home base, but we regularly work across Leicestershire and Warwickshire and undertake selected projects further afield, including Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham.

Yes. We consider an initial site visit important before formally agreeing the scope of many projects. For extensions and alterations, this helps us understand the existing building, the proposed work and constraints such as drainage, trees or existing structures. For development land, the visit can help identify issues such as access, existing services, trees, levels and topography. This helps us provide a more accurate quotation and recommend the most appropriate next steps.

Yes. We work with homeowners on extensions, conversions and new homes, as well as landowners and small developers on residential development opportunities. The support we provide depends on the site, project and stage of development.

You do not need to have everything worked out before getting in touch. It helps to have a basic idea of what you want to achieve, the property or site location, any known planning history and an approximate budget if you have one. We can then identify what information or investigations may be needed next.