We are thrilled to be included in the shortlist for the South Coast Property Awards, in the Architectural Practice of the Year category, you can find the full list of shortlists here.
The event highlights the finest professionals in the field – agents, developers, planners, consultants, property lawyers, housebuilders and of course architects! We look forward to the awards evening in June, good luck to all the entrants.
Collaborating with an architect has the potential of adding value to your home, land or property. Whether you’re reimagining an existing space or planning a new development, thoughtful design can significantly boost both your personal comfort and the market value of the asset. Even if you’re settled in your “forever home,” it’s reassuring to know that well-planned alterations enhance not just how you live, but also the financial value of your property.
At Studio BAD, we’ve worked on a wide variety of projects that have helped our clients transform their spaces, enhancing the functionality, aesthetics and sustainability. Here, we explore a few ways architecture can add measurable value to your property.
Working with our clients we are able to help them make their houses work better for their lifestyle. By extending or reconfiguring existing spaces, we help homeowners create layouts that better suit their everyday needs, whilst also increasing the property’s market appeal.
At Holly Cottage we helped the clients to adapt their listed house to better suit their lifestyle. Since starting a family, the owners found the historic characteristics of the ground floor layout just didn’t really suit how they now lived; the kitchen felt small, there wasn’t a natural place for the family to gather together, the garden felt disconnected from the home and the main entrance didn’t suit life with a buggy and a dog.
Through a carefully designed contemporary extension, we restructured the layout to flow more naturally and better suit their needs. The home now supports their lifestyle to make their life easier, it also has added elements of future proofing and improved the properties sustainability to secured their long-term future in the home. Since completing this work, the property value has increased by an impressive 25%.
Looking to make your home work harder for you? Get in touch, we would love to explore the possibilities.
Maximising internal floor space is often the easiest way to increase the value of a property, but it isn’t the only way and in tougher markets, design quality, material choices and sustainability, can often tip the scales. By working with a professional architect, they are able to cleverly unlock the hidden potential of an existing property.
At The Granary, we have sympathetically reconfigure the existing property, positively adding value by changing the use of space available. The design has increased the internal space of the house by infilling part of an existing car port, allowed for additional floor space to be added without having to physically extend the property. The result of this work has delivered a larger kitchen and an additional bedroom, perfectly crafted for the needs of the young homeowners. A report by Aro Finance has estimated an additional bedroom increases the value of the property by at least 15%.
At our Brockenhurst House project, sustainability was at the core of the redesign. The design has created a low-energy, high-comfort home that enhances the living experience by improving the thermal efficiency and reworking the internal layout, delivering a fourth bedroom and a garden studio. According to a recent study by ThisisMoney sustainable improvements to your home can add up to 15% to your property value.
Thinking about reconfiguring your home? Get in touch to start the conversation.
An architect is able to look at the full potential of a site, not just what it built but often seeing an overlooked opportunity, especially when it comes to underused land or tricky plots. Additionally, architects are able to help navigate the often-tricky local planning permission system when it comes to these imaginative schemes.
At Hill Lane, in central Southampton, we were able to carefully analyse the plot of the existing house and design a contemporary two-bedroom house within the underused garden plot, without compromising the original property. This reimagined space has created asset now valued at around £300,000.
We are currently working on a project in Whitchurch, looking to redevelop an existing pottery studio within an urban setting, to create a modern, compact home. The current structure has a very weak thermal performance making the building no longer fit for purpose, our design looks to create a well-considered, spatially efficient and thermally high performing home that is fitting within its historic surroundings. Once completed, the new home is projected to be worth upwards of £250,000.
Wondering what your land could become? Contact us to start the design journey.
At Studio BAD, we believe great architecture does more than look good—it enhances daily living and increases long-term value. Whether you’re updating your home, reconfiguring a layout, or developing land, we’re here to help.
Get in touch to discover how we can unlock the full potential of your property.
Darren was recently invited by Ideal Home Magazine to share his expert advice about meeting building regulations for an extension. His article covers which building regulations might apply to extensions, if you might need just a building notice or full planning application, if it is possible to build an extension without building regulations and what other permissions you might need for building an extension.
Building Regulations are need for all building work, these are legally binding requirements that ensure all construction work meets regulatory standards for safety, energy efficiency and accessibility and is fit for purpose.
Depending on the scope of the extension you might need to get Planning Permission before you start work. This applies if the project is a significant addition or alternation, it affects the external appearance or if the property is listed or in a conservation area.
Permitted Development is often an option for smaller extensions that meet specific criteria and don’t need Planning Permission. These are usually minor changes like adding a small conservatory or extending a kitchen. However, this can vary depending on the location and type of property so it is always best to double check with your local authority before you start work.
If you live in a terrace property, or want to build onto a neighbour’s adjoining wall, you will need to get a Party Wall Agreement in place. This ensures that both you and your neighbour are aware of and agree to the work, protecting both parties’ interests and addressing any potential disputes.
This largely depends on the complexity of a scheme. For a larger, more arduous project we would always suggest you apply for a full planning application, as this route is a more detailed approach. As part of the submission, you include full architectural drawings, specifications and other documentation specific to the scheme. This careful approach ensures everything is pre-approved, reducing any risk of potential issues or costly changes later on in the build.
Building Notice is a simplified route, with only the essential details getting submitted. This can allow for flexibility during the build and can allow you to get started onsite quicker. However, during the construction phase the Building Control Officers would regularly conduct on-site inspections and recommendations which could involve additional unexpected changes as there are no set detailed plans in place. This route can work well for smaller, less complex projects.
No, it might be possible to build an extension without planning permission but not without building regulations as these are legal binding requirement in place to ensure the construction work meets regulatory standards and the building and fixtures are fit for purpose.
Building regulations apply to almost all types of building work, from small porches, a loft conversion or a large rear extension, they all must meet the minimum standards. If you go ahead without these necessary approvals in place, your local council could require you to remove it, or rebuild it to the meet the standards, it would also complicate a future sale of your property.
Depending on the work needed and the property you are extending, there might be some other approvals you need to get in place before starting work.
When working on a listed building, any alterations—including extensions—require Listed Building Consent from the local planning authority. Listed buildings are protected for their historical and architectural significance, and any changes need to preserve their integrity. Doing work without this consent can lead to serious consequences, including fines or criminal charges.
If you don’t own the freehold of the property, such as in a leasehold arrangement, you must get Freehold Consent from the freeholder or landlord to clarify everything before proceeding with the extension. Lease agreements can have clauses that restrict modifications, so it’s crucial to carefully review the lease. This consent ensures you are legally allowed to make changes to the property, including building or extending.
A Party Wall Agreements are needed when the work involves a shared wall, fence or structure, often found with terrace or semi-detached properties. This agreement outlines how the work will be carried out, including when access is required and any potential impacts on the neighbour’s property. It protects both parties and can help avoid future disputes. If there’s no agreement in place and work starts, you may face legal action, especially if the work causes damage or encroachment on the neighbouring property.
Finally, we would always recommend using approved building inspectors for your project, as we often find this route is quicker, easier and better value for money.
The full article can be found here, or get in touch if you want to speak to the team directly about your extension project.
With the start of the second quarter we wanted to take an opportunity to briefly share a practice update some of our project news, thoughts and advice.
Work has started on the Regency Villa, a Grade II Listed townhouse in central Southampton. Our design will sympathetically refurbish,extend and reimagine this beautiful period property, to create a wonderful family home.
The four-storey listed townhouse had previously been subdivided into a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO), our project strips back the modern and out of place additions, to restore the home back into a a stunning single dwelling.
The design will deliver a scheme that enhances the rich, historic personality of the original dwelling, upgrading the energy efficiency of the property, to create a functional and joyful home for the owners and their young family.
You can find full project details here.
If you are thinking of starting a self-build project, we understand that it can often feel daunting.
The team here at Studio BAD have over 50 years’ collective architectural experience, designing self-build houses and extensions. We are perfectly placed to help you understand the process and have recently answered some key FAQ’s on this topic to help you get your project started.
You can read the full article here.
We are thrilled to have secured planning for The Granary, a beautiful heritage building set within the New Forest National Park, and also located within listed building curtilage.
The interesting scheme converts and infills an existing open carport space. Our design has places an emphasis on celebrating the original character of the building, highlighted through contemporary interventions.
You can find full project details here.
To join our mailing list for monthly practice updates, please contact us directly at darren@studiobad.co.uk
Darren Bray was asked by Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, to share his thoughts about how working with an Architect can save you money, published in the March 2025 edition – you can read the full article here.
In short yes, they can. With their year of training, and experience working on construction projects, architect have invaluable knowledge that they can pass on to you, to help streamline your project, minimize mistakes and ensure you get the most value for your investment.
One of the most significant areas where an architect can help save money is by reducing your construction time onsite. As part of the working stage process, your architect will produce technical drawings for the construction team, this clarity ensures your contractor knows exactly what to build, reducing the opportunity for costly mistakes, misunderstandings or unexpected redesigns during the build process. They can also help assess construction and material costs, to make sure you’re getting a fair deal without compromising quality or safety.
An architect will be able to lower the running costs of your home through detailed work to improve its energy efficiency. Their knowledge of materials, design and products will to help improve the energy consumption, to save you money on a day-to-day basis.
Working with an architect can also help to save you money in the long run. They are skilled at making the most out of the space you have, which can reduce the need to move from a property and increase its value. For instance, they might be able to design a new layout that adds an additional bedroom or optimises underused areas of your home, such as turning an attic or basement into valuable living space. This work can transform your home, to make it function better for your lifestyle, while also adding real long-term value.
Finally, while saving money is important, a well-designed home can also improve your quality of life. Architects don’t just focus on the technical side—they design spaces that are comfortable, functional, and tailored to your needs.
If you have any questions, or have a project you would like to disucss, do get in touch the the team here.
We were pleased to support the Fare Share South West Christmas Pledge campaign, which raised over £100,000 to support their on-going work to redistribute food waste to those in need.
The mission of the charity is to join the dots between hunger and food waste, creating a solution for the broken food system to create positive social change. By being able to rescue quality surplus food, that would otherwise go to waste, they are able to share it with charities and schools across the south west, to bring health, dignity and joy to people in need.Their misson resonates with our own company ethos, to be a vehicle for positive social or economic change.
You can learn more about the amazing work they do here.