Architectural services: definition, stages, disciplines

Architectural services cover the range of work an architect carries out, from first sketch to finished building. This can include briefing, feasibility, concept design, planning applications, Building Regulations, technical drawings, tendering, and contract administration on site. You can choose a full service or select only the stages you need.

In this article, you’ll learn about the range of services modern architects offer, how their work supports your project from the start and how to choose the right architectural services provider for you.

What are architectural services?

Investors, developers and landlords need access to different experts at various stages of a construction project.

Most of the time, those experts work for architectural practices. Each practice is different, offering its own range of services and access to its own set of in-house and external experts. Some offer limited help at specific stages of a project (like design or planning), while others are involved in projects from start to finish.

Let’s take a look at the key architectural services available at each stage of a build project.

The key architectural services up until project completion

Below, we look at the role architects play at different stages of a project. In this example, we’re using as an example a firm that offers a start-to-end service, like WindsorPatania.

1. Design, feasibility and planning

The first stage is turning your ideas into a building project. This involves planning and architectural drawings, the services most people associate with an architect.

This is when you describe your vision to the architect. They first turn that into simple sketches and block plans. They eventually morph into detailed, scaled planning drawings.

Their goal at this stage is to create a scheme you’re happy with and a workable design represented as a set of drawings and documentation.

When you’re happy with their work, the next stage is submitting it for planning permission.

Planning permission is formal approval to build, extend or change the use of a property. Many, but not all, projects need permission from the local authority.

Planners use national and local guidelines to decide whether to approve your project. They consider the impact on your neighbours, whether the design fits the local area, and where the site is.

On more complex builds, architects often seek pre-application advice to get guidance from planners on what they want to see.

For investors, developers and landlords, planning is often the hardest part. It makes sense to hand it to someone with experience in persuading planners to grant approval.

2. Submitting the plan

Your architect’s job here is to choose the right type of permission for your project. That could be Householder for home extensions, Full for new buildings, Outline for early-stage proposals or Listed Building Consent for protected buildings. Picking the right type reduces delays. They’ll also confirm whether permitted development applies.

Then they work through the various planning tasks:

Building your case

Alongside the drawings, your architect writes a short planning statement in plain English. This explains:

How the design follows local and national policy
How it fits the site
How it protects neighbours’ privacy and outlook
How it matches the character of the area

They also check the Local Plan, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and recent decisions on similar schemes nearby.

For example, if the council has refused dormers on the street, or only allowed two-storey extensions in certain plots, they will spot that and shape the application around it.

If the site needs supporting reports, they will arrange them. That could be a heritage impact statement, a flood-risk report or a transport note.

Preparing the drawings

The drawings include scaled plans and elevations showing the existing site and the proposed design.

To make the review process easier for the planning team, your architect titles and references each document clearly so officers can compare them. They may also include simple visuals or 3D images to show how the development sits within its setting.

Dialogue with the council

Architects and planning officers usually work together constructively. On many projects, architects discuss proposals informally before submission to spot potential issues or design preferences.

During the review, they respond to questions, supply clarifications, and make small adjustments to keep the application on track. This kind of professional back-and-forth often helps secure approval first time.

Submitting and tracking

The architect completes all the forms, ownership certificates, and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) questions before submitting everything through the Planning Portal.

They then monitor progress, track comments from neighbours and consultees, and keep you updated. A decision normally takes around eight weeks.

If planning is refused

Sometimes the council refuses or adds conditions. If this happens, your architect will review the decision notice and discuss the council’s reasons with you. Many issues can be resolved through small design tweaks or extra information, such as revised elevations or updated reports.

If refusal seems unreasonable or based on a misunderstanding, the architect may recommend an appeal or a free resubmission within 12 months.

In many cases, they’ll contact the planning officer directly to agree a revised approach before reapplying. The goal is always to address concerns quickly and keep the project moving rather than starting again from scratch.

Once permission is granted or conditions agreed, the project moves to Building Regulations and technical design.

3. Building Regulations

After the planning stage is complete, your architect’s next job is to make sure the construction part of the project meets Building Regulations standards.

Building Regulations are the legal rules set down by the government for designing and building safely. They cover issues like building structure, accessibility, fire safety and energy performance.

Now, the architect turns the approved plans into detailed technical drawings. These bring together the structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing information together into one coordinated set. This technical design pack is what the builder uses to price the job and coordinate/plan the work on site.

On more complex builds, the architect works with specialist consultants to prepare and coordinate these drawings to spot potential problems early. The experts they may involve include:

Structural engineers: They advise on the foundation, frame, beams and other load-bearing elements
Mechanical and electrical designers: They provide layouts for heating, ventilation, lighting and power systems.
Energy assessors or sustainability consultants: They help with insulation, U-values and materials to meet performance targets.

The architect also involves Building Control. This is the council’s Building Control team or a private registered approver who checks that your project meets the Building Regulations and is safe, accessible, and energy efficient.

Getting them involved is useful. They can confirm early that elements like escape routes, insulation and materials meet Building Regulations. This is before the architect finalises the detailed drawings.

They can submit:

Full Plans: better on home extensions, loft conversions and anything structural.
Building Notices: better for simple internal changes or small refurbs, such as removing a non-load-bearing wall or moving a bathroom.

Full Plans take between five and eight weeks for approval whereas with Building Notices, you can start 48 hours after receipt.

4. On your build

More than ever before, architects are now part of the build stage of the process.

You can appoint your architect as the Contract Administrator. They manage the build, check progress on-site, manage and document changes, certify contractor payments and resolve general issues.

Their key role as a Contract Administrator is to

Visit and check

Your architect makes regular site visits to compare the work that’s completed with the approved drawings and to carry out checks against the specification. They spot errors and deviations, recording what needs fixing. By catching problems on-site early, you avoid costly rework and keeps the project on track.

Answer questions

The architect manages the flow of information between everyone involved in delivery of the build. That could include formal requests for information (RFIs) from the contractor, such as clarifying window heights or wall finishes.

They review material samples, check supplier drawings for accuracy, and agree on construction methods so queries are dealt with efficiently.

Manage changes

Sometimes, plans change during a project. The cause could be anything from unexpected site conditions and client design tweaks to delays in the delivery of suppliers.

The architect issues a formal Architect’s Instruction each time, confirming what’s changing and why. They file these reports, keeping a record of what action was agreed and what impact it had on cost and time.

Certify progress

At each stage, the architect checks how much work is done and advises what should be paid. If the builder requests more time, they assess whether it’s justified.

They also help track the programme, so you can see if the job’s on schedule or slipping. Many types of development finance release money according to the milestone stage.

The Contract Administrator works with lenders’ inspectors to confirm completed work and support the next drawdown.

Close out the job

As the build wraps up, the architect prepares the snag list. This is a short list of remaining issues to fix.

They confirm when the building is ready to occupy (this is called Practical Completion) and help manage the defects period. This is when the contractor returns to sort snags before final sign-off.

Not all architects offer support throughout the entire process but an increasing number are. There appears to be a trend among investors, developers and landlords to want a professional overseeing their entire project.

Fees charged by architects

Architect firms charge clients in three ways:

On a full service, this is often a percentage of build cost and can suit longer projects with detailed involvement.
For defined tasks like planning applications or building regulation drawings, the general preference is for fixed fees per stage.
For ad-hoc help, hourly rates are the norm.

How to choose an architectural services provider for your project

Even the most experienced landlords, developers and investors have weaknesses in their approach. For some, it’s the design process itself. For others, it’s finding technical expertise to solve buildability issues, meet regulations or avoid delays on site.

The best way to get exceptional results from investing in property is to build a team around you that fills those gaps and keeps the project moving. This way, you can make more informed decisions on design, cost, risk and timing.

WindsorPatania offers a full range of architectural services include:

To get started, submit a project, email us or call us for a free consultation. We’re happy to discuss your project and look forward to hearing from you.

HMO Architects note: Planning a retrofit? See how a pre-construction survey saves you time and money.