Acton W3 · terrace
Rear dormer: permitted development
38 m³ against a 40 m³ allowance — no planning needed. LDC recommended for resale.
→ Saved a planning application
Planning feasibility report · London
Know exactly what you can build — before you spend a penny on an architect.
Loft, rear or side-return extension? Get a 48-hour feasibility report: permitted development or planning, likely risks, nearby precedents and a realistic cost band for your exact house.
from £199Delivered in 48 hoursHuman-reviewed
- ✓Traffic-light summary per project option
- ✓Property and planning constraints profile
- ✓Nearby precedent table with decisions
- ✓Risk register: building regs, party wall, trees, flood
48 h
from photos to verdict
£199
vs £1,000+ for a typical feasibility study
3 yrs
of nearby decisions checked
100%
reviewed by a person
What you get
Everything in the Plan Check report
- ✓Traffic-light summary per project option
- ✓Property and planning constraints profile
- ✓Nearby precedent table with decisions
- ✓Risk register: building regs, party wall, trees, flood
- ✓Cost band and timeline
- ✓Next-step route: LDC, prior approval or full application
Home Art · Plan Check report
14 Example Road, W3 · Victorian terrace
Rear dormer loft
PD · 38 of 40 m³
4 m rear extension
PD · Class A
6 m rear extension
Prior approval · 42 days
Side-return + terrace
Full planning needed
Constraints
Precedents
Next steps
Example findings
What a check typically finds
Illustrative examples based on our sample reports. Every property is different — that is why we check yours.
Chiswick W4 · semi
HMO Article 4 — not a problem
The street has an Article 4 direction, but it only covers HMOs. The extension stays permitted development.
→ Avoided 8 weeks of planning
Hammersmith W6 · terrace
Wrap-around needs planning
Conservation area: side element is never PD. Five approved side returns on the street show the design that wins.
→ Design brief from precedents
How it works
Ten minutes from you. 48 hours from us.
- 011 min
Free check
Tell us the house and the project. Instant permitted-development verdict.
- 0210 min
Photos + form
6–10 phone photos and 8 questions. We pull planning history, constraints and mapping automatically.
- 0348 h
Report
Options, precedents, risks, costs and your route — reviewed by our planning lead.
Compare
Why not just ask an architect?
| Home ArtPlan Check | Architect feasibility | Builder "free" visit | Googling it | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ✓from £199 | £1,000–£3,000 | Free | Free |
| Time to answer | ✓48 hours | 2–4 weeks | 1–2 weeks | Evenings |
| Checks your exact address | ✓Yes — constraints and Article 4 | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Precedents on your street | ✓Yes, last 3 years | Sometimes | No | No |
| Cost band | ✓Yes | Sometimes | Their own price | No |
| Independent | ✓Yes — report stands alone | Yes | No | — |
Pricing
Pick a tier
Starter
Most popularThe report every London homeowner should have before talking to a builder.
£199inc. VAT
- ✓Permitted development vs planning verdict (traffic-light)
- ✓Property profile: conservation, Article 4, listed status, previous applications
- ✓Up to 3 project options analysed
- ✓Nearby approvals and refusals (last 3 years)
- ✓Cost band and timeline estimate
- ✓Human review by our team
Pro
Starter plus an outline sketch plan you can show builders and neighbours.
£349inc. VAT
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓Scaled outline floor plan and section
- ✓Building regulations and party wall checklist
- ✓20-minute call with our planning lead
- ✓Lawful Development Certificate route mapped
Full refund
If we can't assess your property at the free stage, you pay nothing.
On time or 20% back
Miss the delivery time and 20% is credited automatically.
Reviewed by a person
Every report is checked by our team before it reaches you.
No sales calls
We contact you about your order — nothing else unless you ask.
Not ready yet? Try the free party wall notice generator.
Loft conversion planning check
Loft conversions: usually permitted development — with four traps
Most London loft conversions fall under Class B of the General Permitted Development Order: a rear dormer up to 40 m³ on a terrace or 50 m³ on a semi or detached house, no higher than the existing ridge, set back 20 cm from the eaves and finished in similar materials.
The traps: a front dormer facing the street is never PD; conservation areas and Article 4 directions remove the right; previous roof enlargements eat into the volume allowance; and flats have no householder PD rights at all.
Plan Check applies those rules to your house, pulls nearby dormer approvals and refusals, flags the building regulations items (stairs, fire doors, structure) and tells you whether a Lawful Development Certificate is worth the fee of around £270.
Who this is for
- ✓Homeowners in London houses thinking about a loft, rear, side-return or garage conversion
- ✓Buyers who want to know a property's extension potential before exchange
- ✓Anyone who has had two builders say two different things
Not for
- ×Flats and maisonettes (no householder permitted development rights)
- ×Listed buildings — we will tell you and refund in full
- ×Formal planning advice or a planning application itself (we can arrange both as a next step)
Is this the same as hiring an architect?+
No. It is the step before. Plan Check tells you what is realistic for your house so your architect brief — or your builder conversation — starts from facts, not guesses.
How accurate is the permitted development verdict?+
Our rules engine applies the General Permitted Development Order limits line by line and flags any borough-specific restriction. Amber results always get a human review. For legal certainty we recommend a Lawful Development Certificate, which we can arrange.
What do you need from me?+
Your address, 6–10 phone photos (front, rear, garden, roof from the street) and an 8-question form. Ten minutes.
What happens after the report?+
Nothing, unless you want it to. Most clients ask us for an LDC or planning drawings, or a build quote from Home Art. Both are optional.
Plan Check · from £199 · 48 hours
Free check