What do the statutory fees cost either way?

A householder planning application is £548 determined in 8 weeks, building control is typically £500 to £1,200 in London, and a party wall award with an agreed surveyor commonly runs £900 to £1,400 per neighbour.

Design for Me Alternative | London Plans from £840

Q: How does Architectural Drawings London compare with Design for Me?

Design for Me operates as a architect matching service. A free matching service that introduces homeowners to architects and designers, taking its revenue from the professionals rather than the homeowner.

The short version

Design for Me operates as a architect matching service. Which suits you depends on whether you want a defined drawing package at a known price or a broader service.

How does Design for Me work?

A free matching service that introduces homeowners to architects and designers, taking its revenue from the professionals rather than the homeowner.

Where that model is strong: Genuinely free at the point of use, and the shortlist arrives quickly.

What to establish before you commit: You still compare and appoint the professionals yourself, so the comparison work is the same. Confirm each introduced practice's registration, insurance and fee basis directly.

What do we publish?

Every figure below is on our pricing page and does not change with the size of your build. We do not quote a percentage of build cost, because it gives a designer an interest in a larger build.

Architectural Drawings London published position
Credential	MCIAT chartered architectural technologist
Fee basis	Fixed fee against a defined scope, never a percentage of build cost
Essentials package
Loft package
Mansard package
Complete package
Structural calculations
Party wall services
Turnaround	14–20 working days (Essentials, loft); 20–28 (Complete)
Officer-requested amendments	Included
Coverage	All 33 London boroughs
Positioning	Around 30% below typical London architect rates

What should you ask Design for Me — and us?

The same ten questions work on either side, and the answers are what actually separate one quote from another.

Which drawings does Design for Me include — existing, proposed, sections, elevations, a 1:1250 location plan and a 1:500 site plan?
If the case officer asks for an amendment during the eight-week determination, does Design for Me charge for it?
Are building regulations drawings inside the Design for Me quote, or a separate later stage?
Does Design for Me include structural calculations, subcontract them, or exclude them?
Who serves the party wall notices on a Design for Me project, and is the adjoining owner's surveyor fee budgeted?
Who is the named individual at Design for Me doing the work, and are they on the CIAT or ARB register?
What professional indemnity limit does Design for Me carry?
If the application is refused, does Design for Me include the revised resubmission?
Who owns the drawings Design for Me produces, and can you take them to another contractor?

What costs the same whoever you appoint?

Statutory fees go to the council, not the designer, and they are set nationally for England. No practice can discount them, so they should appear in every budget identically.

Statutory and third-party costs
Householder planning application	£548, 8 weeks
Larger home extension prior approval	£249, 6 weeks
Lawful Development Certificate (proposed)	£274
Listed building consent	No fee
Building control (typical London)	£500–£1,200
Party wall award, agreed surveyor	£900–£1,400 per neighbour

We publish this comparison because homeowners ask for it. We describe Design for Me by its business model rather than asserting its current fees or performance — ask them directly and compare the answers against ours. Statutory figures are the England rates in force in 2026 under the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (England) Regulations.