Do I need an architect for a house extension?

Not legally, but for anything beyond a small permitted development extension, an architect's drawings are usually needed for planning and building regulations. An architect also helps avoid costly design mistakes before building work starts.

How long does a house extension take from design to completion?

Design and planning typically take a few months. Build time depends on size and complexity, a single storey side return is far quicker than a two storey rebuild.

Can I extend without planning permission?

Many single storey rear and side return extensions qualify under permitted development. Larger extensions, wrap-arounds, and properties in conservation areas or listed buildings usually need a full application.

Do I need a party wall agreement for a house extension?

If your extension involves work on or near a shared wall or boundary with a neighbour, you'll usually need a party wall agreement under the Party Wall Act. We flag this early so it doesn't hold up the build once work is ready to start.

Does a house extension add value to my home?

A well-designed extension usually increases a property's value, though the actual return depends on the local market, the quality of the finish, and how well the new space suits the house.

Architects in Putney

Putney sits within the London Borough of Wandsworth, and director Jürgen Kuppers has been taking projects through Wandsworth's planning process for the best part of ten years. That local track record runs from riverside conversions to straightforward rear extensions.

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A Head Start With Wandsworth Planning

What Putney's Housing Stock Means for a Design

Putney's building stock is genuinely mixed: mansion blocks and riverside apartments close to the embankment, Victorian terraces around Putney Village and East Putney, and 1930s semis further out toward the Heath and the Southfields border. Each suits a different kind of extension or conversion. Jürgen has designed across most of these house types in his time working in Wandsworth, which means a proposal usually starts from what's realistically achievable on a given street, not a generic template applied to every property.

Riverside Sites Bring Their Own Constraints

Properties close to the Thames can fall within an Environment Agency flood zone, which changes what's needed alongside a planning application, particularly for basement or ground floor work. We factor flood risk into a scheme from the earliest design stage rather than treating it as paperwork to sort out once the drawings are finished.

A Putney Kitchen Extension, Handled Start to Finish

Kitchen and rear extensions are the most common enquiry we get from Putney, often paired with a loft conversion or an interior refit to make proper use of the extra space.

Kirana Laonipon, our Part II architectural assistant, is usually the person coordinating drawings and specifications day to day, keeping a project moving between site visits and meetings with Wandsworth's planning team.

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Working Within Putney's Conservation Areas

Parts of Putney, including areas close to the river and around Putney Village, sit within conservation areas designated by Wandsworth Council. That affects what changes need planning permission and how they need to be designed, so it's one of the first things we check on any Putney property.

Close Enough for a Proper Site Visit

Our studio in Wimbledon Park is a short drive from Putney, which in practice means Jürgen or Kirana can get to a site quickly, whether that's an initial survey, a meeting with a neighbour over a party wall, or a walk-through with Wandsworth's case officer.

Small Team, Direct Access

Architects You'll Actually Speak To

Design United Studio is led by director Jürgen Kuppers, a RIBA and ARB registered architect with a background that includes large-scale projects at Foster + Partners, working alongside Part II Architectural Assistant Kirana Laonipon.

Putney is one of eighteen areas we cover as part of our wider South West London architects practice, all handled by the same two-person team from first survey to completed build.

Portfolio

Our Track Record

2

Hands-On Team

100+

Projects

99%

Planning Approval Success Rate

10+

Years in Practice

What Our Clients Say

"Our flat is a five minute walk from the Thames, and dealing with a flood risk assessment felt daunting until Design United Studio explained exactly what Wandsworth needed to see."

"Jürgen came to see the house himself rather than sending someone else, and that continued right through to completion."

"We wanted a Putney extension that didn't scream new build next to a Victorian terrace. They got the proportions right first time."

HARRIET N.

GEORGE W.

ANIKA S.

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