New Build House Drawings in London | Full Service
From feasibility to building regs — a new London home, drawn by one team.
Designing a new dwelling on an infill or backland plot in London is a longer and more technically demanding journey than an extension or loft conversion — it involves establishing whether the plot can support a new home at all, securing full planning permission against a borough's density, design and amenity policies, and then producing a building regulations and structural package detailed enough to actually build from. DrawingsDirect delivers all of this as one coordinated service: feasibility, full planning drawings, building regulations drawings and structural calculations, produced in-house rather than passed between separate architects, engineers and drafters who each need briefing and coordinating separately.
London infill and backland sites bring specific challenges that a straightforward extension does not: the impact of a new dwelling on neighbouring daylight and sunlight, privacy and overlooking, the character and density of the surrounding streetscape, and access, parking and refuse arrangements for a new independent home. Getting an early, honest read on these issues — before a full application is drawn and submitted — is often the difference between a scheme that is approved and one that is refused and has to be reworked. We assess feasibility and, where useful, prepare pre-application advice before committing to a full drawing set.
Fixed fees from £2,500 · Drawings in ~7 days · Free redraws to approval.
Is my plot suitable for a new build in London?
A feasibility assessment looks at plot size and shape, access, existing boundary conditions, relevant planning policy for the borough, and the likely impact of a new dwelling on neighbouring properties before any design work begins. Infill plots — a gap between existing buildings on a street — and backland plots — a garden or yard site behind existing houses, reached by a shared access — each raise different issues: infill schemes are usually judged on how well they match the scale, spacing and character of the street, while backland schemes are judged heavily on overlooking, garden loss for neighbours, and whether the access arrangement is acceptable. A feasibility study gives an honest view of whether a scheme is likely to succeed before you commit to full drawings.
What does pre-application advice add to a new build project?
Pre-application advice is a formal, paid process most London boroughs offer, where planning officers give written feedback on a proposed scheme before a full application is submitted. For a new build — where the principle of development itself is often the main issue, not just the design details — this feedback can be invaluable: it surfaces concerns around density, massing, daylight and sunlight or heritage context early enough to be addressed in the drawings, rather than discovered for the first time as a refusal reason months into a full application. We prepare and submit pre-application enquiries as part of the new build service where it is likely to strengthen the eventual planning application.
How do daylight, sunlight and overlooking affect a new build design?
London boroughs assess new dwellings against their effect on the daylight and sunlight reaching neighbouring homes and gardens, commonly using the 45-degree rule as an initial check on a proposal's massing and position relative to neighbouring windows, alongside more detailed daylight and sunlight assessment on sensitive sites. Overlooking and loss of privacy from new windows, upper floors or roof terraces are assessed similarly, and often shape decisions on window placement, floor-to-floor heights and the overall footprint and massing of the new building. Designing with these constraints from the earliest sketch stage, rather than adjusting for them after a refusal, is one of the main advantages of instructing feasibility and pre-application work before a full planning set.
What is included in a full new build drawing package?
A full new build service covers feasibility and, where instructed, pre-application advice; a full planning drawing set — existing and proposed plans, elevations, sections and a site plan, plus the supporting information a London borough requires for a new dwelling; building regulations drawings covering fire safety, means of escape, thermal performance (Part L), ventilation and drainage; and structural drawings and calculations covering foundations, loadings and the structural frame of the new building, coordinated in-house with the architectural design so the whole package is consistent from first sketch to construction-ready drawings.
How much do new build drawings cost in London?
New build drawings start from £2,500, covering feasibility and a full planning drawing set for a straightforward infill or backland plot; the fee rises with the scale of the scheme, the complexity of the site, and the extent of daylight/sunlight or heritage assessment required, and building regulations and structural drawings are quoted as a further fixed fee once the planning design is settled. As with every service, the fee is agreed upfront before work begins, with no hourly billing.
| Stage | What it establishes | Typical fee guide |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility | Whether the plot can support a new dwelling and the likely constraints | Quoted individually, from within the £2,500 new build fee |
| Pre-application advice | Written borough feedback on the scheme before a full application | Quoted individually alongside the planning fee |
| Full planning drawings | The complete drawing set submitted for planning permission | From £2,500 |
| Building regs and structural | Construction-ready drawings and calculations for building | From £2,200–£3,850, quoted once planning is settled |
New Build Drawings in your London borough
Local planning constraints, conservation areas and Article 4 notes for each council.
Complete your drawing package
The complete technical design service, from first concept to construction detail.Structural Drawings
Steel beams, load-bearing walls and foundations, calculated and drawn in-house.Planning Permission
Chartered planning drawings and application management for every London borough.
New Build Drawings — frequently asked questions
How much do new build drawings cost in London?+
Can any garden or backland plot be built on in London?+
Do I need pre-application advice before a full new build application?+
Do you handle building regulations and structural drawings for a new build, or only planning?+
How long does a new build project take from feasibility to planning permission?+
Ready for new build drawings that get approved?
Tell us your London address and project. We'll confirm feasibility and a fixed fee within one working day — with a free planning appraisal of your property's potential.