Modern rustic kitchen-diner featuring exposed timber beams, red brick wall, blue shaker cabinets, and a wooden farmhouse table with flowers.

Design & Build in Sussex

Bring the design and construction of your project together with one experienced team. We can help take a substantial extension, renovation or new home from the early ideas and drawings through planning, technical preparation and into construction.

Discuss your project

One connected approach to design and construction

Design & Build brings the different stages of a building project closer together. Instead of treating the drawings, costing and construction as separate processes, we can consider from an early stage how the design will work in practice and what will be involved in building it.

Mike leads the design and drawing work, while Charlie can bring practical construction and cost knowledge into the conversation as ideas develop. This means early options can be considered alongside guide pricing, before the design has progressed too far.

That connection continues once work starts. Charlie leads the construction stage, while Mike remains available when questions about the drawings or design arise. The people delivering the project are working from plans they already know and understand.

Practical design decisions

Construction knowledge can feed into the design as it develops, helping to identify practical implications before the project has progressed too far.

Clearer communication

The design and construction sides of the project can speak directly to one another, reducing the gaps that can occur when different stages are handled entirely separately.

Earlier cost guidance

Construction knowledge can feed into the design as it develops, helping to identify practical implications before the project has progressed too far.

Continuity into construction

The knowledge built up during the design stage does not disappear once work starts. Charlie leads the construction, while Mike remains available when design or drawing questions arise.

Why a connected approach matters

When design and construction are considered together, decisions can be made with a clearer understanding of what they will mean in practice.

From first ideas to construction

Every project is different, but our Design & Build process follows a clear path from the first conversation through to the building work itself.

1. Discuss the project

We start by talking through your property, what you want to achieve and the different routes that may be possible.

2. Develop ideas and guide pricing

Mike develops the initial design ideas and sketches, while Charlie can contribute practical construction and cost guidance. This allows emerging options to be considered alongside an early indication of likely build costs.

3. Drawings, planning and technical preparation

Once you are happy to proceed, the drawings are developed in more detail and amended as needed. Where planning permission is required, the application is prepared and submitted. Building Regulations information and structural calculations are then developed for the construction stage.

3. Drawings, planning and technical preparation

Once you are happy to proceed, the drawings are developed in more detail and amended as needed. Where planning permission is required, the application is prepared and submitted. Building Regulations information and structural calculations are then developed for the construction stage.