Viewing with an Architect
Buying a house is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make. Whether a property has real potential — or hidden complications — is not always obvious on a viewing. This service gives you an architect’s honest, independent assessment before you commit.
What it involves
At your second or third viewing, I join you for a 30-minute walk around the property. We talk through what you are hoping to achieve: how the house could be extended, reconfigured, or improved to work for your family and your needs.
I can talk through:
- Extension possibilities and the most practical routes forward
- Alteration options, including alternative interior arrangements and reconfigurations
- The prime opportunities in the property — the spaces and moves that would make the biggest difference
- An honest view on whether the house suits your brief, based on a short conversation at the start of the visit
- Planning considerations, including conservation areas, permitted development, and any obvious constraints
- How the site works: orientation, levels, access, and outlook
- What is pragmatic and what may be more complicated than it first appears
This is an independent, unbiased service. There are no referral fees or arrangements with estate agents. The sole purpose is to give you a clearer picture.
What it does not include
I cannot provide accurate build cost estimates from a single visit. There is no written report, though you are welcome to photograph anything useful during the visit and I will summarise key points verbally at the end of the meeting.
This service is not a substitute for a full building survey. Structural defects, damp, drainage issues, drainage layout and dilapidations will not be assessed — a chartered surveyor should always be commissioned before exchange.
I cannot guarantee any planning outcome. Planning decisions rest with the Local Planning Authority and depend on many factors that cannot be fully assessed in a single visit. The planning history of a property and its immediate area should always be independently checked.
I will not have access to the property’s legal title, boundary information, rights of way, easements, or any covenants that may affect what can be built. These should be reviewed by your solicitor as part of the conveyancing process.
How it works
A single visit within a 10-mile radius of Bath is £150, payable in advance. If you are looking at several properties and would like me to accompany you to more than one, get in touch to discuss.
This is a standalone service. Taking it up does not create any obligation on either side, and I may or may not be in a position to take on the project if you proceed with the purchase. The candid comments and discussion from the visit provide a practical basis for making a more informed decision about the property.
Book a viewing
If you have a second viewing coming up and would like an architect’s eye on it, get in touch.
Drawing Board and Instagram Feed
Always lovely to see spring is on the way during a survey visit this week.
This lovely Cotswold stone cottage, south of Bath, is getting an update, replacing an ageing conservatory with a modern rear dining extension.
The brief: maximum glazing and a standing seam metal roof to sit beautifully against the stone. Exciting things ahead.
Mar 6
Light and materiality working together—Batheaston extension.
Herringbone oak flooring throughout. Kitchen, dining, and living spaces overlooking elevated patio with views across Bath.
The project also included a dream garage for a classic car (a fellow MG owner!). Flexible studio with rooflight (yoga space now, annexe later if needed).
Every detail considered in plan and section to make the most of a challenging cranked plot and stepped levels.
Extension and renovation | Batheaston | Bath
Photography: @pete.helme
Feb 25
I`m pleased to share that I`ve won Best of Houzz Service for 2026—my fifth time receiving this award since 2021.
This recognition comes from client reviews, and I`m grateful to everyone who`s taken the time to share their experience.
Listening to clients, responding to the house and its context, and designing to the brief—when you get these fundamentals right, it shows in the results and in client satisfaction.
Thank you to everyone who`s worked with me over the past year. Here`s to another year of thoughtful extension and renovation projects across Bath, Bristol, and Wiltshire.
#residentialarchitecture #extensiondesign #batharchitect #bristolarchitecture #wiltshirearchitect #homerenovation #architectureaward #houzzaward #bestofhouzz #ukarchitect #extensionideas #houseextension
Feb 18
Batheaston extension—making the most of a cranked plot and a slim strip of additional land.
These clients bought the plot alongside their home and asked us to create a classic car garage, home studio (that could work as an annexe), and a large open-plan kitchen-dining-living space.
The bonuses: ensuite, southwest-facing roof terrace, and lower ground floor living that connects straight to the rear garden.
Traditional Bath stone exterior meets contemporary interior—plus a dream garage for a fellow MG owner.
Extension and renovation | Batheaston | Bath
Photography: @pete.helme
#batharchitecture #batheaston #residentialarchitecture #extensiondesign #classiccargarage #bathhomes #somersetarchitect #annexedesign #roofterrace #homeextension #bathstone #laceyarchitecture
Feb 11
What a wet January—been battling the lurgy and playing catch-up, finally sharing some photos from just before Christmas.
This was an unusual project in a historic, much-altered house. With its two staircases, circulation was tricky until we reworked the layout. Sometimes small-scale changes in a complex older property can have a transformative effect—releasing the plan and allowing the family to move forward.
We designed a scheme they could tackle in phases without moving out.
Phase 1 is now complete: removed a cramped original stair, installed this new oak feature staircase, created a separate home office, and reconfigured the first floor to create two upstairs bedrooms, and a generous family bathroom.
On to Phase 2...
#residentialarchitect #interiorarchitecture #homerenovation #historichomes
Feb 4
Design Presentation Day at Lacey Architecture
Laying out the full picture for clients—floor plans, elevations, precedent images, and material palettes all spread out for review. This is where weeks of listening, sketching, and refining come together into something tangible.
For this project, we`ve explored multiple floor plan options alongside everything from timber cladding details and zinc roofing to hung tile facades and crittall-style glazing. The presentation includes spatial alternatives, material combinations, and real-world examples to help clients visualise their future home.
Now it`s over to the clients to choose their preferred route forward.
Every extension and renovation project we take on in Bath, Bristol, and Somerset gets this level of care—detailed drawings paired with curated inspiration so nothing`s left to guesswork.
Currently booking projects for summer 2026 onwards.
Residential architecture | Extensions | Renovations | Bath | Bristol | Somerset
#residentialarchitecture #architecturaldesign #extensiondesign #bathhomes #bristolarchitecture #somersetbuilds #homerenovation #designpresentation #architecturepractice #timberclad #zincroofing #hungtiles #crittallwindows #homeextension #architectlife #smallpractice #laceyarchitecture
Jan 23
