ThriftyPlans

London planning drawing studio · England

Planning drawings from £399.No site visit.

Send us photos and measurements of your house. We draw your complete planning pack, guide you step by step through submitting it, and make every change the council asks for at no extra cost.

Get your price See what's in the pack
Sample planning drawing: the existing front elevation of a 1930s semi-detached house at 1:100, with brickwork, render, roof tiles and window types labelled and heights marked.
A sample from one of our packs: existing front elevation, 1:100. Sample house, not a real address.
£0

for a site visit

There isn't one. Your photos and measurements are all we need, so there's no survey to book and no one to let in.

5 days

to your first draft

Working days from receiving your photos and measurements. Need it sooner? Express gets you a draft in 2 working days.

Every

council amendment included

If the planning officer asks for changes, send the request to us and we update your drawings until the application is decided. No hourly rate, no extra invoice.

Why we don't need to visit

We're a London-based studio. We've drawn more than 100 planning packs, and we hold measurements from thousands of real homes like yours. We already know how your type of house is built, so your photos and measurements are enough. No visit means a lower price for you.

How it works

Four steps, all done online. You'll know the full price before you start, and it won't change.

  1. Step 1

    Order and send your photos

    Choose your project, pay the fixed price and upload photos and measurements. Our measuring guide shows you what to measure.

  2. Step 2

    We draw your plans

    We draw your house as it is now and as it will be, to the scales councils expect. First draft within 5 working days.

  3. Step 3

    You check and adjust

    Look over the draft and tell us what to change. Two rounds of your own changes are included before you submit.

  4. Step 4

    You submit, we support you

    Our step-by-step guide shows you how to apply on the Planning Portal. We answer your questions and make every change the council asks for until it's decided.

Fixed prices, VAT included

One fixed price for each project

Every price includes the full planning pack, a step-by-step submission guide, support while you apply and every council amendment. VAT included.

Small projects £399

Porch, garage conversion or garden room

Front porches, converting an integral or attached garage, and outbuildings such as garden offices.

Most common £499

Single-storey extension

Rear, side-return and wrap-around extensions on one floor.

Roof £549

Loft conversion

Rear dormer, hip-to-gable and rooflight conversions.

Larger projects £599

Two-storey extension

Rear or side extensions over two floors.

Permitted development?If your project doesn't need full planning permission, we prepare a lawful development certificate or prior approval application instead, at the same price.
Express: +£99First draft within 2 working days of receiving your photos and measurements.
Council feePaid by you, direct to the council. A householder application in England is currently £548; a lawful development certificate is £274.

What's in your planning pack

Everything a council needs to validate a householder application, drawn to the standard scales and sent as PDFs you can keep.

Sample proposed drawings sheet for a loft conversion: front, rear and side elevations, a section, roof plan and floor plans, with the new dormer and hip-to-gable volumes marked.
Proposed drawings for a loft conversion: elevations, section, roof plan and floor plans on one sheet.
Sample proposed first floor and loft plans with furniture, room names and sizes, and new walls marked in red.
Proposed floor plans, with new walls in red. Sample house, not a real address.

Included

  • Location plan1:1250
  • Block plan1:500
  • Existing floor plans1:100
  • Proposed floor plans1:100
  • Existing elevations, all sides1:100
  • Proposed elevations, all sides1:100
  • Roof plan1:100
  • Section, where the council needs one1:100
  • Design and access statement, if you're in a conservation areaPDF
  • Your answer to every question on the application formWritten for you
  • Step-by-step guide to applying on the Planning PortalPDF
  • Help by email while you applyUntil decision
  • Every amendment the council asks forUntil decision
  • Two rounds of your own changesBefore you submit

Not included

  • The council's application feePaid to council
  • Submitting the application for youYou submit
  • Building regulations drawingsSeparate service
  • Structural calculationsEngineer
  • Party wall noticesSurveyor
  • Heritage statements for listed buildingsSpecialist

Your drawings are produced from the photos and measurements you send. They're accurate for a planning application. Your builder will measure on site before construction, as they would with any planning drawings.

What you'll send us

Most people can gather this in under an hour with a phone and a tape measure. We send a step-by-step measuring guide when you order, and our photo guide shows exactly which shots to take.

Photos

  • Each side of the house, taken straight on
  • The area where the new work will go
  • Inside the rooms that will change
  • The roof, if you're converting the loft

Measurements

  • Length of each outside wall
  • Height from the ground to the gutter
  • Width and height of windows and doors on the walls that will change
  • Room sizes for the rooms that will change

Your plans

  • The floorplan from when you bought the house, if you have it
  • A sketch or description of what you want to build
  • Photos of any similar extensions nearby that you like

Questions

If yours isn't here, email us and we'll reply within one working day.

Why don't you need a site visit?

A planning application needs drawings that show the council what your house looks like and what you want to change. We've drawn more than 100 planning packs and hold measurements from thousands of real homes, covering every common house type, so we know how a house like yours is laid out. Your photos and tape measurements fill in the details. Skipping the visit is what keeps our price down.

Are drawings from photos accurate enough?

Yes, for planning. The council is judging size, position and appearance, which we draw from your measurements. If something doesn't add up, such as a wall length that doesn't match the photos, we'll ask you to re-check it before we draw. Your builder will measure on site before construction, which happens with any planning drawings.

What happens if the council asks for changes?

The planning officer will contact you, as the applicant. Forward the request to us and we'll update your drawings, usually within 3 working days, ready for you to send back. Officers often ask for small changes such as a lower roof or a different window. Every change the council asks for is included until your application is decided.

Do you submit the application for me?

No, you submit it yourself on the Planning Portal, which takes about 30 minutes. With your drawings you get a step-by-step guide and your answer to every question on the form, so it's mostly copying and uploading. If you get stuck, email us and we'll help.

Can I change the design myself?

Yes. Two rounds of your own changes are included before you submit. If you want further changes of your own after submission, we'll tell you the cost before we make them.

Who pays the council's planning fee?

You do, direct to the council when the application is submitted. In England a householder application is currently £548 and a lawful development certificate for a proposed project is £274. Our guide shows you the exact fee for your project before you pay it.

How do I know if I need planning permission at all?

Many extensions and loft conversions are permitted development and need only a lawful development certificate or a prior approval. Tell us your project and we'll check which route applies before we start. The price is the same either way.

What if you can't draw my project from what I send?

We'll tell you what's missing. If we still can't draw it accurately from photos and measurements, we refund you in full.

Are you architects?

No. We're a planning drawing service. Our drawings are prepared by experienced designers for householder planning applications. For complex projects, such as listed buildings, basements or new homes, you'll be better served by an architect.

Where do you work?

Anywhere in England. Because everything is done online, your location doesn't change the price.

Start your order

Choose your project and tell us where it is. We'll email you the measuring guide and a link to upload your photos.

1. Your project
2. Turnaround
3. Your details

Your price

Single-storey extension
£499
Express turnaround
Not added
Council amendments
Included
Submission guide and support
Included
Total, VAT included£499

The council's own fee is paid separately, direct to the council. If we can't draw your project from your photos and measurements, you get a full refund.