Swain Architecture have moved office!
After a short delay, Swain Architecture is now settled into our new home, and we love it!
We’ve relocated from Long Eaton to a beautifully renovated office, The Grove in Bramcote, bringing us closer to Beeston, Chilwell, and Nottingham City Centre. The space has recently been refurbished with modern interiors and up-to-date tech, while still retaining plenty of period character and natural light of the original building.
We’ve no more moves planned any time soon, so if you’d like to come and see us, we’d love to have you. Just get in touch to arrange a visit…
Swain Christmas Party ’25
This year our Swain Architecture Christmas party was a creative afternoon at a awn Studio terrazzo workshop, making decorations. Big thanks to Hannah at Awn for being our tutor, we loved it. The decorations are already on our trees. As ever, a big thanks to the Swain team for all your hard work this year. Also great to see our friends from IBA Planning and Simpkin Burley yesterday, thanks for joining us!
Ask Izzy!
Recently, we asked our social media audience for their questions about architecture or construction? We put these to Swain Architecture Founding Director, Izzy Rhodes and here are her thoughts…
Is hiring an architect actually worth the money for a small extension?
Izzy: Honestly, it depends what you want to create? If you’re replacing like-for-like or adding a small practical room, you might be okay with a good, reputable builder. We’re not here to design boxes.
However, if an extension is going to be part of your daily living space, a kitchen-diner, a garden connection, or a family hub, hiring an architect isn’t an added cost, it’s a cost-saver!
How much does it cost to hire an architect?
Izzy: In general we split our work into:
1. pre-application: the concept and design stage to create something that works for you and
2. a details stage to enable you to achieve planning permission and for your builder to work with on-site.
In general we charge in the region of 10% of the construction cost but it can vary depending on your brief and needs.”
Are there any ‘hidden’ cost of building that nobody tells you about?
Izzy: The 3 biggest surprises tend to be:
1. Building Costs (particularly groundworks)
2. Fees & Taxes (Permissions, and VAT on materials / labour)
3. Other Professionals (eg structural engineers)
If I have a £50k total budget, is it better to move or extend?
Izzy: That’s tight, for £50k, it’s almost always better to move IF your only priority is adding more space!
Is a kitchen island always a good idea, or do they waste space?
Izzy: Absolutely NOT! A kitchen island isn’t always a good idea. It really depends not he space and shape you have. Our job is to ensure your building is functional and feels generous, regardless of its size.
How do I hide the mess in an open-plan living space?
Izzy: One of my musts in a building is thought through storage. Often forgotten, secret pantries, utilities and good joinery are worth their weight in gold!
Do I need Planning Permission for a loft conversion?
Izzy: Usually, no, provided you comply with Permitted Development rights including getting Building Control approval
What is the biggest mistake you see homeowners make?
Izzy:
1. Prioritising form over function
2. Not considering a realistic budget
3. Confusing a builder and an architect
4. Not having a clear goal
5. Not considering day-today life
Do you have any burning questions?
At Swain Architecture we are experts in planning and construction. Our expertise ensures:
If you’re considering a project in the East Midlands, we’d love to help you bring your vision to life. Your first step is to drop us a line.
Get in touch
A selection of Swain Architecture projects
Local Planning; What You Need to Know
Potential clients often ask us what’s involved in submitting a local planning application. Although applications can vary from project to project (and occasionally aren’t even required), typically they involve preparing drawings and documents showing your proposed development, completing an application form, and submitting it to the relevant planning authority. A planning officer will assess the impact on neighbouring properties, local character, heritage, and various local and national policies before making a decision.
Common misconceptions:
“It’s just paperwork” – poor-quality plans or missing documents can delay or invalidate your application.
“Neighbours can block my plans” – Objections are considered, but they don’t automatically mean refusal.
“Pre-application advice isn’t worth it” – Skipping a ‘pre-app’ can lead to costly time delays, extra fees and refusal.
“Planning = building reg’s” – Many people confuse planning permission with building regulations; the two are separate and required.
Why Choose Swain Architecture to Ensure Your Project is Granted Planning Permission?
At Swain Architecture we help our clients navigate the planning process (especially in conservation areas or rural locations that might be considered hard to build on).
- 1. Seamless Planning & Approval
- 2. High Quality Architectural Design
- 3. Expert knowledge of Construction and Sustainable Best Practice
If you live in a conservation area or have an ambitious project we’d be happy to discuss your options.
Get in touch for a complementary consultation
Heritage Projects by Swain Architecture
The Benefits of Working with an Architect
The Benefits of Working with an Architect
Whether it is your first time considering employing an architectural practice or whether you are a seasoned developer it is always good to question the value you get from the professionals you employ to realise your dreams. In this thought piece we discuss the benefits of employing an architect and the value that can deliver.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
When designing a new home or re-imagining a building there are sometimes some misunderstandings about the role an architectural practice can play within the design and build process. Some think that architects are there to employ and project manage a builder, some think they are only there to draw plans and elevations, and some think that an architect isn’t required at all.
At Swain Architecture we believe there are some very compelling reasons to work with qualified architects and technologists. Through permitted development or just using a draftsman to produce working drawings you could have enough to employ a builder. What you might be left with though, is not necessarily the ideal space for the building’s end use. We often come across new clients who have a building that isn’t fit for purpose and this, we believe, is where good architecture can pay dividends.
Qualified Architects
When arriving at a new project, qualified Architects and technologists have many years of education. They then also have many years’ experience working with clients and solving problems in the real world to call back on. Our Founding Director, Izzy Rhodes, qualified in 2008 and has been working within architectural practices ever since, finally setting up Swain Architecture in 2016.
A Holistic Approach
The experience an Architectural practice has is utilised to analyse a client’s needs, we often hear our clients tell us that “we’ve never been asked that before” or “we haven’t thought about that before”, at the consultation phase of our work. Sometimes a solution may be a very simple or small architectural intervention but the effect it has on the whole building, and more importantly the people who are going to use it, can be dramatic. Employing architectural professionals will, without question, mean that the end use of your building is fit for purpose.
Architecture within a Conservation Area
Conservation Areas are notoriously difficult to be granted planning approval in. At Swain Architecture we have a wealth of experience of working within planning regulations and we understand the intricacies of period architecture. Through considerate architecture, appropriate massing and materiality we can guide you through the process of bringing your building in-line with your expectations of how you’d like to use it, at the same time as respecting the architectural heritage of your locality.
Real Value
At Swain Architecture, as well as sensible pricing, we work closely with our clients to create the best value for their new space. By asking the right questions and combining that knowledge with our experience of construction and materials we can ensure that your project is right first time. If a development is on budget and on time that’s one thing, but if it’s fit for purpose from day one and can easily adapt to the needs of anyone who inhabits it then we believe it offers the best value for money.
Find out more about working with an Architect…
To learn more about how we work, the services we provide and our approach to architectural design please get in touch with us to arrange a free consultation.
Swain Architecture Studio Relocate to Nottingham
Swain Architecture Studio Relocate to Nottingham
Swain Architecture Founding Director Elizabeth Swain has been featured in Broxtowe Business News. Izzy, along with her husband and two young daughters were interviewed at their home about why moving Swain Architecture to the Nottingham suburb having previously been based in Derby City Centre had been the right move for both the family and the business.
