Floor plans first · Existing and proposed plans · Poole and Dorset
Floor plans for home extensions and renovation projects in Poole
If you want an extension, a kitchen knock-through or a new layout, the first useful step is usually a clear existing and proposed floor plan. It shows what is there now, what you want to change, and what needs checking next.
Short answer
You normally need two drawings: what exists now, and what you want instead.
A good floor-plan route starts simple. First, show the current layout. Then show the proposed layout. From there it becomes clear whether the next job is planning, Building Control, a structural engineer or a builder quote.
The mistake is paying for a technical drawing package before anyone has worked out what the drawing is meant to prove. That is how homeowners end up with plans that are too vague for builders, too light for Building Control, or more detailed than they needed at the start.
Choose the right level
Not every homeowner needs the same type of plan.
This first step helps you work out which route you are actually on before you book a survey, ask for engineering or send drawings to a builder.
Existing floor plan
What the house is like now: room positions, walls, doors, openings and the basic measured layout.
Proposed floor plan
What you want to change: new openings, extension shape, kitchen-diner layout, circulation and usable space.
Planning route
Enough information to decide whether the work needs planning, a Certificate of Lawfulness or a simpler permitted route.
Build quote pack
The next layer for builders, engineers or Building Control when a sketch is no longer enough to price safely.
Good fit
Use this route when the question is still “what can we do with the house?”
Floor plans are the front door when you have an idea but not enough information to ask the council, an engineer or a builder for a reliable answer.
The route
Floor plans → planning route → Building Control or structural → builder pricing.
That is the order. Plans first, then the next decision. Do not jump straight into builder pricing if the layout, approvals or structure are still unclear.
01
Send the address and idea
A few photos, rough measurements, estate-agent plan if you have one, and what you want the house to do differently.
02
Pick the right drawing level
We separate a simple floor-plan job from planning drawings, Building Control detail, structural calculations or a builder quote pack.
03
Use the plans for the next decision
Planning, engineer, Building Control or builder pricing all need different information. The plans should answer the next question, not create another one.
Project view
Show layout, light and the finished space.
For floor plans, useful images are the ones that show layout, light, extension shape and finished space. Steel, demolition and groundwork photos belong on structural or build pages, not as the lead image here.
What to send
You do not need a finished brief to start.
Send the address, photos, any existing plans, and a short note saying what you want to change. We will tell you whether the sensible first step is floor plans, planning drawings, Building Control, structural calculations or a builder quote pack.
Start enquiry
Send the details on the project enquiry page.
The next step opens the PlanBuild GHL form on its own page, so this guide stays readable and the enquiry still triggers the normal GHL form automation.
Start project enquiry →Have photos, an estate-agent plan, rough dimensions or a planning reference ready if you have them.
Questions
What homeowners ask before ordering plans.
Can I start from an estate-agent floor plan?
Yes for the first conversation. Usually no for final decisions. It can help explain the layout, but measured information is normally needed before planning, Building Control or builder pricing.
Do I need existing and proposed plans?
For most layout changes, yes. Existing plans show the house now. Proposed plans show the change. That comparison is what makes the next decision clearer.
What happens after floor plans?
The next step depends on the project. It may be planning, a Certificate of Lawfulness, Building Control drawings, structural calculations, builder quote information or a build route.
Next step
Ask which drawings your project actually needs.
If the answer is simple, we will say so. If the project needs planning, Building Control, structural checks or builder pricing information, we will point you at that route before you spend in the wrong order.