Renovate or extend your home
House renovations, extensions and loft conversions designed around daylight, daily life and the character of the original property. We test changes to the existing layout alongside any new floor area.
HEPBURN ARCHITECTS · Harborne
Residential Architects in Harborne, Birmingham.
House renovations, extensions and loft conversions in Harborne, with David Hepburn guiding the design, planning and Building Regulations drawings.
Work directly with David Hepburn
Birmingham studio · Izabella House, Regent PlaceExplore our residential work
Birmingham studio · Izabella House, Regent PlaceExplore our residential work
ARB Registered architect
RIBA Chartered Practice
Work directly with David
Planning-aware design
Technical expertise
Make more of your home
House renovations and extensions in Harborne.
The best residential projects do more than add square metres. They make everyday life calmer, bring light deeper into the plan and create a natural connection between the existing house and the garden.
Harborne's terraces, period villas, inter-war houses and mature garden suburbs each need a different response. We start with the way the property is built, the way you want to live and the planning context that will shape a realistic proposal.
A refurbishment may need a better layout rather than a larger footprint. We can compare opening up existing rooms, moving a kitchen, improving storage and adding a rear or side extension, so you can decide where design work and building costs will make the most difference.
Hepburn Architects combines creative residential design with planning strategy and technical coordination. That means the proposal is considered as a home, an application and a buildable project—not as three disconnected stages.
Harborne project experience
A contemporary addition that lets the original house remain legible.
The dark, precise extension creates generous glazing and a stronger relationship with the garden while the masonry form of the existing home remains visually dominant.
- Location
- Harborne, Birmingham
- Project
- House extension and renovation
How we can help
Three clear routes through your project.
Choose the stage you need now, or appoint us for a coordinated route from the initial property review through planning and technical design.
Secure the right approval
A planning-led design process that checks property history, conservation constraints, neighbour amenity and the most proportionate application route.
Prepare to build
Coordinated technical drawings for Building Regulations, structural input and a clearer conversation with Building Control and contractors.
A director-led practice
Work directly with the architect responsible for your project.
David remains involved from the first conversation through design, planning and technical decisions.
You are not passed between departments or left explaining the brief again to someone new. The continuity matters: the early priorities, compromises and opportunities remain visible as the project becomes more detailed.
- Direct and practical communication
- Residential design and planning experience
- Clear, stage-based written fee proposals
Planning in Harborne
Local knowledge built into the design from the start.
Early checks are particularly important around Harborne's conservation areas, Article 4 controls, mature trees and established residential character.
Harborne conservation areas
Harborne Old Village, Greenfield Road and Moor Pool each have a distinct architectural and landscape character. Materials, roof form, boundaries, trees and the visibility of alterations can all matter.
Article 4 and original features
Greenfield Road and Moor Pool are subject to Article 4 controls. Work that might normally be permitted development can require planning permission, so the exact address should be checked before design decisions are fixed.
Extensions and neighbours
Birmingham City Council will consider scale, daylight, privacy, outlook and how an addition relates to the original house and adjoining properties. A larger footprint is not automatically a better result.
A straightforward process
Know what happens next.
A residential project can feel complicated when design, planning and technical decisions overlap. We organise the work into clear stages with decisions made at sensible points.
Tell us about the property
Share the address, what is not working and what you hope the project will achieve.
Review the opportunities
We check the property, planning history, likely constraints and the services proportionate to the brief.
Design with clarity
Options are tested for space, appearance, approval risk, technical implications and realistic priorities.
Move through approvals
We prepare the agreed planning and technical information and coordinate the specialist input the project needs.
Want an early indication before we speak?
Get an indicative fee Use the fee calculator to select your project type and the services you are considering.
Client experience
In one statement: first class. I could not have asked for a better service.
Lee, BirminghamHouse extension · Birmingham and West Midlands · October 2020 · MyBuilder
Common questions
Planning a residential project in Harborne.
These answers are general guidance. The exact property, planning history and proposal can change the correct route.
Can you help with a house renovation in Harborne without an extension?
Yes. We can review internal layouts, kitchen and living spaces, daylight, storage and the relationship with the garden. The appointment can cover refurbishment and remodelling of the existing house, an extension, or both. Structural engineering and other specialist input are identified separately where needed.
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Harborne?
Not always. Some house extensions may use permitted development rights, but the dimensions, position, original property, previous additions, planning conditions, conservation status and any Article 4 Direction must be checked first.
Which parts of Harborne have additional heritage controls?
Harborne Old Village, Greenfield Road and Moor Pool are conservation areas. Greenfield Road and Moor Pool also have Article 4 controls that can require permission for certain external alterations.
Can you design a contemporary extension to a period home?
Yes. Contemporary design can work well where its scale, materials, proportions and junctions respond carefully to the existing house. The aim is a confident addition that improves the home without competing with its character.
Can a Harborne loft conversion use permitted development?
Many loft conversions can use permitted development rights, but roof-volume limits, dormer position, designated land, the original roof and previous additions must be checked. Planning feasibility and technical feasibility should be considered together.
Can Hepburn Architects handle planning and Building Regulations?
Yes. An appointment can cover measured survey, feasibility, design, planning drawings and submission, followed by a coordinated Building Regulations package and relevant consultant input.
How much does an architect cost in Harborne?
Fees depend on the property, project type, floor area, planning risk and services required. The online calculator provides an early indication, followed by a written project-specific proposal confirming scope, fees and exclusions.
Will I work directly with an architect?
Yes. David Hepburn remains directly involved in the brief, design and key project decisions, providing continuity without the work being handed between different junior team members.
Start with your property
Tell us what you would like your Harborne home to become.
Share the address, your ideas and anything you already know about the property. David will review the enquiry and recommend a proportionate next step.
- No obligation to appoint
- Direct response from the practice
- Clear advice on the likely service and approval route