Who should design your extension?

It's one of the first questions homeowners ask us: who should actually design our extension, and what qualifications should they have? It deserves a straight answer, so here it is.

Who we are

Baltik is led by George Barr MCIAT, a Chartered Architectural Technologist. We are not registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB), so we never use the title "architect". You should always know exactly who is designing your home and what they are qualified and insured to do.

What a Chartered Architectural Technologist does

Chartered Architectural Technologists are qualified and regulated by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). They are trained in building design and, in particular, in how buildings are put together: the technical detail, Building Regulations and construction.

CIAT Chartered members can lead a project from the first sketch through to completion on site. They hold professional indemnity insurance, keep up continuing professional development and work to a professional code of conduct.

What your extension actually needs

An extension, a loft conversion, a barn conversion or a new house succeeds or fails on two things: getting the design right, and getting the drawings detailed enough that a builder can price and build it without surprises.

On a typical extension, our service covers:

• A measured survey of your existing home
• Design options, with 3D visuals so you can see the result before you commit
• Planning drawings and the planning application, or a lawful development certificate if the work is permitted development
• Building Regulations drawings and a specification
• Support through tender and on site

What that looks like in practice

At Liverpool Road North in Maghull, it meant a three-part extension to a semi-detached house, with full-height apex glazing to the master bedroom. At 116 Kings Drive in Woolton, four separate additions (a porch, a two-storey side extension, a rear extension and a dormer) designed as one coherent home rather than a series of bolt-ons.

Three questions to ask before you appoint anyone

• What professional body are you registered with, and can I check it?
• Do you hold professional indemnity insurance?
• Can I see projects like mine that you have taken through planning and onto site?

Good answers to those three questions matter far more than a job title.

If you're planning an extension, a conversion or a new home, get in touch. We're always happy to talk through what your project needs.