Building advice comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You may need architectural design help, or planning issue discussions. Many people with a property they want enlarging or converting will not have any idea where to start with this process. Instead of invitng three companies to come round and give a detailed estimate, to be followed by formal written quotation, binding upon receipt of order, they happily give the job to the local jobbing builder. These projects that involve updating, refurbing, rebuilding a family home needs the utomost care with getting the plans drawn up properly. Any referall to the local planning officer needs expert knowledge of how it all works and timescales. The process is long winded, if a project needs full building regulation planning application, there are many steps to be overcome before you engage the builder. Knowing these things and having a sensible timeline will help eliminate expensive down time.