Services · Residential architectural design process Building your home the right way.

Understanding how you live. We start by listening. How do you spend your mornings? Where does everyone gather? What might change in ten years? Alongside your ambitions and budget, we study the site’s light, views, access and constraints to create a brief that feels genuinely yours.

What is a design brief, and why does it matter?

A design brief is the foundation of every successful project. It sets out the objectives, requirements and constraints of your build, so your design team has everything it needs to create a home that works for you. A great brief goes far beyond a checklist: it's the starting point for a home that reflects how you actually live.

A people-first approach

We place real emphasis on understanding how you use your home: the routines, habits and small details that make a house feel like yours. That insight lets us design spaces shaped precisely around your needs and preferences.

Opening the door to better design

A meaningful brief means sharing a little of your family life with us. The more we understand how you live, the better we can design around you. For first-time self-builders this can feel unfamiliar, so we approach every conversation with empathy and expertise, guiding you towards a brief that matches your vision and goals.

Collaborative briefing

We explore possibilities together in an open brainstorming process, encouraging creative thinking from the very start. Time and again, this surfaces ideas and solutions that wouldn't otherwise have emerged.

We also analyse the site, including orientation, slope, neighbouring buildings, views, weather, planning context, access and services, so the design responds to the place as well as the people.

Ideas take shape. This is where the possibilities become visible. Through sketches, diagrams, 3D studies and preliminary drawings, we test different ways of bringing your brief and site together. We’ll talk through what excites you, what doesn’t feel right and what deserves another look before refining the design.

Bringing your vision to life

Concept and schematic design is one of the most exciting and important stages. It's where ideas take shape and the unique character of your home starts to emerge.

Exploring possibilities

We immerse ourselves in your project: analysing the site and its surroundings, considering existing and neighbouring buildings, and drawing on the brief to develop initial concepts tailored to how you want to live. Hand sketches, diagrams and 3D models let us test ideas, unlock the distinctive qualities of the site and present options that are easy to picture and respond to.

From concept to preliminary drawings

Once a direction is agreed, we develop preliminary floor plans, elevations and sections. These aren't working drawings, but a clear picture of how your home will look and feel before detailed development begins.

Refined by your feedback

Your feedback directly shapes the design, whether that means resolving concerns, exploring new ideas or adjusting the scheme to reflect your priorities, always within the agreed constraints. Getting this stage right sets the whole project up for success: every later decision is rooted in a strong, considered concept.

Testing ambition against budget. A good design also needs to feel achievable. Together, we look at the emerging proposals against your budget, identify the choices that matter most and help arrange appropriate early pricing or specialist advice. If something needs to change, it’s better to have that conversation while the design is still flexible.

Building a realistic budget

Establishing a realistic budget is one of the most important steps in any project. A clear understanding of costs from the outset protects your investment and keeps the project on track from design to completion.

Understanding the true cost of building

Accurate pricing needs a full breakdown of every cost: land, materials, labour, planning and Building Warrant fees, and the many smaller expenses in between. Getting this right early prevents unwelcome surprises later.

When to start talking to builders

The end of schematic design is the ideal moment to speak to local builders for preliminary prices. Early conversations also help you secure reliable, in-demand builders before their diaries fill up, keeping your timeline realistic. If costs exceed the budget, we adjust the design now, while changes are quick and inexpensive.

Planning for the unexpected

Even well-planned projects can meet weather delays, unexpected ground conditions or supply problems, so we build a contingency into your overall budget from the start. If the unexpected happens, we respond openly and flexibly, with your interests first and without compromising your vision.

Managing costs together

We support you through the pricing process, helping with builder conversations and making sure every budget decision is made with a full understanding of what it means.

Making the case for your design. Planning can feel unfamiliar, particularly on a challenging site. We’ll explain the likely route, prepare the agreed drawings and architectural information, submit the application and respond to council queries within our appointed scope. Where a site is sensitive, we’ll discuss any specialist reports or additional consents that may be needed.

Planning permission for new homes

The planning application is a pivotal stage in any project. Before your home can be built, the local planning authority assesses whether the design is right for its setting, from appearance and scale to access and its effect on the surrounding area.

What do planning authorities look for?

• How the building looks and relates to the local vernacular
• Scale, massing and its relationship to neighbouring homes
• Site access and road safety
• Occupancy and the effect on local amenity
• Environmental and ecological impact

Every planning authority is different and local policies vary widely, so experienced guidance from the outset makes a real difference.

The right route for your site

Sometimes planning is a multi-stage process. Pre-application advice, Planning Permission in Principle and full planning permission can each play a part, depending on your project and site. We assess every project individually and agree the best route with you before anything is submitted, so your time and budget are spent in the right places.

Planning takes time, and we'll guide you through it

Planning is often more complex and time-consuming than it looks on paper. Timescales depend on the site, the council and the proposal, so patience and expertise both matter. We prepare the full application, including plans, elevations, sections, site layout and Design Statement, and manage it through to a decision. The decision itself rests with the planning authority.

Experience in sensitive settings

We have extensive experience securing permission in some of the most sensitive settings, including conservation areas, listed buildings and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, such as our family home in Lasswade. These sites bring extra scrutiny and constraints, but they're among the most rewarding to deliver.

Resolving the architecture. The small decisions make a remarkable difference to how a home feels. We develop the construction approach, materials, junctions and architectural details while considering energy performance and regulatory requirements, coordinating with the engineers and specialists appointed to your project.

From vision to construction-ready documents

This is where your home truly comes to life on paper. The ideas from schematic design are refined, resolved and translated into a full set of construction documents, the technical backbone of your build.

Resolving the detail that makes the difference

Detailed design goes far beyond appearance. It addresses every technical aspect of your home:

• Structure and engineering
• Heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrics
• Accessibility and compliance with the Scottish Building Standards
• Sustainability and energy performance
• Materials and the arrangement of spaces

Every decision here directly affects the quality, cost and programme of your build, so thoroughness matters.

A coordinated team of specialists

ED Design develops and coordinates the architectural design, working with structural engineers, energy assessors and other specialist consultants where their input is required. The scope and responsibilities of each consultant are confirmed as part of the project appointment.

Depending on your project, the team can include civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, landscape designers, interior and lighting designers, and renewable technology specialists.

Comprehensive construction documents

The result is a precise set of drawings and specifications: plans, elevations, sections, construction details, schedules and material specifications. They're used to obtain your Building Warrant, invite competitive prices from builders and give clear instructions to everyone on site. Well-prepared documents greatly reduce the risk of disputes, delays and costly rework.

Quality checked before work starts

Before anything happens on site, we review the full document set to find and resolve potential issues in advance. Fixing a problem on paper is far cheaper and less disruptive than fixing it during construction.

From concept to buildable home

Detailed design is the bridge between vision and reality. It aims to make sure your home is not only beautiful and practical, but buildable, with the key risks considered, the details resolved and the consultants’ input coordinated.

Demonstrating technical compliance. This is the stage where the design is demonstrated against Scottish Building Standards. We’ll prepare the agreed architectural submission, bring together the necessary consultant information and respond to Building Standards queries. We’ll keep you informed as the council reviews the application and requests any changes.

The final step before construction

The Building Warrant application is a critical milestone. Work on your new home can't start until the local authority grants the warrant.

What is a Building Warrant?

A Building Warrant is the formal approval from your local council confirming that the proposed work meets the Building (Scotland) Regulations. Unlike planning, it isn't concerned with how your home looks or relates to its surroundings. It focuses entirely on technical compliance: making sure your build is safe, structurally sound and meets current standards for energy, fire safety, accessibility and more.

More predictable than planning

For many clients, this stage is a welcome relief after the uncertainties of planning. The requirements are clearly defined in the Scottish Building Standards, so the criteria are transparent and a thorough, compliant submission can be prepared from the outset, keeping queries to a minimum.

From detailed design to approved documents

The application is built directly from the detailed design package: drawings, structural calculations and specifications. We prepare and submit it on your behalf, coordinate with Building Standards and respond to any queries to keep things moving. Where useful, we also coordinate specialist certifiers, such as structural and energy, whose certificates can reduce the warrant fee.

The green light to build

Receiving your Building Warrant is one of the most significant moments of the project: the point where plans on paper become construction on site, and your new home starts to become real.

Want to know more? Read our guide to planning permission vs Building Warrant.

Information to build from. Clear information helps a good design make the journey from drawing to site. Where appointed, we prepare supplementary details, schedules and tender information, help you compare builder submissions and review selected specialist drawings against the architectural intent. We’ll explain which services are included, rather than leaving you to guess.

Construction documentation and shop drawing review

Your Building Warrant is the green light the project has been working towards, and construction can begin. Our involvement can continue, helping the design carry through into construction.

Choosing your builder

We issue the construction drawings to builders for competitive pricing, manage the tender, compare the submissions and recommend the right builder for your project. The building contract is then prepared and signed.

Supplementary construction details

Alongside the warrant drawings, we usually prepare an extra set of construction details for your builder. These go beyond the warrant application and give precise guidance on the finer points of construction: the details that make the difference between a good build and an exceptional one.

Coordinating specialist designers

As work progresses, specialist designers and manufacturers join the project, each producing their own drawings and specifications. These can include:

• Timber frame or SIPs (structural insulated panel) manufacturers
• Window and door suppliers
• Kitchen and bathroom designers
• Bespoke joinery and cabinetry makers

Each works to their own dimensions and details, so making sure everything fits the overall design is a critical responsibility.

Why shop drawing review matters

Reviewing manufacturers' drawings is one of the most important, and most underappreciated, parts of our service. We check every set to make sure it:

• Matches the overall design intent
• Meets the Scottish Building Standards and other relevant standards
• Coordinates correctly with every other manufactured element

Spotting a discrepancy before anything is made or delivered prevents costly errors and delays.

Keeping the design intact

This review helps keep your design intact from drawing to finished building. Manufactured elements, from the structural frame to the kitchen cabinets, are checked against the design before they arrive on site, so your builder has clear information to work from.

Keeping the design connected to the build. Questions don’t stop when building begins. If you’ve appointed us for construction-stage support, we can help answer design queries, review relevant proposals and visit site at agreed points — keeping the original ideas in view as your home takes shape. Construction management, contract administration, certification and inspections are separate services unless expressly included.

Design support during construction

Where appointed, ED Design can provide construction-stage architectural support, including responding to design queries, reviewing relevant information and attending agreed site visits. Any contract administration, payment certification, inspections or completion-related services are separately defined in the written appointment.

What it can include

• Responding to design queries from you and your builder
• Reviewing relevant information, such as manufacturers’ drawings and proposed changes
• Attending site visits at agreed points in the build
• Helping you understand design decisions that come up on site

Defined in your appointment

None of these duties is included automatically. We agree the scope of construction-stage support with you in writing, so you know what we are and aren’t responsible for. Your builder remains responsible for the construction work, its programme and its workmanship.

Why it can help

Design questions come up on almost every build. Having your designer available to answer them helps decisions on site stay consistent with the drawings and the design intent.