Sustainable Design Professionals in Ripley, Derbyshire

“Can’t recommend Ben and Practical Planning Company enough. Nothing was every too much trouble and he went over and beyond for us. So professional, so friendly and the smoothest process ever. Ben is clearly very passionate about his work and we thoroughly enjoyed working with him.”

“JLK Architectural Design was recommended by friends who spoke very highly of Julia and her team. We invited Julia to quote for us to design a side extension and obtain all the planning permissions etc. Upon meeting her, my wife and I both felt that she was the right architect for our project. Very friendly, professional and full of great ideas. She was patient with us as we deliberated over various aspects of the design and gave invaluable advice and support in arriving at our final plan. We have no hesitation in recommending Julia and feel she went above and beyond our expectations. Thanks again.”

“Thank you Anita & Sam Thank you for your patience and excellent service All your hard work has been greatly appreciated All the best Chris & Lisa ward”

“We desperately needed advice about planning and I called Sue, who was absolutely amazing with professional advice and support. She listed criteria and how and who to approach about our cornerns. Highly professional, friendly and knowledgeable. I would definitely use and recommend Ecclesall Designs to friends and family in the future.”

“Brightman Clarke have provided professional services for us on a number of traditional and contemporary design projects, ranging from new build housing developments to individual contemporary extensions and refurbishments. When dealing with Brightman Clarke we have always received a friendly, customer focused approach with a genuine desire to understand the complex needs of our project taking account of our budget and timescale.”

“Having worked with Joe to develop the branding and website for ‘Place for Humans’, I gathered an in-depth understanding of how Joe works and his ethos behind his practice. One of the first things that is clear when you meet Joe is his focus on people. He makes it his mission to really understand his clients needs, so he can find real solutions to their underlying problems. He has drive, great vision and a genuine want to help people. I would highly recommend Joe & Place for Humans to help find unique answers that are suited to real lives.”

“We employed GRT Architecture on the recommendation of some friends. Joe did an excellent job providing a plan with a very workable solution to a complex space issue in an old stone cottage. We ended up with exactly what we wanted both aesthetically and practically providing us with more usable space than we thought possible. Joe was extremely helpful, sympathic to our wishes and the character of the building and the job was done in a timely manner.”

“We used LSO architects approximately 3 years ago after we bought a 3 Bed Semi and wanted to significantly develop it. Debbie Hoare at LSO took my domestic ideas and developed them in a way a could never have imagined. I found her to be very professional and excellent at offering practical and workable solutions. We loved our home and are using LSO again on our next project. Highly recommended.”

“They provide a very personal service. Very keen on the detail and excellent knowledge of the planning application process and how to obtain the best results. My applications for an extension and new build were successful thanks to their expertise despite many local objections. Overall an excellent result. Very satisfied.”

“We bought Willow Springs cottage in the summer of 2014 and have spent eighteen months making much-needed repairs to it, inside and out. We got in touch with Stephanie as we'd heard about her friendly and calm approach - calm was something we needed faced with a house desperately in need of some TLC! Built in the mid-1600s, the cottage underwent a major renovation in the late 1800s, when the timber-framed half of the cottage was rebuilt. An early photograph shows that this Victorian facsimile replaced a much older (we assume 17th Century) timber-framed structure, made up of twisted timber frame, a concoction of various infills and possibly a thatched roof. The cottage was then extended in the 1960s, when the scullery in the Victorian part was doubled in size to form a small kitchen, and the large inglenook fireplace in the living room was sadly removed to create the entrance to a single-storey extension. Stephanie was involved from the offset, advising on many aspects of the project, from preparing us for discussions with the conservation officer through to offering creative input on changes to the use of the space. Our main focus was on removing the inappropriate materials that had been used on the cottage over the previous decades. The main offender was the cement mix and gypsum plaster on around half of the internal walls. Fortunately, a good amount of the original lime plaster remained intact (or repairable) in the rest of the house, mostly on the upper floors. Similarly, on top of the earth floors on the ground floor, several layers of impermeable materials had been laid (such as roofing felt, concrete, plastic sheeting and carpeting) in an attempt to dry out and warm the house. Once removed, the house began to dry out beautifully, although the lower plasterwork was beyond repair where damp had been forced up the walls. Stephanie was a great help advising us before we made decisions about what we could save and what we would need to replace. For example, at one point (before we were fully read up on the best way to deal with heritage houses: "repair not replace!"), we had been advised to remove a cracked lime ash floor on the first floor. Thankfully Stephanie pointed out that aside from any structural problems this removal might cause, it would be a loss historically, so we went on to repair it, and we're so pleased we took her advice. She created 3D renderings to help us envision how we could make the layout better suit our needs and add a nice flow and cosiness. She placed an emphasis on this, encouraging us to think in a very ‘human’ way about the way we wanted to live, work and play in our home. Few structural changes were needed. We decided to demolish two items – the small extension to the living room and the two-storey bay windows, both structures added in the 1960s and in a poor state of repair; both changes prompting the conservation officer to comment “you’re the only people I’ve met who actually want to make their house smaller!” We also decided to move the bathroom from the ground floor to the room directly above, and to brick up a doorway which led from a small hallway/WC next to the bathroom into the Victorian dining room, making space for a downstairs WC. Following this stage of the project, the uPVC windows were replaced with timber double-glazed units and the cottage was rewired and re-plumbed. In the living room and kitchen, limecrete floors were laid over foamed glass insulation and underfloor heating, with reclaimed York stone flags to finish. A lime/hemp basecoat was applied thickly to the bare walls with a lime putty topcoat. In the dining room, we revealed a Victorian arched brick fireplace, which we went on to clean up and repoint. The cottage was painted throughout with clay paint. Work continues - I feel it may for a while yet as this little old house presents new challenges from time to time– but it is a lovely to place to live. Thank you to Stephanie for her calm and thoughtful guidance, expertise and know-how throughout the process.”