Studio : MASS

Studio : MASS studio : MASS
McBride Architecture & Surveying Services (MASS)

15/09/2026

Not every extension needs planning permission. Many single storey rear extensions fall under permitted development, which is a national right rather than a council decision.

Three things change that. Flats have no permitted development rights at all. In a conservation area the limits are tighter rather than gone. An Article 4 direction removes them completely, and much of London has one.

None of it is visible from the pavement, which is why "my neighbour did it" is a hopeful starting point but never a reliable one.

Check which applies to your address before you pay for drawings. It changes both the timescale and the cost.

Our borough guides set out what applies where we work: https://www.studio-mass.com/post/areas-we-serve-home-extension-guides-for-every-london-borough

19/08/2026

Eight square metres. That is all it took here, and it changed how the whole ground floor works. An extension doesn't need to be huge to make a difference.

Glazing over the dining end means the kitchen keeps its light rather than losing it to the new space.

Prior approval through Haringey, then the drawings the builder actually needed on site. The green cabinetry and oak were the owners' call, and they were right.

Most Hornsey terraces have a version of this in them.

Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

Most of the stress in a project comes from not knowing what happens next. The path is actually clear: idea and brief, de...
19/08/2026

Most of the stress in a project comes from not knowing what happens next. The path is actually clear: idea and brief, design, planning, detailed drawings, then support on site, each stage with a clear end point, a deliverable and a cost. "They are a perfect mix of creativity and practicality." — Stefania Sorrentino, Google review. 5.0 stars · 39 verified reviews · Best of Houzz 2021-2025. Want to see how ours works? Happy to walk you through it. Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

Before you commit to a layout, tape it out at full size on the floor and walk it. A plan on paper hides the narrow hall ...
17/08/2026

Before you commit to a layout, tape it out at full size on the floor and walk it. A plan on paper hides the narrow hall and the tight kitchen; standing in it doesn't. Walk your daily routes, test the pinch points, and change it on the floor, not on site. "He's helped us make big decisions and found the best use of space." — Tom Hutchings, Google review. 5.0 stars · 39 verified reviews · Best of Houzz 2021-2025. Want help reading your plan? Happy to. Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

12/08/2026

A three storey rear extension, a roof extension above it, and a full refurbishment through the whole house. All of it in one go.

The zinc roof over the extension is what keeps it reading as one move rather than something stuck on the back later. Full permission through Southwark in 2019.

End of terrace houses take this better than most, because you have the side to work with as well as the back.

Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

Variation orders are changes made mid-build, and each one quietly adds cost and time. Most come from gaps in the drawing...
12/08/2026

Variation orders are changes made mid-build, and each one quietly adds cost and time. Most come from gaps in the drawings: detail that was never drawn, choices left to site, a spec that was never fixed. Detailed drawings and decisions made up front are the cheapest insurance you can buy. "He takes the stress out of projects." — Simon Herbert, Houzz review. 5.0 stars · 39 verified reviews · Best of Houzz 2021-2025. Want your drawings checked first? Happy to look. Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

A well-designed extension can add around 10 to 15% to a London home, and good layout is where most of that value hides. ...
10/08/2026

A well-designed extension can add around 10 to 15% to a London home, and good layout is where most of that value hides. Two homes of the same size can feel completely different: one cramped, one calm. Light, flow and rooms that suit real life are what buyers pay for. "Robert made everything go smoothly." — Jayne Russell, Google review. 5.0 stars · 39 verified reviews · Best of Houzz 2021-2025. Thinking about extending? Happy to talk it through. Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

05/08/2026

Propped, needled and dug out. Then steel in and the ceiling open. Then the same house, finished.

Drakefield Road was a full footprint basement, a rear extension and a full refurbishment, all in one job: kitchen, oak stair, bathrooms, the lot. We ran it in two phases so the family were not living out of the house for the whole thing.

If you are wondering whether your own house can take this, that is what a Stage 0 Review is for.

Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

"We were told 8 to 10 weeks. By week 22 the project manager had stopped answering calls." Most delays are avoidable. The...
05/08/2026

"We were told 8 to 10 weeks. By week 22 the project manager had stopped answering calls." Most delays are avoidable. They start with gaps before work begins: missing detail, decisions left to site, and no clear order of works. Close those and a build stays calm. "Their crucial guidance saved us so much stress, time and money." — Joana Garcia, Google review. 5.0 stars · 39 verified reviews · Best of Houzz 2021-2025. Want help getting yours in order? Happy to. Start here: https://www.studio-mass.com/start-here

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