Getting planning permission feels like the big milestone — and it is — but it's the start of the next stage, not the end. Planning permission and building regulations are separate things, and a project usually needs both. Here's what typically happens next, so you can plan the move from approval to build.
In short
Planning permission isn't the finish line — it's permission to build, not approval of how it's built. Next come any planning conditions, building-regulations drawings, structural calculations where needed, a building-control route, and a clear pack for builders to quote from. SC Design prepares the drawings and design-stage support, not the build itself.
Not sure which route applies to your property? Send Sean your name and one way to contact you for an honest first view — with no obligation. A postcode, a few photos and a short description help if you have them, but aren't required to start.
Reviewed by Sean Corser, SC Design Wirral. Sean Corser helps Wirral homeowners with architectural design and drawing packs for extensions, loft conversions, planning and building regulations.
Last reviewed June 2026
Your planning decision notice often comes with conditions — things that must be done or agreed before or during the work, such as approving materials. Some need to be 'discharged' (formally signed off) before you start.
Read the notice carefully and keep it safe. We can help you understand what the conditions mean for your drawings and timeline.
Planning drawings show what you're building and how it looks; they aren't detailed enough to construct from. The next step is building-regulations drawings, which show how the work is built — construction details, insulation, fire safety, drainage and structure.
These are what building control checks and what your builder needs on site. We prepare them so both have clear, consistent information.
Where there are beams, widened openings, loft floors or other structural changes, a structural engineer's calculations are usually needed alongside the drawings. The engineer provides the calculations; we coordinate the design around them.
Building control may request these calculations, so it's worth sorting them at this stage rather than mid-build.
You'll apply for building-regulations approval via a Full Plans application or a Building Notice (for structural work, Full Plans is usually safer). We can explain the difference and prepare the drawings either way.
With a clear drawing pack, several builders can quote against the same information — so the prices are genuinely comparable, rather than each builder guessing a different specification. Keep your completion certificate safe once the work is signed off; a future buyer's solicitor will ask for it.
You don't need a full brief or drawings to get started — just your name and one way to contact you. The rest is optional, and you can send more whenever it suits you.
Need building regulations drawings? We can prepare them — clear, coordinated and ready for builders and building control.
External links open in a new tab. Always confirm your specific project with the relevant authority.
All you need to start is your name and one way to contact you. A short description, postcode or a few photos help if you have them — but they're not required.