Elevation and section drawings in London

The height rules the drawings must show

Permitted development for extensions turns on heights, and elevations are where they are demonstrated. The ridge rule says: Extension no higher than the highest part of the existing roof. On eaves, the Order requires: Eaves of an extension no higher than the existing eaves.

Boundaries tighten it further: Eaves no higher than 3 m where within 2 m of the curtilage boundary. A section through the side wall shows this clearly, which is why we draw it even when it is not asked for.

Larger rear extensions use prior approval, and the notice needs figures: Prior approval notifications state depth, maximum height and eaves height. Our prior approval drawings service builds the full set around them.

Stairs, ceilings and the London Plan

Sections are also how Building Regulations and London policy are checked. For stairs, Approved Document K says: 2.0 m clear headroom over stairs. We draw the stair section with the headroom line shown, so a builder can see exactly where the head-height limit falls.

Ceiling heights count in London. For new dwellings the Plan sets a floor-to-ceiling figure of 2.5 m, which is higher than many period basements and lofts allow.

Those figures matter most on loft and conversion schemes. See loft conversion drawings and flat conversion drawings for how we apply them.

What a council expects to see

National guidance asks for the basics on every sheet: Drawn to an identified scale. A sheet that is not to a recognised scale, or that does not match the plans, is a common reason for a returned application.

Every elevation should label materials, window types and the position of neighbouring buildings. Where the street has a recognised character, we mark the key features that the design responds to.

Elevations and sections form part of a full planning drawings application, together with the floor plans and site plan.

Fees for elevations and sections

We do not publish a price for elevations and sections on their own, and we never infer one. You receive a fixed quote after a free constraints check, VAT included, based on the size and shape of the house and how many sections are needed.

If the sheets are part of a wider package, the cost is already in that fixed fee. If the council asks for changes we redraw at no charge until approval, which covers our fees and is not a promise about the decision.

Need the plan views first? Our floor plans service starts the same survey.

How the drawings are made

A measured survey comes first. It records ridge, eaves and floor levels on one datum, because a section is only as good as its levels. Our measured building survey page covers it in detail.

We model the house, then generate the elevations and sections from the model. You review the proposed ones in 3D before they are frozen, and a second chartered technologist checks every sheet.

Drawings are normally ready about a week after the survey.

Reading your own elevations

An elevation looks flat but carries the measurements that decide an application. Check four things: ground level, eaves line, ridge line and window positions. If any looks wrong against your memory of the house, say so before we issue, because the drawing is what the officer and the builder rely on.

Sections answer a different question. They cut through the building to show floor-to-ceiling heights, the stair and the roof build-up, which is where loft conversion drawings are often judged.

Neighbouring houses matter too. Showing the adjoining roof and window lines helps an officer see how your proposal sits beside them. We include them whenever they are relevant.

Elevations and sections by council

Councils read elevations through their own design guidance, and conservation areas often demand more detail on materials. Each council page sets out the local figures. See architectural drawings in Camden for an example.

Choose your borough from architectural drawings by area.