When you embark on a new home project—whether it’s a bespoke new build or a thoughtful extension the question of “How long?” is always top of mind.

At Studio Hedg, we believe in providing a clear answer rooted in reality, not aspiration. Our commitment is to deliver
a high-performance, sustainable, and healthier home. To achieve this, the time invested in the initial design and technical stages is non-negotiable. Rushing through this critical phase compromises the very details (such as airtightness, thermal bridging, and sustainable material specification) that ensure your home is efficient,
comfortable, and durable for decades to come.

The Hedg Principle: Time as Your Greatest Investment

We view time in design not as a hurdle, but as your most significant investment. Our extensive initial phase of Mindful Contextual Design and detailed technical planning secures three primary outcomes: guaranteed performance, cost certainty, and a healthier home.

We offer both a Standard Delivery timeframe, which provides maximum performance and cost certainty, and a
Fast-Track Delivery, which is achievable only under specific, ideal conditions.

Project Timeline Breakdown: The Home Extension

For substantial home extensions, the total project time typically ranges from 6 to 18 months from our first meeting
to completion.

Standard Delivery (9–18 Months)

The standard timeline is structured for maximum certainty and includes detailed technical design and a competitive tender process. It involves:

1. ⁠Survey, Design & Pre-Planning: 8–12 weeks.
2. ⁠Planning & Technical Specs: 3–6 months (allowing for Full Planning approval).
3. ⁠Tender & Contractor Selection: 4–8 weeks.
4. ⁠Construction: 4–8 months.

Fast-Track Delivery (6–12 Months)

This shorter timeline is possible only if we rely on highly favourable conditions. We can reduce the timeframe by compressing the initial phases:

1. Survey, Design & Pre-Planning is reduced to 6–8 weeks (requiring immediate client sign-off and a more straightforward brief).
2. ⁠The project must qualify for Permitted Development, allowing the Planning & Technical Specs phase to drop to 6–12 weeks.
3. The Tender & Contractor Selection phase is shortened to 2–4 weeks by moving straight to a negotiated tender with a single, pre-vetted contractor (sacrificing competitive bidding).
4. Construction is typically completed within 4–6 months.

The Extension Trade-Off: Achieving the fastest timeline often means accepting limitations on the design’s complexity and reducing the time available for competitive tendering, which can impact final cost.

Project Timeline Breakdown: The Bespoke New Home Build

A complete bespoke new home is a larger undertaking with more statutory requirements, resulting in a total project time range of 12 to 28 months.

Standard Delivery (18–28 Months)

This timeframe is structured to guarantee the highest level of performance, including rigorous cost-engineering and comprehensive planning:

1. ⁠Survey, Deep Discovery & Sustainable Design: 3-4 months.
2. ⁠Planning Permission: 3–7 months (allowing for local council statutory requirements in the Colchester area).
3. ⁠Technical Design & Tender: 3–4 months.
4. Construction: 9–12+ months.

Fast-Track Delivery (12–18 Months)

This highly accelerated timeline is only achievable under rare circumstances where many external factors are already resolved:

1. Survey, Deep Discovery & Design is compressed to 2-4 months (requiring immediate consensus on the sustainable strategy and materials).
2. Planning Permission is reduced to 3–4 months, usually only possible if the plot has outline consent already or if the design has minimal planning complexity.
3. ⁠The technical design and tender process is reduced to 2–3 months through an accelerated, single-contractor negotiation.
4. ⁠Construction is aggressive at 7–10 months.

The New Build Trade-Off: While a 12-month handover is possible under perfect conditions, achieving it means less time for the detailed technical work that eliminates thermal bridges and secures the best value through a whole, competitive tender process.

Our Commitment: Prioritising Performance Over Speed.