Architect in Winchester, Hampshire

Specialist in contemporary residential architecture, designed for your lifestyle

About LA Hally Architect

Established in 2009, LA Hally Architect are an innovative, award-winning, RIBA Chartered Practice based in the heart of Winchester in a small mews parallel to Jury Street, close to the city centre. We are a female led, all female practice specialising in high specification residential one-off projects.

LA Hally Architect was born out of a London based partnership involving years of specialising in high specification luxury homes in highly desirable locations, working with high profile clients. This vast and varied experience, coupled with an underlying desire to improve lives through transforming homes have formed the building blocks of LA Hally Architect.

LA Hally Architect have a flair for working with residential design, these projects range from new build luxury one-off homes, to complete refurbishments and extensions creating new homes from existing builds. We have experience building to Passivhaus standards and using a range of interesting constructions techniques such as SIP’s (Structural Insulated Panels) and ICF (Insulated Concrete Formwork), with some of our projects reaching EnerPHit standards.

Some of our larger projects have allowed us to demonstrate design flair creating interesting buildings with beautiful simplicity, whereas we find working on small extensions sometimes presents an opportunity to experiment with interesting materials both internally and externally. No matter the size project we work closely with our clients to tailor the design of their project to their needs. We regularly work with listed buildings and have successfully gained planning permission for number of Grade II listed buildings in the Hampshire area.

LA Hally Architect also excel at interior design, over the years we find our interest in interiors has become an important part of our work. We sometimes work alongside an interior designer ensuring architectural touches and interior design complement each other, alternatively incorporate in-house interior design into the project, guiding our clients with mood boards and detailed internal joinery drawings and 3d images to help the client achieve the look they desire with a level of detail to make it spectacular. LA Hally Architect work with our clients to create beautiful lighting designs tailored to the clients’ lifestyle, investing the time to really get lighting designs right, often pays dividends in creating a holistic layout that really works for the client, enhancing the home and complementing their style.

Whatever the project our initial approach is to understand our clients’ needs through both site visits and analysis. We work alongside our clients to create a personalised brief, providing a briefing template to get things started, before meeting and further discussion in our Winchester office to delve deeper into requirements, likes and dislikes. We find this is the best way to really kick start the project and allow us to really get to know the client at the same time.

At LA Hally Architect We work on all aspects of the project from concept to completion, we carefully detail junctions between different materials, creating harmonious designs. We aim to create lifestyle architecture that provides a flexible uplifting environment of flowing, well-lit, inspirational spaces, that can transform the way you live.

Our aim is that our clients will experience the joy and beauty of their new home due to clever use of materials, detailing, space and light and a design that is of its time. We believe a truly successful design project relies on good communication with the client, gaining an understanding of what is desired, and translating this into design elements.

As an architect in Winchester, we strive to provide a personalised service bespoke to your needs that can guide you from initial ideas to a completed home. We provide hight quality on-site contract administration to help to make the building process as stress free as possible and helping manage relationships between client and contractor.

If you’re looking for a small friendly Architect in Winchester, LA Hally Architect will be excited to hear your project ideas, and will take on interesting projects in Winchester and surrounding areas as well as the rest of Hampshire and beyond.

Reviews from Houzz

Lesley and the team have been extremely professional, helpful and supportive throughout our project. They have shared a wealth of knowledge and experience which have helped us to use the space innovatively and creatively to maximise our living areas and the function of each zone. The final result is a testament to the design expertise of Lesley and the team, and they have always been on hand to offer advice and guidance around contract, legal issues and necessary regulations. Would certainly recommend!

See more reviews on Houzz

What our clients say about us

We engaged with LA Hally to transform two very quirky properties into one. Upon meeting Lesley, we were blown away by her approach to design and management of the overall project. Although we had a good idea of what we were looking for, Lesley elevated our thinking and beautifully captured exactly what we're looking for. The LAHA team have continued to deliver an outstanding service, they've taken us through every step of the process with thought and care and we are delighted to have a team we can trust and partner with whilst creating our dream home.

See more testimonials on our website

Services

At LA Hally Architect we offer a full range of architectural services, from concept design to preparing and submitting planning and building control applications, technical detailing, and providing contract administration on site. Whilst we are keen to be involved in projects from conception to completion to help you through the process and ensure the project is successfully delivered on site, we understand that this is not for everyone. Our services are therefore provided in a flexible manner which allows you to decide just how much involvement you require from us. The core services that we can provide are:

Initial meeting

Design

Planning

Building Control

Schedule of Works, Tendering and Contractor Appointment.

Contract Administration.

Initial Meeting

The first step on every project for us is the initial meeting, a chat to go through aspirations, budget, timescales and highlighting other points that need to be considered. This is also a great opportunity to run through your likes and dislikes about the property, any key features or things that could work better for you, getting an understanding of the style of buildings you like. It also gives us an opportunity to see the site and surrounding area. Maybe there is a key view you want to capture, or a space which requires privacy from neighbours, this is your opportunity to highlight these important points to us. We can run through this in detail with you and aim to answer any initial queries you might have.

Once we have a clear understanding of the scope of the works you are looking to undertake and the level of involvement you require from us, we can prepare a detailed fee proposal for you. If you decide to appoint us we will help to arrange a measured survey of the property and set up drawings ready for the Design stage.

We usually charge £75 for the initial meeting if visiting a property in the Winchester area, or £150 if more than 30 minutes away from our office. You can expect us to spend around an hour to an hour and a half discussing your project with you and give you a realistic idea of what to expect when embarking on your project.

Alternatively we offer a free consultation at our office in Winchester, or as an online meeting, where we can explain more about how we work and offer advice for your next steps. Get in contact to arrange a meeting with us.

Design

The design process is very much a collaboration between client and architect so we will seek feedback from you as we go – we do not operate a ‘one size fits all’ approach and there is flexibility to tweak and change things as the design progresses.

We first ascertain your requirements in the form of a detailed brief, which will often include images, material ideas, space requirements, etc. we provide a bespoke briefing document to guide you through the various things you might want to consider. We then build on this information to create a few sketch proposals for the project in both 2D and 3D. The brief is a key part of the design process, so it is important to consider what is important to you and which of your requirements are of highest priority. At these early stages we will give you an approximate indication of build costs for the project based on the size or the areas involved in the work, to set realistic expectations and ensure that the project is affordable to you.

For some smaller projects, it may be that all you need is some design inspiration. If you just feel like you need some ideas, you can opt for a 10 hour package of work, which will provide you with some design options and a basic 3D model, this would also come with approximate costings based on area, to judge affordability. For this particular service the drawings provided will demonstrate ideas and concepts but would not be suitable for a planning submission.

Planning

Once a design has been agreed, the planning stage involves setting out the plans and elevations, and putting more detail into the drawing set, pre-empting potential issues with building control, for example allowing space for likely structural elements or insulation requirements. From Full Planning applications for new build properties, to Householder applications for renovations and extensions as well as Conservation Area and Listed building Consent, etc. we can prepare and submit these applications on your behalf. We also regularly work with independent consultants, for example planning consultants and heritage professionals, and will advise you of any specialist input we feel you may require, strengthening your application.

Despite having an idea of costs via our initial estimates, we always suggest, prior to planning, that you speak to a local contractor or quantity surveyor to confirm that the scheme is within budget before any permission is sought. This is particularly important for projects where budgets are tight, or if there are complex elements that need to be considered to get a more accurate idea of cost.

Whilst planning permission can never be guaranteed, we have a good understanding of how the application may be viewed by your local council, having worked successfully with all councils in and around Hampshire. This experience helps form part of the dialogue whilst developing the proposal, and contributes to our high success rate with planning applications. We always encourage early discussion with the local authority to help identify potential issues early.

For most projects requiring planning permission, the design and planning stages will often overlap, which we feel provides a more fluid approach to the design development.

Building Control

After planning approval, the next step is to submit detailed drawings to the Building Control authorities. All construction work in the UK is required to be approved by a licensed building control inspector, who ensures that the building works are carried out in line with current regulations.  Following from planning approval we will provide you with detailed drawings for this submission, working closely with both your appointed structural engineer, approved inspector and any other required consultants who will supply any relevant information. For the majority of our projects we submit our drawings as Full Plan applications, which mean that the Building Control Officer will check the information we submit and request further information from us if necessary to comply with Part A to T of the Regulations before approving any drawings for use on site. This gives an extra layer of cross checking. Full Plans applications avoid building control surveyors asking for important detail changes whilst on site, i.e. insulation build ups, roof build ups and wall construction details, as all are agreed in advance, by doing this it also means the contractors tender using approved drawings rather than drawings that have the potential to change dramatically whilst on site, therefore a sensible choice for better cost security.

The drawings produced at this stage are highly detailed and are the base for your construction drawings, and include electrical layouts, feature lighting, material details, insulation build ups etc. to comply with all aspects of current Building Regulations. These drawings are discussed with the client in detail prior to submission ensuring the client is aware of material choices, lighting layout, special layout etc and ensuring the output is as expected. There will be a number of meetings and much correspondence during this phase to ensure we get the details correct for you, ensuring you are kept in the loop regarding decision making.

At this point in the project we are in the process of undertaking Principle designer duties with regards to Building Regulations, we will also make sure you are aware of your duties and help you through this process.

We are happy to give more advice on the above and are able to help you find appropriate Structural Engineers and approved inspectors if required.

Schedule of Works, Tendering & Contractor Appointment

In order to allow contractors to produce accurate quotes for building your project, we produce a comprehensive schedule of works to be issued alongside our construction drawings for pricing. This schedule lists in detail the work to be carried out, minimising the risk of things being missed on site or additional costs being requested. As part of this we can also produce detailed internal layouts, illustrating bathrooms and bespoke joinery items and including any internal finishes you may have selected.

This part of the process is essential to ensure the quotes received are for the standard of finish you expect an will use the materials you want to specify, it also sets expectations for everyone involved minimising the risk of any disagreements as the project gets built.

We will help you find contractors to provide quotes and produce a tender comparison document to ensure prices can be fairly compared, highlighting what is, and isn’t, included in each one. Allowing you to make the right decision over which contractor to choose.

Experience tells us that the key to a successful project is the relationships between you, the client, the architect and the building contractor. Building projects take time and can be stressful, so you need to choose people you fell comfortable working with, which may not always be the cheapest option at the point of receiving quotes, but can often work out more cost effective by the time the project finishes.

Contract Administration

The role of the architect as Contract Administrator is to ensure that the works are carried out in accordance with the contract. Through carrying out site visits, valuations and being on hand to answer any site queries, we aim to make the construction process as straightforward and painless as possible for you. Our involvement in this process more often means that the original architectural intent of the proposal is able to be retained and that any requests for additional payments are able to be verified by ourselves, rather than you having to rely on the input of the contractor alone.

During the build we will visit the site every fortnight and conduct a valuation, making sure payments to the contractor fairly reflect the amount of work carried out and materials on site. We also and deal with contract administration duties, ensuring all documentation is correctly issued at each stage, and ensuring all parties adhere to what has been agreed.

At the end of the project we will deal with Practical Completion, which is the point at which the building is ready to be enjoyed. We then ensure all required documents are received from the contractor prior to issuing the Final Certificate, which represents the project, and the contract, reaching a satisfactory conclusion. We will also undertake the role of Principal Designer in line with current Health and Safety requirements, and help you understand your role in ensuring the project is carried out safely.Ultimately it is our intention that the construction process goes as smoothly for you as possible, taking away as much of the stress as possible, allowing you to enjoy the process of your new home taking shape.

Get in touch to discuss how we can help with your project

LA Hally Architect
11 Charlecote Mews
Staple Gardens
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8SR

design@lahally.com
01962 843 500
© LA Hally Architect 2025

FAQs

Locations:
Winchester
Chandler's Ford
Hamble-le-Rice
Twyford
Broughton
Awbridge
Itchen Abbas

RIBA Chartered Practice and ARB registered

LA Hally Architect is a trading style of LA Hally Architect Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Fleming Court, Leigh Road, Eastleigh, Southampton, SO50 9PD. Registered Number: 9929744