Archisolve

Name: Archisolve
Address: Southampton, GB
Telephone: 07769 152012

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Crystal is professional, approachable and passionate. I am Crystal Mintram and Archisolve is my business. I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes

Crystal

Crystal at Archisolve provides creative, practical designs for extensions and internal alterations - offering a comprehensive service, including planning and building control drawings and applications. I offer Architectural services with a focus on delivering quality drawings at reasonable prices and with outstanding customer service. I enjoy working directly for domestic clients designing extensions and alterations to their homes. I love getting involved with my client’s ideas and being creative together. I will always produce different designs so we can discuss options until the client is completely satisfied. I then go onto manage the planning stage and submit those drawings and applications on behalf of my clients. Planning is rarely a straight forward process but I act as the buffer between my clients and their local authority. I attend all meeting with the Planners and will always talk through any queries with them. I take the worry away from the client, while at the same time always keeping them up to date with proceedings. I realise communication is the key to a good working relationship. Once we have planning approval we go onto the less well known Building Control stage. Here I produce detailed drawings with construction notes for the project. These drawings evidence that we are adhering to the Building Regulations, which are the legal standards for construction in this country. I partner with Southampton City Council Building Control department and have a good relationship with them. Another benefit of having those detailed drawings is that your builders can give you more accurate quotations, I specify everything from the foundations to the roof structure and everything in between. This leaves a lot less chance of miscommunications, costly mistakes and frankly heart ache during the build. I also work with local project managers, other Architectural practices and established builders offering professional drawing services. My drawings are very good, but of course, so are many others. What makes me stand out is that customer service is at the heart of my business. I am passionate about people and making the most of their space. I see the difference it makes in my clients lives and I love being part of that. I am a splash of colour in a stuffy industry, I am professional but approachable and personable. You can look at some recommendations from clients here - http://www.yell.com/biz/archisolve-southampton-7603755/

Have a look at my new website here - http://www.archisolve.co.uk/

Please get in contact for any building requirements.

22/10/2026

This week, we achieved planning permission for a large two-storey extension and conversion in Ashurst.

By raising the existing bungalow walls and forming a new roof, we've completely reconfigured both floors to create an amazing new living space.

The ground floor will feature two living rooms, a large kitchen/dining/family room, a utility room, a shower room and a new external store to the side.

The first floor will provide four new double bedrooms, including a master bedroom with an en-suite and walk-in wardrobe.

I've been busy working on the Building Control drawings this week, which are extensive for a project of this scale!

Here's an AI visualisation of how the finished property will look from the rear garden.

20/10/2026

😂

16/10/2026

This week, I've spent a lot of time designing a traditional-style, two-storey timber-clad coach house in a beautiful rural setting.

The ground floor will provide a double carport and generous garden storage, with a home gym on the first floor, all ancillary to the main dwelling.

With the surrounding rural landscape and a Grade II listed building nearby, there's more to this project than just the design! I've also been preparing a detailed planning statement to support the application, covering the design, planning history, heritage considerations, ecology and sustainability. 🌿

13/10/2026

Just moved to Southampton?

Whether you're settling into your first home, returning for another year, or moving across the city, now is a good time to think about home security.

✅ Lock doors and windows whenever you go out
✅ Double-check that communal entrances close behind you
✅ Register and secure bikes and valuable property
✅ Keep packaging for expensive items out of sight when disposing of it
✅ Don't leave valuables visible through windows
✅ Make sure everyone in the household knows who's responsible for locking up

Most burglaries are opportunistic. A few simple precautions can help keep your property safe and your neighbourhood secure.

- PC 30547

12/10/2026

Client walking through their newly built extension - in the final stages now and it is looking beautiful so far. Those rear doors and glazed apex are stunning.

09/10/2026

When you build an extension, the new roof creates additional surface water. Building regulations assert that we can’t drain it to public sewers, they are already overloaded, as we are all aware!

One solution is a soakaway. The new gutters and downpipes drain into it, and the water is dispersed into the surrounding ground, so it can, not surprisingly… soak away! 😂

Another option is to incorporate a sustainable water collection system, such as a water butt, so that some of that rainwater can be collected and reused in the garden.

And actually, that seems like a pretty sensible idea anyway. If we continue to have drier summers, why not make use of all that rainwater we get during the wetter months? 🌧️➡️🌱

05/10/2026

Two finished projects, all ready to be dropped off today! 🏠

They include all drawings and statutory approvals, printed and ready to go.

I always put a complete copy of everything into a separate envelope marked ‘Builder’s Pack’. This means that once a builder is appointed, they have all the information they need to build the project. So no hunting through paperwork or wondering what they should have. 😊

02/10/2026

Cowboy builders, are they really a thing?! 🤔

Personally, I think they’re probably few and far between. We all rely heavily on ‘word of mouth’ recommendations, and reputation is everything.

That said, things do sometimes go wrong. This week, I had a call from a client I worked with 10 years ago (!) because their builder hadn’t finished certain parts of the project, and they wanted to know what could be done. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Earlier this year, Building Control contacted me about another project where the builder had fitted a different roof and floor to those specified on my drawings and neither met the Building Regulations 🤷🏻‍♀️ It turned out they simply hadn’t read the drawings properly!

Neither of these I recommended.

This is the reason I keep a list of trusted contractors. If a client has used a builder on my designs, and they’ve completed the job to a high standard, and had a great attitude, I’ll add them to my list. I know they’ll take the vision and bring it to life properly. 🏠✨

28/09/2026

I deal with both planning and building control applications, but these are two separate processes and departments within the local authority.

Planning considers things like the impact of the proposed works on neighbours, the character of the area and the environment.

Building Control ensures the project meets current British Standards and Building Regulations for construction.

Both are equally important, and neither is always ‘black and white’!

Getting a professional on board early can help you understand what’s required and avoid costly mistakes later. 🏠

Address

Southampton

Telephone

07769 152012

Website

http://www.archisolve.co.uk/

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