Homes in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Edinburgh's New Town is a planned Georgian sandstone townscape within a World Heritage Site, and districts such as Marchmont and Leith have Victorian tenements. Bungalows and villas fill the suburbs, Midlothian has former mining villages, Livingston was built as a new town, and East Lothian villages often have red pantile roofs.
Listed and conservation-area homes need careful window and stone repairs. Bungalows commonly suit loft conversions and dormers, and suburban semis take extensions and garage conversions.
East-coast weather brings cold winds, haar and frost, and exposed hills around the city catch wind-driven rain.
Planning and building rules in Scotland
In Scotland, planning permission comes from the council under Scottish permitted development classes. Most building work needs a building warrant from the council’s building standards service before it starts, and a completion certificate at the end.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Edinburgh and the Lothians is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Which postcodes in Edinburgh and the Lothians do you cover?
We cover EH1, EH53, EH21 and EH48, along with the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Can you combine your project with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan your project alongside other work on your Edinburgh and the Lothians home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.