Purple Architecture Studio
We moved to Oxfordshire in November 2022. The house we bought needed considerable renovation and we wanted an extra room, John Neale of Purple Architecture Studio came up with an imaginative plan for single storey extension. We employed him to draw up plans, apply for planning consent and look after our interests as the work was done. John was regularly on site and billed us and we paid regularly for his work. The relationship was amicable until we hit a problem with the roof. The builder failed to follow John's plans and John did nothing to stop him even though we told him what was happening when the roofers started. The roof was installed badly with cracks and bubbles and eventually after much delay arrangements had to be made for a reputable roofer to install the covering in accordance with the plans. This meant we paid twice for the roof. When we told John that it had been suggested to us that he should have stopped the initial work to the roof which was not in accordance with his plans he took offence left the site and hasn't spoken to us since. There were still building regulation issues to be resolved and this was done spasmodically by email with John. When he was not responding to emails or keeping us informed we were driven to complaining to the ARB (Architects Registration Board) who wrote toJohn telling him he must contact us by a certain date.
We obtained planning permission in March 2023 and we received the Completion Certificate in May 2025. We feel the delays we experienced were largely due to the Architect. We are very disappointed in the way John behaved at the end and we feel he was possibly out of his depth and felt he couldn't confront the builder.