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http://www.tacarchitects.co.uk/

TaC Architects, Spalding, Spalding (2026)

29/05/2026

The new dining extension at Mountain's Farm Shop is now complete — and it’s great seeing the space fully finished and in use.

Mountain’s has grown into far more than just a farm shop over the years, with the site now combining a bistro, butchery, delicatessen and retail space serving locally sourced Lincolnshire produce.

We’ve been involved with several elements of work at the site, and the latest phase focused on extending and transforming the dining area to better connect the building with the surrounding countryside.

One of the key design ideas behind the space was light.

The vaulted ceiling, exposed structural beams and large rooflights allow daylight to travel deep into the building throughout the day, while the full-height glazed gable frames uninterrupted views across the Lincolnshire landscape beyond.

What I particularly like about the finished result is that despite the scale of the room, it still feels warm and relaxed rather than overly formal. The natural light, simple material palette and open views help create a space that feels calm, comfortable and connected to its rural setting.

Projects like this are always rewarding because they show how architecture can quietly improve the experience of a space without shouting for attention.

Sometimes the most successful design move is simply bringing in more light and making people feel more connected to where they are.

If you’re passing through the area, it’s well worth stopping in at Mountain's Farm Shop for breakfast, lunch or a look around the farm shop itself.

olnshire

27/05/2026

Good architecture is about much more than how a building looks.

The best homes are designed around real life — how you move through the space, where the light falls, how rooms connect, how the building performs, and how it will continue to work for you in the years ahead.

Whether it’s a new home, extension, renovation or remodel, thoughtful design can make a huge difference to everyday living. It can create more natural light, improve flow, make better use of existing space and help avoid expensive changes later in the process.

At TaC Architects, we believe good design should be practical, considered and personal to the people who will live there.

Designed for life. Built for tomorrow.

14/05/2026

POST 4 — Do I need planning permission?

One of the most common questions we hear is: do I need planning permission?

The honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes no.

It depends on the type of work, the size of the proposal, the location of the property and whether permitted development rights apply.

Extensions, loft conversions and alterations can all fall under different rules, so getting advice early can save a lot of uncertainty later.

A quick conversation at the start can often help clarify what route is needed and reduce the risk of delays or costly redesigns.

12/05/2026

Design energy performance early

Energy performance works best when it’s considered at the very beginning of a project — not as an afterthought once drawings are complete.

Decisions around glazing, orientation, insulation, ventilation and shading all affect comfort, efficiency and compliance.

Thinking about SAP, Part O and building regulations early can help avoid expensive changes later and lead to a better-performing home overall.

Good architecture is not just about how a building looks. It’s also about how it feels, how it functions and how efficiently it performs for the people living in it.

30/04/2026

Older homes often have something new-builds struggle to replicate: character.

The challenge is making them work beautifully for modern life without losing what made them special in the first place.

Thoughtful renovation can improve light, flow, comfort and everyday functionality while respecting original features and the story of the building. Whether it’s a sensitive extension, internal reconfiguration or a full remodel, good design should feel like a natural continuation of the house — not a compromise.

We love helping homeowners unlock the potential in older properties while keeping their identity intact.

28/04/2026

Thinking about extending your home?

A well-designed extension should do more than add square metres. Done properly, it can improve how your home feels day to day — bringing in more natural light, creating a better layout and making the space work harder for modern family life.

The earlier you think about design, planning and building regulations, the smoother the process usually becomes. Good advice at the start can save time, avoid unnecessary redesigns and help you get more value from the investment.

If you’re considering an extension in Spalding or the surrounding area, we’d be happy to talk through the options.

22/04/2026

Ask most architectural designers what they care about most in a building.

The answer is usually… light.

Not finishes. Not materials. Not even space on its own.

Because natural light has a way of transforming how a home feels in a way very little else can.

It can make a room feel larger without adding a single square metre.
It changes throughout the day, bringing movement and life into a space.
It improves mood and wellbeing in ways we often don’t consciously notice.
And it reduces the need for artificial lighting, making homes feel calmer and more natural.

But good use of light isn’t accidental.

It comes from carefully thinking about:
• the position of windows
• how light enters from different directions
• how it moves through the house
• and how it reaches the spaces that would otherwise feel darker

Sometimes the most powerful design move isn’t building more.

It’s simply allowing light to reach further into the plan — through rooflights, internal openings, or better connections between rooms.

When it’s done well, the result isn’t just brighter.

It’s a home that feels more open, more comfortable, and better to live in every day.

Because good architecture doesn’t just shape space.

It shapes how that space feels.

And more often than not, that starts with one simple question:

Where does the light come from?

16/04/2026

Why extensions sometimes fail SAP — and why future rules make early design even more important

Most homeowners assume that if they build an extension, energy compliance will simply be dealt with at the end of the project.

In reality, SAP calculations can sometimes fail, and when they do it’s often because energy performance wasn’t considered early enough in the design.

A common issue is the amount of new glazing. Large sliding doors and rooflights can look fantastic, but they also increase heat loss and can affect the overall energy balance of the dwelling. If this isn’t addressed early, it can push the SAP result outside the acceptable limits.

Another factor is how the new extension connects to the existing house. Junctions between old and new construction can create thermal bridges if they aren’t detailed carefully, which reduces the overall performance of the building.

Heating systems also play a role. In some cases, the extension changes the heat demand of the home enough that the existing system or controls need reviewing to maintain compliance.

With the industry moving towards the Future Homes Standard and the eventual introduction of the Home Energy Model, energy performance is only going to become more important in residential design.

That’s why the best approach is to consider energy performance from the very beginning of the design process — not after the drawings are finished.

When architecture and energy assessment are considered together early on, it becomes much easier to balance:

• glazing and daylight
• insulation levels
• heating systems
• overall building performance

The result is an extension that not only looks great, but also passes compliance smoothly and performs better in everyday use.

Because the best extensions don’t just add space — they create homes that are warmer, healthier and cheaper to run.

13/04/2026

The architect’s curse

Ever noticed how some people can’t walk down a street without analysing every building?

Architects are particularly bad for this.

A quick walk to the shop can turn into a running commentary in your head:

“That extension actually works quite well.”
“Those windows definitely weren’t part of the original house.”
“That gutter downpipe is doing all the work.”

Most people see a row of houses.

Architects see rooflines, proportions, brickwork patterns, junctions, materials and the dozens of decisions that shaped how the building ended up looking the way it does.

Once you start noticing these things, it’s impossible to switch it off.

It’s a bit like a mechanic listening to a car engine — you can immediately tell when something isn’t quite right.

The upside is that you start spotting opportunities everywhere. A small change to a window, a slightly better extension, a rethink of the layout… and suddenly a perfectly ordinary house could become something much better.

Architecture has a funny way of doing that.

Once you start seeing it, you start seeing it everywhere.

09/04/2026

Future Homes Standard, HEM and extensions — what actually changes?

There’s a lot of discussion in the industry around the Future Homes Standard (FHS) and the Home Energy Model (HEM), and many homeowners are wondering what this means for extensions.

The short answer is: extensions will still be possible — but energy performance will play a bigger role in how they’re designed.

The Future Homes Standard is a major update to Building Regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions from new homes by around 75–80% compared with older standards. To achieve this, new houses will typically require higher levels of insulation, improved airtightness and low-carbon heating systems.

Alongside this, the Home Energy Model (HEM) is being introduced to eventually replace SAP as the way energy performance is assessed. HEM is designed to model how homes actually perform in real life, taking account of building fabric, heating systems and how buildings are used.

So what does this mean for extensions?

Most extensions fall under regulations for existing dwellings, which means the whole house doesn’t suddenly have to meet Future Homes Standard levels. Instead, the new elements of the extension must meet modern fabric performance standards for walls, floors, roofs and glazing.

However, modern extensions are often significantly more efficient than the original house. This creates junctions where careful design is needed to manage thermal bridging, ventilation, condensation risk and overheating from large areas of glazing.

Handled properly, these upgrades don’t just improve energy performance — they also create spaces that feel warmer, brighter and more comfortable to live in.

The direction of travel is clear: extensions aren’t just about adding space anymore. They’re about creating better-performing homes.

TaC Architects

29/05/2026

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm