Frequently asked questions.

New construction, conversions, renovations, care dwellings, interior design and small-scale multi-unit housing. At our first meeting, we discuss whether your request fits the scale and support you need.

Yes. Architect Basaran is an independent practice. You discuss your project directly with Mehmet Ali Basaran and have one clear point of contact for the design, application documents and agreed supervision.

We discuss the location, your wishes, the existing situation, the required spaces, budget and timing. We can then clearly define the commission: what needs to be investigated and which services are required?

Yes. A short feasibility study can be useful before buying a property or commissioning a full design. We agree in advance which questions, plans and checks are included.

Yes, as a separate advisory commission. Send the available plans, photographs and your specific question. I will review aspects such as layout, feasibility and points to consider for the next step.

Available plans, photographs, a cadastral or survey plan, information about the property or plot and an initial list of your wishes. A realistic budget range helps us start with a clear focus.

The practice is in Maasmechelen, Limburg. Projects elsewhere in Belgium can be discussed. Location, travel and the requested site supervision are taken into account in the quotation.

Work requiring a permit usually requires an architect, with statutory exceptions for certain limited interventions. Structural work inside a dwelling or on façades and roofs requires an architect for design and supervision, even if no permit is required. Have your specific work assessed and consult your municipality and the Flemish Environment Permit Portal.

A permit may be needed for construction, extensions, demolition, changes of use or changes to the number of dwellings. Exemptions apply only if all conditions and local rules are met. Since 1 March 2026, an extension to a home, such as a veranda or attached garage, requires a permit: the former notification procedure for this work has been abolished. See the Official rules for extensions.

I can make an initial assessment based on the plans, regulations and existing situation. A positive initial assessment is not a permit: the competent authority assesses the specific application.

I can investigate the existing situation, history and rules, then indicate which regularisation options may be examined. The competent authority ultimately decides on the application and may impose conditions; regularisation is never automatic.

Where no structural or stability changes are involved, exemptions from appointing an architect exist, for example for windows or façade cladding. Structural work does require an architect. Whether a permit is needed is a separate question: heritage, street boundaries and local rules can matter. Have the entire intervention assessed together.

If a dormer or roof extension increases the building volume, a permit is required. Exemption from appointing an architect is a different matter: it may apply to a roof extension covering no more than a quarter of the roof area, provided it does not resolve a structural problem or alter stability. Have this assessed in advance using the Rules for roof work.

We prepare the plans and documents and submit the application. A normal permit process can take about 4 to 6 months; this is indicative. The completeness check takes up to 30 days. Once complete and admissible, the decision period is normally 105 or 120 days for the ordinary procedure, or 60 days for the simplified procedure. Additional documents, extensions or appeals may lengthen the process. Starting work must also take account of publication and the appeal period. Read the Explanation of procedural deadlines.

Yes. In addition to Flemish rules, municipal regulations, subdivision conditions, spatial implementation plans or heritage rules may apply. An address and a clear description are therefore needed before drawing conclusions.

Depending on your needs, this can range from advice and design to permit documents, detailed construction plans, tendering and site supervision. The exact services are set out in the quotation and commission confirmation. Where an architect is legally required, the commission also includes supervision of construction. Another architect may take over that supervision under the professional rules; it cannot simply be omitted.

Fees depend on the scope, complexity, requested services and duration of the support. You receive a quotation in advance detailing the included services and payment stages.

If external partners are needed, we discuss the expertise the project requires. The selection and separate commissions of other building partners are clearly distinguished from the architectural commission.

This varies by project and how quickly decisions are made. The building’s condition, the level of detail and any permit requirements also affect the schedule. We agree the next milestones once the commission is clear.

That is not a problem. We identify the missing basic information and the surveys, photographs or technical studies needed to start correctly.