What DDS Architecture does

DDS Architecture, trading as Detail Design Solutions Ltd (Scottish company number SC480369), is a small Edinburgh-based architectural firm founded in 2011 that provides design, planning, and contract administration services for domestic, commercial, and social building projects across Scotland. The firm is led by Director Ross Robertson, a Chartered Architectural Technologist and accredited Section 6 Certifier with over 25 years of industry experience, and operates as a team of one to ten architectural technologists out of offices at 17 Claremont Bank and Suite 1B, 6 Dock Place in Edinburgh.

The firm's core technical capability is centred on Building Information Modeling (BIM), executing both BIM Level 1 for residential and social housing work and BIM Level 2 for complex commercial conversions, using Revit and AutoCAD as the primary authoring tools. Service delivery is structured around two tiered packages — a Consents-Only Service covering planning permission and building warrant applications, and a Full Service extending through construction drawings, contract administration, site visits, and completion certification. Specialist sub-services include listed building consent, Section 6 energy certification, and feasibility studies. The firm's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: prospective clients are acquired through the SEO-optimised website, content marketing via case studies and blog articles, and free initial consultations with no-obligation quotes, with pricing based on standard architectural fees recommended by the Fees Bureau and fixed fees used wherever project scope permits. Customers span housing associations (Castle Rock Edinvar, Margaret Blackwood, Carr Gomm), commercial hospitality operators (Chop House, Stewart's Brewery, Dockside Tap), technology tenants (Ajenta), government (Scottish Courts), and individual homeowners, with sub-contracted partnerships in place with Icosis Architects, Applied Engineering Design, Curve Architecture, and Chambers McMillan Architects to extend delivery capacity on larger schemes.

Name

DDS Architecture

Legal name

Detail Design Solutions Ltd

Website

https://ddsarchitecture.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DDS Architecture is a small Edinburgh-based architectural firm providing design, planning, building warrant, and contract administration services across Scotland for homeowners, housing associations, property developers, and commercial clients. Founded in 2011, it uses BIM processes and specialises in listed building consent and Section 6 energy certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Building information modeling
• Planning permission applications
• Listed building consent
• Residential and commercial extensions

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services - Full Service: Comprehensive architectural services from initial concept through construction and completion, including builder appointment, contract administration, construction drawings, site visits, and completion certificate application. Provided as a bespoke service tailored to individual client requirements.
2. Architectural Design Services - Consents-Only: Limited service covering only the obtaining of planning permission, building warrant, and other required consents. Clients then self-administer the remainder of their project with builder.
3. Feasibility Studies: Free initial feasibility studies provided for prospective clients considering house extensions or other projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DDS Architecture provides comprehensive architectural design and technical design services for domestic, commercial, and social building projects across Scotland. Its core offerings encompass feasibility studies, planning permission and building warrant applications, listed building consent, Section 6 energy certification, and full design-through-completion packages, delivered by a small team of architectural technologists using BIM (Revit and AutoCAD).

Product overview

DDS Architecture is a small team of architectural technologists providing comprehensive architectural design services. The company offers a single unified service encompassing domestic, commercial, and social building projects. Services are delivered through two service packages: a Consents-Only Service (handling design through planning and building warrant stages) and a Full Service (comprehensive support through design, construction, and completion). The company specializes in BIM processes using Revit and AutoCAD, listed building work, and energy efficiency improvements including EESH (Energy Efficiency for Social Housing).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services - Full Service Comprehensive architectural design service from initial concept through construction and completion, including builder appointment, contract administration, construction drawings, site visits, and completion certificate application. Provided as a bespoke service tailored to individual client requirements across domestic, commercial, and social building projects.
• Consents-Only Architectural Service A limited architectural service covering only the obtaining of planning permission, building warrant, and other required consents. The client then self-administers the remainder of their project with the builder, while DDS provides the building warrant drawings and technical documentation needed to proceed.
• Domestic Architectural Services Architectural services for individual homeowners covering home extensions, attic conversions, internal alterations, refurbishments, and feasibility studies, with full support through planning permission, building warrants, and construction administration as required.
• Commercial Architectural Services Architectural services for commercial and institutional clients covering office fit-outs, hospitality venue conversions (bars, restaurants, breweries), housing association social projects, and property developer schemes, leveraging BIM Level 2 processes on complex commercial work.
• Planning Permission Application Service Preparation and submission of planning applications to local councils on behalf of clients, including liaison with planning officers until consent is granted; provided as a distinct consent-focused service across domestic, commercial, and developer projects.
• Building Warrant Application Service Preparation of detailed technical drawings and warrant specifications for submission to local authority building control departments, ensuring projects comply with Scottish building regulations; provided as a standalone warrant application service.
• Listed Building Consent Service Specialised consent service for historic or listed buildings, ensuring proposed works are carried out sensitively and in keeping with the original building character, and obtaining consent within Edinburgh's conservation areas.
• Section 6 Energy Certification Energy performance certification service for buildings, delivered under the firm's Section 6 Certifier accreditation, ensuring compliance with Scottish energy efficiency requirements for new build, conversions, and housing association projects.
• Feasibility Studies Free initial feasibility studies provided to prospective clients considering house extensions or other projects, offering a structured review of options before commissioning detailed design work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully converted challenging listed property into highly desirable residential units for private developer client
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Icosis ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Icosis Architects on the Amenity Housing project in Elgin. DDS Architecture developed the project's technical design to enable it to progress from planning stage to building warrant application and tender documentation.
• Chambers McMillan ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChambers McMillan Architects approached DDS Architecture for technical assistance on an accessible holiday home project, requiring complex technical solutions for flexible accommodation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Anderson Bell + Christie: Long-established Scottish architectural practice covering residential, heritage, education, and commercial work — comparable on multi-sector Scottish project delivery from a similar-sized firm base.
• Collective Architecture: Glasgow-headquartered Scottish architecture practice with deep social housing and residential sector experience, directly comparable to DDS's housing association client base and service mix.
• Icosis Architects: Scotland-based architectural practice that has collaborated with DDS Architecture on the Amenity Housing project in Elgin. Directly comparable as a similarly sized Scottish firm delivering housing and technical design services.
• Page\Park Architects: Award-winning Scottish architectural practice based in Glasgow with comparable residential, conservation, and public sector project portfolios across Scotland.
• Holmes Miller: Scottish architecture and masterplanning practice operating across education, residential, and conservation sectors, comparable to DDS's multi-sector Scottish project profile.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architectural practice with established Scottish projects. Operates as a broad incumbent serving similar client types (developers, public sector, commercial) across a much larger portfolio.
• Purcell: UK-wide heritage and conservation architecture specialist with deep listed-building consent experience — the broad incumbent equivalent of DDS's niche Edinburgh listed-building capability.
• 3DReid: UK architecture and masterplanning practice with offices including Scotland; comparable on commercial fit-out, residential, and conservation work as a broader multi-disciplinary incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DDS Architecture