Carless + Adams Ltd

What Carless + Adams Ltd does

Carless + Adams Ltd is a UK-based chartered architectural practice founded in 1957 and headquartered in Slough, Berkshire, with a team of approximately 26 staff. The firm specializes exclusively in the care sector, designing care homes (residential and nursing), dementia care facilities, integrated retirement communities (IRCs), extra-care apartments, and sensitive Green Belt and heritage asset conversions. Its technical delivery follows the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 across all stages (0-7), supported by Building Information Modelling (BIM), virtual reality and computer-generated imagery (VR/CGI) visualization for client walkthroughs, and BREEAM sustainability methodology. The firm holds DSDC Gold accreditation from the University of Stirling for dementia care design, RIBA Chartered Practice status, ARB registration, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, and Constructionline Silver membership.

The firm operates as a B2B professional services business, generating project-based professional fees from enterprise clients including care home operators (Care UK, Graham Care Group, KYN, Anavo, Signature Senior Lifestyle), construction partners (Castleoak, PRP Architects), charitable institutions (RMBI), and developers. Revenue is earned on a project-by-project basis with bespoke fees per scope, primarily within England (projects span Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Devon, Birmingham, and London). GTM relies on direct enterprise engagement, repeat/referral business, industry event presence (Care Show London, Knight Frank Healthcare Horizons, Housing LIN, Caring Times), thought leadership content, and panel consultant roles such as with The Almshouse Association.

The practice is privately held, founder/management-owned, with no external investors or parent company identified. Leadership comprises Managing Director and Architect Melissa Magee (named finalist for the Inspiring Women in Property Awards 2026), Director and Architect Technician George Morris, and a newly expanded senior team including Associate Vicky Kolliopoulou (promoted April 2026). The firm is a patron of Championing Social Care and maintains community and advocacy engagement through industry bodies.

Name

Carless + Adams Ltd

Legal name

Carless and Adams Ltd

Website

https://carless-adams.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carless + Adams Ltd is a UK chartered architectural practice, founded 1957, specializing exclusively in care-sector design including care homes, dementia facilities, integrated retirement communities, and heritage and Green Belt conversions across England. It serves enterprise clients such as Care UK, KYN, and Graham Care Group with project-based RIBA Stage 0-7 delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Slough, Berkshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional fees for architectural design services covering the full project lifecycle from concept through to completion. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for care homes, dementia care facilities, integrated retirement communities, and specialist healthcare accommodation design.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carless + Adams Ltd is a chartered architectural practice that designs care homes, dementia care facilities, integrated retirement communities, Green Belt developments, and heritage asset conversions across the UK. The firm delivers full RIBA Plan of Work stages 0-7 (from strategic definition through to handover and use), supported by BIM processes, VR and CGI visualization tools, BREEAM sustainability assessment, contract administration, and client-side construction advisory services. Every project is bespoke and individually tailored to each care operator, developer, or healthcare client's brief.

Product overview

Carless + Adams Ltd operates as a single unified architectural practice offering specialized design services for the care sector. The core offering centers on Architectural Design Services covering all RIBA stages, with specialized service lines for Care Homes (Residential and Nursing), Dementia Care Homes, Integrated Retirement Communities (IRC), Green Belt Development, and Heritage Assets. Additional capabilities include VR + CGI Visualization, BIM Services, BREEAM Certification, Contract Administration, and Client-Side Construction Advisory Services. The practice also holds Stirling Gold accreditation for dementia design excellence. Every project is bespoke and individually tailored, with no repetitive designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services for the care sector covering the full RIBA stages from strategic definition through to handover and use. Includes statutory approvals, planning and building regulations, with bespoke designs for care homes, dementia care facilities, integrated retirement communities, and heritage asset conversions across the UK.
• Care Homes (Residential and Nursing) Design Design of new build and refurbished care homes providing inspiring communal settings where residential care, nursing care, and accommodation are delivered. Bespoke designs for residents and caregivers in facilities typically ranging from 40 to 80+ beds.
• Dementia Care Home Design Specialist architectural design for dementia care that considers additional needs of residents to ensure they feel integrated rather than separated, with awareness of cognitive function and sensory impairment impacts. Delivered in line with University of Stirling DSDC Gold accreditation standards.
• Integrated Retirement Community (IRC) Design Design of retirement communities offering independent living with facilities for wellbeing, flexibility, lifestyle choices, community interaction and care services all on one site. Combines independent apartments with optional care provision and shared amenities.
• Green Belt Development Design Architectural services for care sector developments within Green Belt areas, with experience working within The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Very Special Circumstances cases to deliver quality care accommodation while meeting planning regulations.
• Heritage Asset Design Sensitive architectural design services for heritage designated buildings and Non-Designated Heritage Assets (NDHA), navigating complex planning decision processes to balance preservation of heritage value with the requirements of modern care environments.
• VR + CGI Visualization Service Standalone visualization service using virtual reality and computer-generated imagery enabling clients to experience the care environment before construction begins, supporting decision-making through immersive building walkthroughs.
• BIM (Building Information Modelling) Services Building Information Modelling services following RIBA Plan of Work 2020 processes for creating and managing project information throughout the construction lifecycle of care sector buildings.
• BREEAM Sustainability Assessment Service Sustainability assessment service applying BREEAM methodology to ensure environmental best practice in building development for care sector projects, with architects focusing on design stage and working with construction teams to achieve BREEAM ratings.
• Contract Administration + Employer's Agent Service Appointed as employer's agent for principal contractor selection and contract administrator for day-to-day construction project management on care sector developments.
• Client-Side Construction Advisory Service Pre-planning and pre-construction advisory service helping care sector clients maximize site investment, guide procurement processes, and achieve long-term project aims.

Quantifiable outcome

• Suffolk Reprovision: 10 bespoke projects completed over 3 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Championing Social CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarless + Adams Ltd is a patron of Championing Social Care, an organization dedicated to demonstrating and supporting the valuable work of the social care sector. Melissa Magee, Managing Director, serves as an Ambassador for the organization. The partnership involves participation in initiatives such as the Great British Care Cycle Relay and promoting awareness of social care sector needs.
• Graham Land and DevelopmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Graham Land and Developments on multiple care home and assisted living projects. Completed projects include Bishopswood Golf Course (Hampshire), Chelmsford IRC, and Ashford IRC. The relationship demonstrates collaborative approach to delivering care accommodation developments.
• KYN (Keep Your Independence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple project partnership with KYN for luxury care home developments including Lauriston House (Bromley), Hotel Felix (Cambridgeshire), and Avon House (Kensington). KYN describes Carless + Adams as 'an integral extension of our own professional team and a highly valued partner.'
• The Almshouse AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarless + Adams sits on the panel of consultants for The Almshouse Association, enabling any member charity to contact the firm for architectural guidance. Melissa Magee and Indeep Chana participated in a Guildford tour of Abbots Hospital to view historic properties and meet operators.
• WiRL (Women in Retirement Living)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelissa Magee attended WiRL summer networking event at The Shard, discussing topics including the pension gap between men and women and equity in the care sector. WiRL is a networking organization for women in the retirement living industry.
• Knight FrankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelissa Magee participated as a panelist at Knight Frank Healthcare Horizons 2026 event covering care homes in the UK including the luxury offering. Also serves as a judge for Knight Frank Healthcare Design Awards.
• ConstructionlineminorOthersSilver member status demonstrating supply chain certification for construction industry engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• PRP Architects: Long-established UK architectural practice specializing in healthcare, seniors living, and education. PRP and Carless + Adams have collaborated on a project (Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh Court) and jointly presented at the Caring Times Owners Club, confirming direct overlap in the care/seniors living niche.
• Re-Format: Smaller UK architectural practice specializing in residential care, nursing homes, and retirement living developments. Closely comparable niche focus, client base, and project typology to Carless + Adams.
• Corstorphine & Wright: UK architectural practice with a substantial healthcare and care homes portfolio. Comparable in size and structure to Carless + Adams, and competes for similar care operator commissions across the UK.
• Pozzoni Architecture: UK architectural practice with a strong, publicly-marketed focus on care homes, retirement living, and healthcare facilities. Directly comparable care-sector specialization, target clients, and project typologies to Carless + Adams.
• CDA Architects: UK architectural practice focused on the health and care sector, including care homes, nursing homes, and supported living schemes. Directly competes with Carless + Adams for the same institutional operator clients and similar care-sector project briefs.

Broad incumbents

• Broadway Malyan: International architectural practice with healthcare and seniors-living expertise, including retirement village work. Serves similar operator clients but operates across many sectors at larger scale than Carless + Adams.
• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Major international multi-disciplinary architectural practice with a substantial healthcare and care-sector portfolio. Serves the same operator clients as Carless + Adams but at much larger scale and across many building typologies — competes for major institutional commissions while Carless + Adams serves the niche end.
• Chapman Taylor: International architectural practice with established healthcare and care-sector work in the UK and Europe. Comparable in that it serves care operator clients, but broader in scope and significantly larger than Carless + Adams.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture firm with notable healthcare and seniors-living commissions. Operates as a broad incumbent in the same space rather than a niche specialist like Carless + Adams, competing primarily at the premium/institutional end of care-sector tenders.
• IBI Group: Global architecture and engineering firm with an established healthcare practice. Operates in the same care-sector space as Carless + Adams but as part of a much broader portfolio and at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carless-adams-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

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 Carless + Adams Ltd