Carless + Adams Ltd

What Carless + Adams Ltd does

Carless + Adams Ltd is a UK chartered architectural practice founded in 1957 and headquartered in Slough, Berkshire, specialising exclusively in the design of care homes, dementia care facilities, and integrated retirement communities. The firm operates a 26-person team across architectural, technician, administrative, marketing, and finance functions, delivering full-service commissions from RIBA Plan of Work stages 0 through 7 — covering strategic definition, concept design, planning, technical design, construction administration, and post-handover support. Its technical backbone is Building Information Modelling (BIM), supplemented by in-house Virtual Reality and CGI visualisation capabilities that allow clients and future residents to experience proposed care environments prior to construction. The practice differentiates through specialist dementia design expertise (DSDC Gold accreditation from the University of Stirling) and a track record of securing planning on constrained sites including Green Belt, heritage assets, and conservation areas.

The firm generates revenue through project-based professional fees on bespoke commissions; pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are scoped individually. Its primary customer segments are care home operators and developers (e.g., Care UK, KYN, Newcross Healthcare, Anavo, Graham Land & Developments, Castleoak, easyResidences, Icon Design & Build) and integrated retirement community developers, supplemented by nonprofit clients such as the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and The Almshouse Association. Go-to-market is sales-led, driven by direct outreach, industry event presence (The Care Show London, Knight Frank Healthcare Horizons, Housing LIN, WiRL), thought leadership content, and sector advocacy. The firm holds RIBA Chartered Practice status, ARB registration, Constructionline Silver membership, and ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, supporting procurement eligibility with enterprise and public-sector care clients.

Carless + Adams is privately held under founder/management ownership, with Melissa Magee as Managing Director and George Morris as Director. No private equity, venture capital, institutional investment, or M&A activity is disclosed in the available data, and the firm has not raised external funding rounds. Operations are domestic, with projects delivered across at least 12 English counties and the registered office serving as the sole location.

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 is a UK chartered architectural practice specialising exclusively in the design of care homes, dementia care facilities, and integrated retirement communities, serving enterprise operators, developers, and nonprofit clients on full RIBA-stage commissions from its Slough base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services — Care Sector

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAPAEAB

Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations

Home & Personal Services/Residential Renovation Services/Whole-Home Renovation & Remodel

SECONDARYHSAPAEAA

Full Gut Renovation (Studs-Out Remodel)

Home & Personal Services/Residential Renovation Services/Whole-Home Renovation & Remodel

SECONDARYHSAPAEAI

Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build)

Home & Personal Services/Residential Renovation Services/Whole-Home Renovation & Remodel

Keywords

• Care home architecture
• Retirement community design
• Dementia care design
• BIM architectural services
• Assisted living design

Headquarters

HQ city

Slough

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services for care homes, dementia care homes, integrated retirement communities, and assisted living. Services span from initial concept through planning, technical design, construction administration, and handover, following RIBA stages 0-7. Revenue is generated through project-based professional fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carless + Adams is a chartered architectural consultancy that designs care homes, dementia care facilities, integrated retirement communities, and assisted living accommodation in the United Kingdom. The firm delivers full end-to-end architectural services across all RIBA Plan of Work stages 0-7, from strategic definition and concept design through to planning, technical design, contract administration, and handover. Every project is bespoke, with specialist expertise in sensitive planning contexts including Green Belt, heritage assets, and conservation areas.

Product overview

Carless + Adams Ltd is a chartered architectural practice offering a unified portfolio of architectural design services for the care sector. Their core offerings include Care Homes (Residential and Nursing), Dementia Care Homes, and Integrated Retirement Communities (IRC), complemented by specialist services for Green Belt developments and Heritage Assets. The practice provides end-to-end services across all RIBA stages 0-7, supported by VR + CGI visualization capabilities, Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology, statutory approvals, sustainable design (BREEAM), contract administration, and client-side construction advisory services. Every project is bespoke and tailored to individual site requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Care Homes (Residential and Nursing) Architectural design of residential and nursing care homes creating bespoke communal settings where care, nursing, and accommodation are provided. Designed and built with residents' and care givers' needs in mind, offered to care home operators and developers.
• Dementia Care Homes Specialist architectural design for dementia care homes building on standard care home principles to meet the additional needs of residents, ensuring they feel integrated rather than separated by dementia. Backed by DSDC Gold accreditation from the University of Stirling.
• Integrated Retirement Communities (IRC) Architectural design of integrated retirement communities offering independent living with on-site wellbeing facilities, flexibility, lifestyle choices, community interaction, and care services on a single site. Targeted at retirement community developers.
• Green Belt Development Architectural Services Specialist architectural services for care sector developments on Green Belt sites, applying experience with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Very Special Circumstances cases alongside Local Planning Authorities.
• Heritage Assets Architectural Services Sensitive architectural design and complex planning support for care facilities involving Heritage Assets and Non-Designated Heritage Asset (NDHA) buildings.
• Contract Administration + Employer's Agent Advisory and contract administration service assisting clients in the selection and appointment of the principal contractor and overseeing day-to-day management of construction projects through to completion.
• Client-Side Construction Advisory Services Construction advisory services advising clients on how to maximise site potential, procurement processes, and end results to optimise investment outcomes on care sector developments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Suffolk Reprovision programme — 10 bespoke projects completed over 3 years — finalist in Healthcare Design Awards (Pinders 2018)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kori Construction LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKori Construction Limited is the principal contractor for the Hampton project (refurbishment of a former police station with new-build extension), working alongside Carless + Adams in the delivery of the care home development. The relationship involves coordinated site visits and collaborative project delivery.
• Championing Social CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarless + Adams Ltd is a patron of Championing Social Care, and Managing Director Melissa Magee serves as an Ambassador for the organisation. Championing Social Care demonstrates and supports the valuable work of the social care sector, and Carless + Adams contributes to its mission and promotional activities, including participation in events such as the Great British Care Cycle Relay.
• The Almshouse AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarless + Adams Ltd sits on The Almshouse Association panel of consultants, which enables any member of the charity to contact the firm for architectural guidance. This relationship provides access to almshouse charities across the country requiring architectural services.
• WiRL (Women in Retirement Living)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWiRL is a networking organisation for women in the retirement living sector. Carless + Adams actively participates in WiRL events, including hosting and attending networking sessions (e.g., summer networking event at The Shard), contributing to discussions on sector issues including the gender pension gap and mentoring programmes.
• Housing LIN (Learning and Improvement Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing LIN is a learning and improvement network for the housing and care sector. Carless + Adams participates in Housing LIN Annual Conference, team members engage with Future Leaders programmes, and the firm contributes to the network's knowledge-sharing activities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MJP Architects: UK architectural practice with strong healthcare and care sector portfolio, including work for NHS trusts and specialist care providers. Comparable as a similarly sized specialist practice pursuing healthcare and care operator clients across the UK.
• Medical Architecture: Specialist UK architectural practice focused exclusively on healthcare and care environments. Directly comparable as a niche healthcare architecture firm competing for similar design mandates from care operators and health-focused developers.
• Assael Architecture: UK architectural practice with strong specialism in retirement living, extra care, and senior living developments. Directly comparable for retirement-living design mandates targeting the same operator-developer segment as Carless + Adams.
• PRP Architects: One of the UK's largest architectural practices specialising in retirement living and care homes, with a long track record across IRC, extra care, and dementia design. Most directly comparable peer given shared exclusive care-sector specialism and similar RIBA-aligned full-service delivery model.
• P+HS Architects: Specialist healthcare architecture practice with deep expertise in hospital and care facility design. Comparable as a dedicated healthcare architecture competitor targeting overlapping NHS, private operator, and developer clients in the UK.
• Holder Mathias Architects: UK architectural practice focused on care homes, extra care, and specialist retirement housing with strong portfolio across dementia-friendly design. Directly comparable as a specialist retirement/care architect of similar size competing for the same operator-developer client base.

Broad incumbents

• Bond Bryan Architects: Established UK architectural practice delivering across residential, education, and care sectors. Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping residential care and education-adjacent care facility work and similar regional UK delivery footprint.
• Stride Treglown: Multi-sector UK architectural practice with a notable healthcare and later-living portfolio alongside broader commercial and education work. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering overlapping care sector capabilities as part of a wider portfolio.
• Pozzoni Architecture: UK architectural firm with a meaningful healthcare and later-living portfolio alongside broader residential and commercial work. Comparable as a multi-sector incumbent serving similar care operator clients with overlapping retirement living capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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