Planning your home extension

Are you looking for a new living area that the whole family can enjoy, an extra bedroom for a new arrival or a home office?

Be clear about its use because this will ensure you make the right decision about what and how you plan the build.

House extensions don’t happen overnight – and even getting planning permission and building regulations approval can sometimes take months. So be patient, and expect some upheaval and interruption to normal family life while the building is going on.

You may want to consider the time of year, factor in things like holidays, family events and other occasions for which you will want full use of your house without the builders being in.

Once you do decide the best time window for you property extension to be built, the secret is to plan it ahead as far as possible.

For some property alterations such as loft conversions and single storey extensions, or certain types of sun rooms, you may not need planning permission. Here at UK Demolition & Construction we can help advise where you do and don’t need planning, and where required we can help you by liaising with your local planning officer.

This is probably the key question – and it’s usually the first thing we have to ask our clients.

So before you do anything (and ideally before you call in your builder) sit down and decide exactly – or if you can’t be exact, come up with a good idea – of how much you have to spend.

Don’t forget most builders will quote net of VAT, so don’t forget to add the 20% on if need be.

Once you’ve given yourself a budget, stick to it – its vital you keep control of the budget right up till the final works are completed.

Big projects such as loft conversions or external home extensions are not simple DIY jobs, and we’ve seen them go wrong too many times when even skilled DIYers have had a go themselves.

You will need the services of an expert if you are planning on making major alterations to your property, and in fact part of the planning application may have to include plans produced by a qualified architect and other consultants such as structural engineers.

Here at UK Demolition & Construction we can offer advice on builds up to a certain size, but there may be times where we recommend you seek the advice of an architect or other industry specific experts to ensure the job is completed to the highest standard.

This is a particularly important consideration, especially if you are making major alterations to your property.

Do you share a party wall with your neighbours, and will your alterations potentially damage their property?

There is also the social aspect – your plans may impact on their quality of life during the construction period, so it’s wise to keep your neighbours fully informed of your intentions right from the start.

Once again, your architect will be able to advise on any potential issues.

If your home is in a designated conservation area or is a listed building, there may be very strict controls governing what alterations you can and cannot make.

You may not know if you’re in a conservation area, so check with your local council – or use your builders local knowledge – for further details.

Where you put your house extension is the next decision. Loft conversions are increasingly popular – so if you have the option of converting your attic space into a new room without any external signs of extending the property it’s definitely worth considering.

The most common option for simply gaining extra space either is either a single storey or two storey extension, for which you may want to build out to the side of your home.

Again, talking to us here at UK Demolition & Construction prior to planning may help you decide which is the best option for you.

Even as builders ourselves, we’d always recommend you speak to three reputable professional building firm to get a price and their advice on the project – even if it’s a smaller job like a loft conversion.

Choose wisely, and take note of the recommendations of friends who have had work done on their properties.

Word of mouth is often the best indicator of a quality tradesman, but make sure you have a first-hand look at examples of their previous work before taking the plunge. 

As we said earlier, it’s wise to plan well in advance.

Set yourself a strict timetable for completion. The chances are that it will over-run, but if you lay down the ground rules for completion at the very start of the project you can avoid living on a building site for months on end.

Don’t underestimate the impact that building an extension can have on your quality of life, and try to minimise that impact.