Room for expansion
Latest Interiors takes a look at stress-free ways to expand your property
If space is tight, but the time isn’t right for a move, adding a small extension to your home could help to ease the squeeze. Many people are daunted by seemingly complex planning regulations, or tales of dodgy builders and bottomless budgets – but it doesn’t have to be like that. Allow Latest Interiors to guide you through the ins and outs of extending your property.
Making plans
There are many ways of extending your property, and not all require planning permission. Certain types of extension – such as straightforward loft conversion with no alterations to the roof or external characteristics of the building – will not generally require specific permission. Most work will be subject to building regulations.
However, what rules and regulations apply also depends on where you live (there are different rules for conservation areas and listed buildings), so it pays to check: Start with the beginners guide at www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115314762605.html
If you’re serious about extending your home, you’ll need to find a good architect who can help you to asses the options, produce plans, and guide you through the complexities of the planning process. Depending on the size of the job, it may be worth employing the services of a project manager to organise the entire process for you – however, for most small extensions a good builder/architect team should be able to co-ordinate all of the necessary trades people.
Small can be beautiful
A growing number of firms now specialise in smaller jobs and it’s worth hunting around for recommendations. Make sure you get at least three quotes for any building work.
And with the economy looking a little under the weather, it is an excellent time to negotiate hard on fees and costs. Building works needn’t be a nightmare if you stick to some basic guidelines.
The eight golden rules of extending your home
- Do your homework – find out what planning rules and building regulations apply to you.
- Talk to neighbours and let them know what you’re planning before you apply for permission – try to iron out any problems first.
- Ask around – can friends or neighbours recommend a good builder or architect?
- Get at least three quotes for plans and building.
- If you don’t understand something, ask questions.
- Ask for a timetable for the work, ask to be kept informed of extras as they arise, and any slips in the schedule.
- Check out what any professional affiliations (e.g. to trade associations or guilds) your contractor has actually mean, what assurance of quality they offer (if any), and how well they are insured.
- Keep talking! Keep lines of communication open with your architect or builder, and deal with problems as they arise.
