An extension can provide many benefits for your home. In fact, our latest blog post explains 4 major benefits of extending your property.
We are aware that an extension is a big commitment and investment for homeowners so we want to make sure that you are aware of all the things you need to think about prior to extending. We pride ourselves in providing top-notch client service and process transparency is very important to us. So, let’s get started!
Before you begin to plan your dream extension, it is important to know whether you’ll need planning permission. There are policies called Permitted Development Rights which allow you to extend your home without planning permission. More information can be found on these here. For example, single-storey rear extensions cannot be higher than four metres in height. It is important to get some legal or expert advice when reviewing if you need planning permission for an extension.
Whether you need planning permission or not, your extension will still need to comply with building regulations. These are some examples of what will often need to be checked:
This also means that whoever builds your extension needs to either be backed by an official governing body (for example, Gas Safe gas engineers) or they will contact the local Building Control Officers at your council to have their work certified.
Before beginning your project, get in touch with your home and contents insurance provider. Your existing policy may cover you but it’s important to let them know your plans if they need to adjust your premium accordingly. This is important because if something happens to your property such as a fire, this could void your policy if it hasn’t been correctly updated.
An extension can take up to 4 months so to avoid any conflict further down the line, it’s important to let your neighbours know that there will be some work carried out over the coming months. This can just make your neighbours a little happier!
Secondly, you need to talk to your neighbours if you have a party wall. This can be: a wall that stands on the lands of 2 (or more) owners and forms part of a building, a wall that stands on the lands of 2 owners but does not form part of a building, such as a garden wall (not including timber fences) or a wall that is on one owner’s land but is used by 2 (or more) owners to separate their buildings. If you have a shared wall like this, you need to let the adjoining owner know and give them a chance to agree or disagree. The Act provides a way to resolve disputes if needed.
This is the stage where you can begin to start talking to different people such as architects and tradespeople to help you finalise your vision.
It’s also important to finalise your budget and get a few quotes from different people. If you would like a free, no-obligation quote from us then please find our contact details here!
We’ve all been spending a little more time at home in the past few months so we know how important it is for you to have a home that you love. An extension can provide you with space but also increase the value of your home. Enjoy the process and create something that you love!
If you would like to view some of our previous extension projects then please do so here. If you’d like to have a general chat with us about any of the services that we offer, then please get in touch with us here. We are still operating our usual hours and we have processes in place to keep both you and our staff safe during these uncertain times.
