• Introduction
• Planning Permission
• Building Regulations

Introduction

Extending and converting your family home can be an exciting and rewarding project. As with all things, good planning and preparation will help to ensure that your project runs smoothly and with the minimum of inconvenience.

Here are a few principles of good planning:

• Form

  Sketch out a plan and make a detailed list of what you want in the proposed extension or converted space. The more detail, the easier it will be for an architect or building designer to produce plans that reflect your needs and desires.

• Function

  Think this right through to the finished, furnished and decorated, end product if you are able. This will help in decisions that will need to be made during the design and building process, and avoid delays and changes of plan which can be costly and frustrating.

• Feasibility

  Establish your budget. The cost of a build can be estimated at an early stage by using standard rate per square foot, your architect or designer can advise you on this. It is important to apply this budget maximum to the design to avoid ending up with a set of drawings for a beautifully designed, highly specified building you can't afford. Try to avoid the temptation to cut cost on your build in order to afford that nice leather sofa to go in the finished lounge - that is always a mistake!

• Timing

  Many people make the mistake of trying to find a builder at the last minute and hope they will be available immediately. In reality, a good builder will be in demand and have a work schedule booked up many months in advance. Start the process of finding a builder at the earliest stage. Decide when in the year will be the best time for you to undertake the project, many people favour the summer for fairer weather. But remember, it is possible to build during the winter using fully enclosed weather proof scaffolding, this is an added expense, but may be appropriate in some circumstances.