How do you go about building an extension on your house?
Question:I am looking to build an extension on to my house but do not really know where to start!
Answers:
If you are doing it yourself don't, it will be a nightmare and unless you have any experience of construction don't even break ground. However if you are contracting out then get builders around to quote for the works ask them to give firm price, don;t accept any builder that won't. I can recommend a v good builder if you live in the South west.
You would need to get planning permission, design it, get building control to approve the design then you can crack on. Building control will probably want to approve the foundations for depth and solidity but your builder will guide you through all that. Get weather tight ASAP so start the foundation t a good time so there is little rain, once you've got the roof, it reasonably simple to plumb, wire, finish and decorate, get out of the ground is the hardest part.
Good Luck
then don,t
Ask your local planning office if they forsee any reasons why you may not be able to build. If they say that things seem OK, you get an architect to do you some plans, submit them for planning, if they pass, get your builder, and you are on your way
You don't know so get someone in who does .
you will need to apply for planning permission to your local council. before applying you will also need to have plans drawn up professionally to submit to your council. If accepted the plans are then submitted to building regs the whole process can take 12 weeks or more provided there are no set backs or refusal. You will incur cost from the person who does your drawings and the council. Good luck!
First step:
Call in somone who can draw a set of plans for you. Discuss your requirements and get advice as to whether ot not you need planning permission. Some works to your house can be undertaken as permitted development. (That means planning permisson is not required)
You will however need to apply to your local council for building regulations approval.
Step 2:
Once the plans have been drawn, and the relevant applications have been submitted to the local council you should obtain quotes for the work from three or four builders.
Step 3:
Decide on your builder. As soon as your plans have been approved by the council you can start work.
Step 4:
Before your builder starts work you should check with any adjoining owners to see if a "Party Wall" agreement is needed.
Contact your local council and they should be able to give you advise.
Good Luck with your project.
dont let them bring you down! you can do anything you put your mind too. i think you need to draw up plans with detailed measurement and content etc, take them to whom ever owns the land, they check boundaries and such like and either accept or deny you. good luck!
Ok, start by getting an idea of what you want, then in all honesty I would ask you neighbours how they feel(this reduces the amount of possible objections).
Ok now once you've done this a most proffessional building companys will be able to guide you efficiently if you contact them OR:
Now you have an idea, it would be sensible to consult a surveyor, and an architect. The surveyor will require a fee to do a survey drawing of the existing building and display whats your "site" boundary is. A large number of architects will want to charge you for consultation, these days there a more Achitects than there are jobs for them, so most will draw up a concept for discussion without charge, if they say otherwise contact another. Once you see a concept you like, discuss the fee, if it sounds "reasonable" then ask to have them contact the local planning department and draw you up a real blueprint. Once you have a blueprint, send it to as many building companys as possible for Tender.
Ok now you should have if all has gone well a:
Site Survey
Planning permission(preliminary)
An Architects plan
A Tender price.
Now to find yourself some builders and an Engineer. Normally architects will want to reccomend people in both fields(people they have worked with before), I would personaly reccomend you look about for builders that are willing to prove their previous jobs are up to standard. Now its just a case of paying all these people and letting them do their work.
Edit: As far as building regulations the Architect should make sure it meets all sound and thermal propertys. And the Structural Engineer should make sure the structure meets modern regulations.
It may also be a good idea to contact you local waterboard and request, a plan indicating their plumbing regarding your site. You may not need additional plumbing installed, but digging for foundations will be required.
First get some one in to draw plans up.Then submit them to your local council.They write to the neighbours on both sides of you.If they do not contest the plans you should get planning permission in 6 wks.If they do object this does not mean you will not get planning permission.I was surprised to learn that they tell neighbours.My next door neighbour told me as they applied for planning permission which was granted & in 2002 I also applied & got planing permission.Good Luck
PS/ Look in your local paper for draughtsman as the charges can vary from £50 upwards.
For a relatively small project such as this I would suggest that you do not have any plans drawn up to start with as if the planners say you can't have it you will have wasted your money and have to pay again for amended, more acceptable plans. Get an idea of what you want in your head and then take some measurements (has to be metric or the Council won't look at it) and roughly sketch it out. It does not need to be a work of art at this stage - just enough to show what you want. Take it to the planning office and they will tell you whether you do in fact need planning permission and if so whether they will be prepared to grant it.
You can then get the plans drawn up depending on what they tell you and be as certain as you can that they will be happy. Of course if no permission is required you will only need plans for a Building Regulations application which is straightforward enough for a competent architect. Good Luck
get planning permission first
thats the place to start
The first job is to get a good architect to draw up what you want, they will be able to advise you on what is possible and what is not.
If they are worth their salt, they will handle all the planning and buidling regulations. But leave it at that. Once they have finished that, thank them very much and then get prices from builders who have been recommended to you by friends or where you have seen their work.
The architect will push their own (expensive) people and will paint bleak pictures (and usually backhanders are involved).
Let the builder handle the job by reading the drawings and doing what He does best.
Word of advice - do not pay monies up front, If they want weekly, fortnightly, monthly installments - get their signature against the money - keep your own record about the cost.
Depending where you live - you should be looking to pay £1300 - £1400 a square meter per floor.
Have fun
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