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Whether you are undertaking a house extension in Chelsea, or a basement conversion in Kensington or a general home modernisation project in London, budget is likely to play a crucial part in your decision making process.
This article in Houzz gives some practical suggestions and top tips on some smart ways of keeping the lid on when it comes to budget, for example, your kitchen worktop. Learn some truly innovative ways of staying on top of your budget when doing a home renovation project.
If you’d like some more detailed guidance and costs on your home extension project, give us a call on 02081917595. Or better still, book a FREE consultation with us and we’ll visit your property, discuss your ideas and share some of our recommendations with no obligation.
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With 2019 coming to an end and the start of a new decade, it only seems right to reflect back and see what’s worked and what’s not in the world of home renovation and refurbishment. We’ve worked on several projects over the years and we’ve learned a few things that could help make the home renovation project just a little easier.
If you are planning a big project whether it’s an extension, loft conversion or basement conversion, some handy do’s and don’ts might just be what you need to keep you on track and sane [Symbol] and happy with the end result.
Before we start, we’d like to stress that there is no substitute for researching, planning and being organised. It’s the most important “do” when you set out on a home renovation project. And to help you with that, we’ve created this practical, customisable checklist. It’s essentially a detailed project management spreadsheet so that you can, at all times, stay completely on top of your project.
Let’s get down to real do’s and don’ts…
Do…
- make sure you appoint an experienced builder, especially one who has worked in your local area. A building company that’s worked in the local area, will know what to expect with regards to planning requirements.
- move out of the house if you can… it will make life much easier for your builder. We’ve worked with many clients who’ve chosen to live on the premises during the build. And that’s ok especially if it’s not a complete home renovation project. But it does make it difficult for both the building team and you to have to work around it and could delay the project.
- consider your privacy — the glazing choice may have an impact on how private your home is and how exposed you are to glances in from passers–by and your neighbours.
- make decisions quickly and decisively. We’re not suggesting that you rush into making choices. All we’re saying is take decisions in a timely manner so that the project doesn’t get delayed.
- make sure the designer of your extension knows all about and allows for movement joints. With the generally dryer climate we have been experiencing in recent years buildings have been tending to move more.
- understand the effect that removing trees or roots will have on your ground conditions.
Don’t
- keep changing your mind… It’s very hard as builders when clients change their mind mid-build. Not only does it delay things, but it can dramatically increase your cost.
- necessarily choose the builder or building company with the lowest quote. It’s better to choose someone whose work you’ve seen or one that’s been given a good reference by someone you know.
- add too many bedrooms and not enough bathrooms. A good rule of thumb is one bathroom for every two bedrooms, with an en-suite for every guest bedroom.
- forget about building control. Before any works begin, you will need to submit either a building notice or a full plans application to building control.
- get ahead of your budget… Be disciplined with your choices and be aware of what you can and cannot afford and where you are willing to cut costs. For example, you may have to choose between a thicker worktop or an expensive appliance in your new kitchen.
- get carried away by the latest trends, especially if this is a big project like an extension, conversion and any big project. Trends fade over time… opt for things you actually like.
- worry too much about the weather. As long as we don’t have too many snow days, we can work around the rain and cold. We have to. This is England [Symbol].
There are plenty of more do’s and don’ts we can share with you. But we don’t want to overwhelm you. We’d rather you give us a call and let us work with you to get your project off the ground and completed in time and within budget.
We have been working in the West London area for several years and are well-versed with the different types of home renovation projects across the city. Give us a call [Symbol] if you’d like to discuss your plans. We can be contacted on 0208 191 7595 or email us at enquiries@sdabuildlondon.co.uk to discuss how we can help.
To have a look at the kind of work we have done, why not download our free brochure? And if you need any help with managing your building project, our free project management checklist has been hugely popular.
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We love some of the articles in Houzz…they’re interesting, practical and relatable, like this one on the ‘side effects’ of a home renovation project.
“Living through major building works isn’t easy. Even if you’ve planned every last detail, the reality of having builders and decorators in your home for months on end can drive anyone slightly mad. Here, then, are the unofficial side effects of going through a renovation project – and some tips on how to come out the other side with your sanity, relationships and bank balance intact….
Read the rest of the article here…
If you’d like some guidance on your home improvement project, give us a call on 02081917595. Or better still, book a FREE consultation with us and we’ll visit your property, discuss your ideas and share some of our recommendations with no obligation.
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We’ve talked extensively in our blogs on home extensions in London, whether it’s calculating extension costs, planning permission, permitted development, party wall, side extensions and rear extensions. It’s all there in our blog pages.
We thought we’d share some pearls of wisdom, through our years of experience in the building industry, on the little things not usually discussed, but are ‘need to knows.’
Here goes:
- Timing: Make sure you know the lead times of everything that you order. Usually lead times for kitchens are about 8-12 weeks and for glass sliding doors and windows, it’s about 9 weeks. Place your orders in time so your builders are not wasting time waiting around for your kitchen or doors and windows to be delivered. This will add to your cost and of course delay the completion of the project.
- You can get private building inspectors. And most of them are reputable and trustworthy. But some can be dubious, especially if they are looking to ‘finish the job.’ The safest option is to use the building regulations services of your council. You can be sure that they will only approve things done by the book. You don’t want a pass certificate for things that haven’t met UK building regulation standards.
- Make sure your builders have specialists in their team – certified electricians, plumbers, technology experts and lighting engineers – so that you get expert advice for all these aspects of your home. You will need gas and electric certificates at the end of your build, and these are provided by certified electricians and plumbers. Beware of the ‘generalist’ builder who says he can do it all. You might save some money, but you will have compromised on quality. Also, remember that no professional electrician or plumber will certify someone else’s work.
- Get your neighbours on side. Having difficult neighbours can be extremely stressful. We suggest you invite them over for a cup of tea before you begin your extension, discuss your plans and get them on board. If, however, they still choose to object, don’t lose heart. They will have to raise a material planning objection and submit this to the local authority. It will fall to the case officer at the local planning authority to weigh up the objections, decide whether there are material considerations and determine if the proposals are acceptable.
- Consider your neighbours ‘right to light.’ This is different from what the planning application considers and is a civil matter, separate from daylight and sunlight as considered by Local Planning Authorities. In England and Wales a right to light is usually acquired under the Prescription Act 1832. Under the Act a right to light usually occurs once light has been enjoyed through defined apertures of a building for an uninterrupted period of 20 years. An infringement may give the neighbouring owner the right to seek an injunction to have the proposed development reduced in size. If the loss of light is small and can be adequately compensated by money, a court may decide to award compensation instead of an injunction. You will need to hire a right to light surveyor to determine if you are breaching your neighbours legal right to light.
- Try and purchase products that have good warranties e.g. windows, kitchen appliances, flooring and others. If something is going to go wrong, chances are they will falter in the first two years after the extension project. You may need to replace things and if you’ve purchased goods with a warranty, it will make your life much easier and stress-free.
Do share some of your ‘must knows’ for a home extension project based on your experiences. I’m sure our readers would love to know.
We have been working in the West London area for several years and are well-versed with the different types of house extensions across the city. Give us a call if you’d like to discuss your extension plans. We can be contacted on 0208 191 7595 or email us at enquiries@sdabuildlondon.co.uk to discuss how we can help.
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Building a rear extension to a property in London will not only create a space you’ve always dreamed of, perhaps a kitchen/diner, a living room, a home office or even a games room, but will also add value to your home.
According to Homes & Property, a house extension in London with a medium-sized extension of 25 square metres is currently estimated to add an average of £59,000 to the property price. Of course, this is only a guide. The actual value-add will depend on a number of factors including size of extension, quality of construction, use of the extension and the decor and the location of the property.
You could have a single storey or a double storey rear extension, depending on space and budget.
We thought we’d share some of our “things to consider” when you are planning to build a house extension in London.
- Research – we cannot stress the importance of doing your research. Visit kitchen companies, flooring companies, window companies, furniture shops, lighting shops and discover what’s available. Find out what you like and dislike, discuss costs and zero down on your budget. (remember to keep a 10% buffer). From our (builder’s) perspective find out delivery lead times. We recommend starting your research six months before your project actually starts.
- Architect – Appoint a professional architect; one who knows the requirements of your local council. This is one of the most crucial steps in your building project. It is your architect who will draw up the plans that will need to be submitted to the council for planning permission. It’s also your architect that will draw up structural drawings for your builder and building regulations.
Why not download our FREE Guide to The Top London Residential Architects 2019.
- Make sure you have your neighbours on side. Unless you live on a property out in the countryside with no neighbours around, you will have to get your immediate neighbours to ‘not object.’ When your plans are submitted to the council, the council will send out letters to your immediate neighbours asking if they have any objections to your building work. If they do object, this can draw out the process of getting planning permission.
So, we suggest discussing your plans with your neighbours before you submit your planning application to understand whether they have any concerns, reassure them that you do not intend to build a ugly structure that would impact their light and that your builders will be mindful of noise and disruption.
- You may need a Party Wall Agreement. Depending on the how far your wall is from your neighbours and how deep your foundation needs to be (this will be determined by the building inspectors), you may need a party wall agreement with your neighbour. A party wall is the shared wall, usually between a terrace or semi-detached house, and divides the homes of two separate owners. Find out if you need one here.
- Planning Permission- If you are building a double storey extension you will need planning permission. If, on the other hand, you are building a single storey extension, you come under permitted development, provided all the criteria are met. Find out if your project falls under permitted development rights here.
- Do you need to move out? Depending on the scope of your extension, you may need to move out of the property. If it’s a complete home renovation project, make sure you are prepared to be out of the property for a year. You will need to budget the cost of rent for that period if you are not staying with family or friends. If, on the other hand, you are doing a single storey extension and are planning to live in the property during the building work, make sure you give the builders an empty space to work in. You will save time and money if the builders are not delayed by having to work around your existing furniture. It might be a good idea to store your household items at a secure storage facility whilst the work is being done. You will need to budget storage costs.
- Decisions, decisions, decisions… You will have to make innumerable decisions. From something as small as colour of electrical switches to bigger ones like whether you want a mega flow installed or a combi boiler. To avoid delay, make your decisions as early on in the process as possible, especially if you are (like many of our clients are) someone who likes to take their time. Place orders for kitchens and windows at the right time as these are items that have a long lead time (12-14 weeks). You don’t want your work to be delayed because you did not place your order in time.
- To manage costs, lead times and purchases, we recommend that you keep a record of your project via a checklist. Download our FREE renovation checklist; a handy spreadsheet that will help keep you on top of your project.
- Last but not least… patience. A house extension project is not for the faint-hearted. Whilst experienced builders like ourselves can make your project as smooth as possible, you will need to arm yourself with patience, resilience and the ability to smile through unexpected situation e.g. deliveries being delayed, an underground pipe that you did not expect or a difficult neighbour.
But… after all that, imagine how you will feel when you have the home of your dreams; exactly the way you have always wanted it in terms of space, décor and ambience.
As an experienced building company, we have seen it all. The highs and the lows of a building project. But what we like to focus on is the look of delight on our client’s faces when they walk into their newly refurbished property. It’s what inspires us and makes what we do worth every second of stress.
SDA Build London have been working in the West London area for several years and are well-versed with all things “extension” Give us a call [Symbol] if you if you need to discuss your home extension plans. We can be contacted on 0208 191 7595 or email us at enquiries@sdabuildlondon.co.uk to discuss how we can help.
