Extensions

Thinking of Extending your Home?

Extending your home is becoming an increasingly popular choice with homeowners who are looking for more space.  They can take many forms and can be used for any purpose that the client wishes, from a porch or conservatory to a complex extension used for mutiple purposes - kitchen, dining & entertaining.

Having an extension built on your house is generally an exciting project but we appreciate that it can also be a daunting process. We can be involved as early or as late in your project as suits and offer the following elements to help make the process as pain-free an experience for you as possible. Note that not all of these are required for every situation.

• Instructing and liaising with architect
• Instructing and liaising with structural engineers
• Submitting plans to your local council
• Gaining planning approval 
• Applying for and obtaining building regs
• Carrying out the works approved
• Handover

Then comes the exciting bit when you start to use your newly created space/s

Listed below are a few ideas to help you decide which type of extension would best suit your needs, have a browse remembering to take into consideration both your budget and availability of space.

Porches

Porches are typically small extensions to the front of a house, although they can be much larger and can be built to the side or to the rear. They are generally simple structures of only brick dwarf walls and columns, windows and a door. They can be plastered or left as bare brick and generally have a light and possibly an electric socket.  Have a look at our previous porch works.

Most porches do not require planning permission due to their size, although some do, and it is best to check. As long as the porch is separated from the house by an internal door, and it is not heated, then it will not require building regulations certification. If you have electrics in it however, you must either use a registered electrician or have the job inspected by the building control department and pay their fee. Again, we can handle all of this for you.

Conservatories / Orangeries

Fairly simple structures are usually made of UPVC, although they can be timber or aluminum. Some conservatories require planning permission and some do not. Rules that apply are similar to porches so it is always advisable to check the rulings with your local council.

An orangery, or sunroom, is essentially a conservatory with a solid roof and walls – albeit with plenty of glazing as well. They have the advantage of being sturdy and warm, while also bringing in a lot of sunlight. Rules for orangeries are very similar to that of conservatories for Planning Permission. Building control permission will almost certainly be required.

Single-Storey Extensions

Single-storey extensions are simply an extension built onto a part of the house whereby one side (or more) of the extension adjoins the property.

Main considerations here must be the size of the extension and its impact upon neighbours, how the roof will work with the existing building and specifically whether the same type of roof covering of the existing property can be used on the extension. Positions of flues, drains and excavations must all be considered. In some instances planning permission will not be required for single storey extensions. Building control permission will almost certainly be required.

Multi-storey Extensions

These can, like a single-storey extension, also be built to any part of the existing building. However, with an extension of more than one storey, the possibility of nuisance towards neighbours is much stronger. In some instances it may be possible to build what you want without requiring planning permission, but as always better to check and we would advise that you get a letter from the Planning Department to cover this.

Along with the above, there are others which may suit you more such as over garage extensions, lofts & basements, garage conversions oh and of cause the possibility of erecting additional buildings in your garden (see our log cabin build - very versatile)