Property tips to add value to your home

By Tom Derbyshire on April 8, 2008 3:57 PM |

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Property tips column

Providing additional space in your home requires special considerations. In some cases extra rooms in the roof may be an appropriate solution.

Otherwise you may consider a single or two-storey extension, or perhaps a straightforward garden room or conservatory would suffice.

Whichever you chose it could be a lot less costly and stressful than moving home.

When you’ve decided how to extend you will then need to seek professional advice from an architect, architectural technician, building surveyor or a builder.

Good builders who are members of professional organisations, such as the Federation of Master Builders or the National House Builders Council, will most certainly have their own design facility and be able to provide a complete design and build package.

Be sure you approach at least two or three builders in order to get a good spread of costs. But remember the quote that may appear to best suit your pocket may not be the one to choose. So weigh them all up carefully. And make sure you get to see examples of the builders’ work.

There’s nothing, of course, to prevent you from submitting your own drawings for planning approval providing they are straightforward and include all the relevant construction details including dimensions and materials.

Be aware, the local authority will expect your design to show the use of materials, windows, doors and exterior finishes, which are sympathetic to the local vernacular. You may find that your requirements do not need specific planning permission.

For instance, if you live in a non-terrace house outside a conservation area, you may be able to build a back extension at 15 per cent of the size of the original house without planning permission.

You should consult your house title deeds, too, or tenancy agreement, to establish whether or not your home can be altered.

In a conservation area you may need listed building consent but your local authority will explain how to make the relevant application. In every case, even a loft conversion, you will have to make sure the extension complies with the relevant parts of the Building Regulations, which cover work standards.

And, if relevant, you’ll need to abide by the Party Wall Agreement.

Wherever you are in the UK, if you have any doubts whatsoever about planning permission there is an organisation called Planning Aid (020 7613 4435), which provides free and independent advice, but it cannot draw up plans.