Excellent Advice For Making Improvements To Your Home

So here, produced with the advantage of over 25 years of continuing experience in the business of planning and taking care of home extensions, is the 10 Point Self-help guide to what you ought to know ahead of hiring a builder in Liverpool to build your new house extension:

1. 1 - What’s your budget?

This is probably probably the most basic questions - and it’s usually the first thing we need to ask our clients.

So before you decide to do anything (and preferably before you decide to call in your architect) sit back and decide precisely - or if you can’t be exact, think up a good idea - of how much you have to spend.

Don’t forget to add extras like your architect’s fees and the charges of your planning application when necessary. Also most architects and many builders will quote net of VAT, so don’t forget to add the 20% on if you need to.

Once you’ve given yourself a budget, stick to it - it’s too darn easy to let costs sneak in on that house extension.

1. 2 - What do you want to achieve with your home extension?

Are you trying to find a new dining area the entire family can enjoy, an added bedroom for a new arrival or a home business office?

What you want to use your extension for and what you wish to do in it will determine what type of alteration you make to your property.

1. 3 - How long will it take?

House extensions don’t transpire over night - and even obtaining planning permission and building regulations acceptance can often take months. #5 - Does your house extension mean you need an architect?

Significant plans for example attic room conversions or outside house extensions aren't basic DIY jobs, and we’ve seen them get it wrong too many times when even proficient DIYers have had a go themselves.

You will need the services of a specialist if you're planning on making important alterations to your property, and in fact part of the planning application may have to include plans created by a qualified architect and other specialists like structural engineers.

You'll want to consider the cost of an architect and, if neccessary, an engineer, in your overall budget.

1. 6 - Will your program impact on your neighbours?

This can be a especially critical concern, specifically if you are making key alterations to your home.

Do you share a party wall with your next door neighbours, and will your alterations perhaps damage their home?

Additionally there is the social component - your plans may perhaps impact on their lifestyle during the construction period, so it’s recommended that you keep your neighbours completely informed of your aims from the start.

1. 7 - Are you in a conservation area?

If your property is in a designated conservation area or is a listed building, there could be incredibly strict controls controlling what alterations you'll be able to and can't make.

You might not know if you’re in a conservation area, so check with your local council - or use your architect’s local expertise - for more details.

1. 8 - Up, down, or out to the side?

Where you place your house extension would be the next decision.