FAQ’s

A major red flag should be if the contractor requests large amounts of money upfront. While a deposit is fine, the majority of the funds shouldn’t be released until the work has been assessed. Before hiring be sure to have a payment plan in place.

Do you know a friend or family member who lives in your area, or a neighbour whose recent building project has left you seriously impressed? Ask them for the details of their builder. Using a recommended builder from a trusted source is one of the best ways to begin your search.

The best sign of a good builder is how long they have been trading for. Of 100 start-ups, 80 will go out of business within 5 years! Of the remaining 20 companies, 16 will go bust before the company reaches 10 years old. That equates to just 4% of builders going the distance.

A loft conversion typically costs between £21,000 – £44,000. You could pay up to £63,000 if you want a particularly large extension.

For most loft conversions, planning permission is not required. That’s because they generally fall under your permitted development rights. That said, you will need to get planning permission if your plans exceed certain limits and conditions, such as extending or altering the roof space beyond its current limits.

A fairly basic single-storey addition that’s fully integrated into the main house might begin at around £1,500 per m2. You can expect this to rise to well over £2,500 per m2 for a high-end design.

You can extend up to four metres at the rear of a detached home, or three metres behind a semi or a terrace house. However, the extension must not take up more than half of the outside space and the materials used need to be in keeping with the original house