Extending House, Please Explain....

[Ffermer Bach]

Under Permitted Development or Full Planning?

I just remember a builder telling me, about the trouble he had extending his house (near Llanilar) as he wanted to alter it when he bought it, but found out it had already been extended in the past.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

I just remember a builder telling me, about the trouble he had extending his house (near Llanilar) as he wanted to alter it when he bought it, but found out it had already been extended in the past.

Wales is slightly different to England when it comes to Permitted Development but when it comes to full planning every council has its own policies. I don't believe that Ceredigion have a firm percentage increase but they don't like extensions where the character and mass of the original house is lost behind multiple extensions.
A general rule of thumb for rural properties is extensions should not exceed more than 50% volume increase from the original dwelling unless special circumstances prevail.

 

[teslacoils]

I made a model. Planning unlikely to be an issue. This will not be permitted development due to size. I've drawn a plan, and built a model.

I'd agree with the views on structural engineer Vs architect. My house will never be pretty, but I'd expect the architect to add the flourishes to make it interesting.

It won't be £2k per square meter. Complete houses are cheaper than that round here. There will be no kitchens or other money pits. Maybe one small en suite. I expect we will do a fair bit ourselves.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

I made a model. Planning unlikely to be an issue. This will not be permitted development due to size. I've drawn a plan, and built a model.

I'd agree with the views on structural engineer Vs architect. My house will never be pretty, but I'd expect the architect to add the flourishes to make it interesting.

It won't be £2k per square meter. Complete houses are cheaper than that round here. There will be no kitchens or other money pits. Maybe one small en suite. I expect we will do a fair bit ourselves.

Builders are now charging a premium for extensions. One we know well ballparks £1800-£2000 per sqm for new builds but £2200-£2500 for extensions because he knows that there will be a lot of micromanaging or changing of minds from the client and/or unseen complexities when tying in the extension to the main house

 

[bobk]

Builders are now charging a premium for extensions. One we know well ballparks £1800-£2000 per sqm for new builds but £2200-£2500 for extensions because he knows that there will be a lot of micromanaging or changing of minds from the client and/or unseen complexities when tying in the extension to the main house

My eldest lad started with a builder ,
He had 4 prices , 30k 50k 70k, or not bothered

 

[George from SJM Planning]

My eldest lad started with a builder ,
He had 4 prices , 30k 50k 70k, or not bothered

We have stopped advising clients on costs of builds as it really seems a minefield. It is starting to become more affordable for clients to use a QS to oversee the project and costs even for smaller builds as it will save them money in the long run.

 

[teslacoils]

Having watched two builders on day rates lay 300 bricks in three days (I delivered everything to site ready for them) I can honestly say a lazier group of folk cannot be found outside the House of Commons.

 

[Hampton]

....what to do first.

Get builder round, get architect rung up, have chat with structural engineer?

Or book them all for the same day, tell them what I want, get them to sort out what I can have while making it pretty?

Every story I've ever heard about builders is an itinerary of their bullshittery.

Have been through all this.
Their is absolutely no point getting a builder round (unless it’s a mate) without proper drawn up plans and structural engineers report. It just takes all the mess out and they know what to quote on.
Ours was such a big project that no one took us seriously without them.

 

[Hampton]

Oh, and architects are largely bullsh!tters. They will have a website full of all these amazing projects, but basically all they want to do is put a white flat roofed box on the side of your house and charge you ten grand for it!

 

[br jones]

aren't you allowed a percentage of increase in house size with little or no argument?

here its 30%

 

[George from SJM Planning]

here its 30%

Which local authority is that?

 

[Hampton]

Having watched two builders on day rates lay 300 bricks in three days (I delivered everything to site ready for them) I can honestly say a lazier group of folk cannot be found outside the House of Commons.

Haha, local builder laid 28 breeze blocks on a place of mine when I was busy one day. I “helped” him the day after and he laid 248!

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Oh, and architects are largely bullsh!tters. They will have a website full of all these amazing projects, but basically all they want to do is put a white flat roofed box on the side of your house and charge you ten grand for it!

Also be careful - you can only call yourself an architect if you have a degree in architecture and are registered with ARB.
There are a lot of designers out there calling themselves architects without the correct qualifications and insurance.

 

[br jones]

Which local authority is that?

monmouthshire ,quite hot on it ,but the wind may change and something else will come along

 

[Hampton]

Also be careful - you can only call yourself an architect if you have a degree in architecture and are registered with ARB.
There are a lot of designers out there calling themselves architects without the correct qualifications and insurance.

True, the ones I used were “award winning” architects from Shrewsbury!
I’d certainly like to give them an award! An award for sh!thousery

 

[George from SJM Planning]

True, the ones I used were “award winning” architects from Shrewsbury!
I’d certainly like to give them an award! An award for sh!thousery

We have our own in house designers (not architects) and retained Structural Engineer and we can handle most projects in house with all the correct PL & PI's in place. It infuriates me when there are back bedroom 'architects' trying to be planners as well.

 

[bobk]

Having watched two builders on day rates lay 300 bricks in three days (I delivered everything to site ready for them) I can honestly say a lazier group of folk cannot be found outside the House of Commons.

Pay them by the brick then

 

[mo!]

Architect first, give them a detailed list of what you do and don't want, in writing. Then tell them that the budget is 25% less than it is.

 

[bobk]

True, the ones I used were “award winning” architects from Shrewsbury!
I’d certainly like to give them an award! An award for sh!thousery

Nothing award winning in Soosbory

 

[Hampton]

We have our own in house designers (not architects) and retained Structural Engineer and we can handle most projects in house with all the correct PL & PI's in place. It infuriates me when there are back bedroom 'architects' trying to be planners as well.

Agree. Not sure where you guys are based, but I think local to us, Berry’s are amongst the best