House Extensions: 14 Things To Know Before You Start

By Author: Ali azam
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1. Living On Site Could hamper Progress

It is definitely possible to measure on site throughout a house extension, but apart from all the dust and mess, you'll find yourself slowing down progress because the builders plan to work around your life.

If you’re not prepared to measure with the disruption, then you ought to definitely consider trying to find temporary accommodation (short-term rental, hotel or staying with family or friends).

2. Connecting the Old and therefore the New

How well the extra space sits alongside the first property will undoubtedly affect the success of the project. While there are not any hard and fast rules, you'll got to make a choice on whether you would like your new house renovation to enrich or contrast with the most house.

3. Building Off-Site Could Save Time and Money

Off-site construction systems, including cross laminated timber (CLT), oak frame, structural insulated panels (SIPs) and timber frame, often work well on house extension projects. Because the name suggests, the bulk of labor happens during a factory off-site, and components are then delivered ...
... to site ready for erection.

4. Should I be the Project Manager?

“I would always maintain that the simplest person to oversee an extension that you simply are proposing to utilize and luxuriate in is yourself,” says project manager Bob Transcribe. “No one knows the space or the building better than you, and no-one features a greater level of interest in getting it right.”

Project managing any building project requires high levels of patience, organization, problem-solving and decision-making skills. If you don’t feel confident handling the issues related to a build site or have the time available, knowledgeable PM, main contractor or Package Company may be a must.

5. Community Infrastructure Levy May Apply

Before embarking on house extensions you ought to establish if you'll be susceptible to pay the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Some councils operate this scheme, and it’s applicable to extensions over 100m² in gross internal area (even if they're built under Permitted Development).

However, a self-builder’s relief can apply, as Jonathan Darnell of Milton Keynes Architectural, explains: “To enjoy the self-builder’s relief the applicant doesn't need to physically construct the extension themselves but they need to shall live at the property as their main residence for a minimum of three years from completion.

“It is advisable to see together with your local council to determine if any CIL charges are applicable and therefore the route to use and claim relief before you begin construction.”

6. Understanding the wall Act

Your neighbors cannot stop you from build¬ing up to, or maybe on, the boundary between your properties, albeit it requires access onto their land (providing you've got planning permission to try to do so, and there are not any restrictive covenants).

The wall Act etc. 1996 allows you to hold out work on, or up to, your neighbors’ land and buildings, formalizing the arrange¬ments while also protecting everyone’s inter-ests. This is often not a matter covered by planning or building control.

If your house extension involves building or digging foundations within 3m of the boundary, wall or wall struc¬ture, or digging foun¬dations within 6m of a boundary, the work would require you to suits the wall Act. In these cases you'll need a surveyor to act on your behalf. The act doesn't apply in Scotland.

7. Planning Rules in Conservation Areas

Permitted Development rights are restricted in Conservation Areas. Each agency has its own policy for areas like this, but generally the idea of the policy is to stop the loss of character of the world. So, if you’re brooding about a house extension, always contact your local conservation officer first.

8. Why you would like Site Insurance
when completing a house extension you would like to possess site insurance with an A-rated insurer to hide the prevailing structure and therefore the new works until you complete the project.

Even if your builder has insurance, it's important to see their documents because the majority have liability cover which can require you to prove fault within the event of a claim, which may mean a lengthy legal battles. This might also not cover any natural events claims, like fire, flood and storm damage.

If you're vacating the property during the build, you'll require site insurance or unoccupied buildings insurance which can usually be a minimum six month policy. Always contact your existing insurance provider to notify them of works before you begin.

9. Think about Privacy

Your glazing choice may have an impression on how private your house is and the way exposed you're to glances in from passersby and your neighbors.

One solution would be to think about your boundary treatments, which can got to be adapted to make sure privacy is maintained, while integral screens in your glazing provide privacy without spoiling your view.

10. You’ll need a Contingency Budget

A healthy contingency to hide any unexpected costs — the beginning of labor on an extension project can uncover problems with the prevailing house that require addressing, as an example.

We recommend a contingency of somewhere between 10-20%.

11. Protecting Trees

Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Albeit house extensions don’t require planning permission you can't alter or maybe prune a tree that features a TPO thereon without planning permission.

All trees within a Conservation Area are protected by legislation and effectively have a TPO on them providing they need a trunk of diameter greater than 75mm. Altering a tree that's protected by a TPO may be a criminal offence and may end in substantial fines so lookout if you're extending your home almost a protected tree.

12. You almost certainly can’t Claim VAT Relief

Most house extensions are going to be subject to VAT on labor and materials at the quality rate of 20%, especially if you employ a contractor to undertake the work. If you employ local trade¬smen who aren't VAT registered you'll save the 20% VAT on their labor, but you'll still need to pay VAT on materials at the quality rate.

Some extension projects are eligible for VAT relief, like work to listed buildings (zero rated), the conversion of an existing dwelling that changes the amount of units (reduced rate of 5%) and work to a building that has been unoccupied for a minimum of two years (reduced rate of 5%).

To benefit from VAT relief if you're extending a listed building or renovating an unoccupied home, you want to use a VAT-registered builder — you can't reclaim the VAT yourself.

13. Light Ingress must be managed

Though bringing more light into a house is often a desired outcome of an extension project, unmanaged light ingress can create problems related to solar gain.

Designers should remember of this when designing glazing features into an extension and mitigate for the solar gain to avoid things where, like poorly designed conservatories, the additional space is usable for less than a little a part of the year. Screen fabrics also can be wont to reduce glare and diffuse light.

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