Do I Need Permission/?

The short answer is yes; at the very minimum, you will need to get building control approval so you can’t build entirely without permission. However, it could be very straightforward to obtain and does not need to delay you getting started (see below). The other main approvals to consider are:

• planning

• freeholder consent

• party wall award

• covenants in the title to your property which may mean you will require someone else’s agreement

Planning Permission / Permitted Development for an Extension

You could build an extension or conversionwithout permission if your proposal falls within the permitted development guidelines. But first there are restrictions to consider:

• Be aware that flats and maisonettes do not have permitted development rights, so you won’t be able to build your extension without permission.
• You may have restricted or no permitted development rights if you are in a conservation area, National Park, AONB or World Heritage Site.
• There are restrictions on position, size and materials when building an extension under permitted development.

If you want to be certain that your proposal falls within permitted development guidelines, you can apply for a certificate of lawful development. This may come in useful when you come to sell your property, to show the buyer or buyer’s mortgage lender that your construction without planning permission was legal.

Building Control Approval

This one is a big yes; you will need building control approval for your home extension, conversion or refurbishment.

There are certain standards, set out by government, that all building projects must follow. There are a set of documents called ‘Approved Documents’ that act as a guide to achieving these standards.

There are three options on getting approval for your home project:

1. A ‘building notice’ is where you/your builder gives notice to the council that works are about to start. This makes things much quicker, but there is more of a risk that you will be asked to change aspects of the design as you go. Also, there is less scope for appealing their decisions. However, this route could be suitable for a simple house extension/.

2. A ‘full plans’ application to the council means that you submit plans and details for approval before work starts. This information is usually much more detailed than a set of planning drawings. Once submitted, the decision takes a minimum of five weeks. Once work starts on site, regular inspections will be made.

3. Using an ‘approved inspector’. An approved inspector is a private individual or organisation employed by you to ensure that your project complies with the building regulations. They will check and inspect the work instead of the local council.

Do You Share a Wall Or Fence With a Neighbour?

Or even if you plan to excavate some ground near a neighbour’s property, you may need to have a Party Wall Award in place before starting work. You are legally obliged to give your neighbour 1-2 months’ notice (depending on what the works involve). If you’re unsure whether the Party Wall etc. Act applies to you, have a look at Party Wall Matters or give us a call on 01342 833448

If you wish to discuss the approval process in more detail, or for further information on any of our professional services please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We can be reached on 01342 833448 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively, you can complete the enquiry form below and we will contact you immediately.

Home extensions, conversions and refurbishments are three methods to increase the size and value of your property. We can help you add much needed space through the use of single or multi-storey extensions, loft conversions, garage conversions or managed refurbishments.

We offer a complete service of design, planning and specification, all for a fixed cost with no hidden extras. We can tell you the likelihood of obtaining planning permission, or even if permission is required; as it often isn’t even needed.

What is always required for all the plans we do, is Building Control Approval, often referred to as ‘building regs’. This is included in all our plans, a full specification including cross sections, construction detail in the plans and structural calculations, are all supplied with every Building Control drawing. This enables contractors to give a fixed cost for the building work, not estimates of the cost. It also means that these technical designs are all ready to form the first part of a technical specification, a key component with our Project Management services.

Single Storey Extensions

There are many uses for a single storey extension to your house, these can be: A kitchen extension, a study, a playroom, an extra bedroom or a utility room, to give just a few examples.

It can be located on the front of the house, this is often a front room or lounge extension. It can be a side extension, a popular choice for this is a study, a WC, a utility room and an extension of the kitchen. Rear extensions are nearly always for a new kitchen/diner overlooking the garden, this type of extension often incorporates converting the existing kitchen into a utility room and WC. These are just a few ideas of what can be done, there are many more.

Multi-Storey Extensions

Typically an extra bedroom, or bedrooms, are the main goal for a two storey extension, although this isn’t always the case. Sometimes making an existing bedroom, or bedrooms larger, is enough to make the plans viable. Side extensions gain extra bedrooms very easily, usually a master bedroom with an en-suite, or two bedrooms with a shower room. Rear and front extensions are difficult to gain extra bedrooms on, making existing bedrooms bigger is always achievable. The ground floor can have many uses, from extending the kitchen, always popular, to adding a WC, utility room and an extra reception room or study. These are all options which we are happy to discuss with you.

Loft Conversions

Loft conversions are a cost-effective way to increase the size and value of your property without affecting the footprint. The loft room itself can be used for a variety of purposes, typically these are a large master bedroom with an en-suite, or two bedrooms with a separate shower room. There are variations on this, such as having a cupboard on the landing, a Juliet balcony and a storage area in the eaves of the roof space.

Garage Conversions

Most garage conversions are exempt from Planning Permission, but will require a Building Regulation approval.

A recent study by the Halifax Building Society stated "The cost of converting a standard garage is around £8,000, with a value gain on the property of around £10,000 - £15,000"

Give us a call today on 01342 833448 and we can start discussing your vision

Understanding a new build and stamping your individuality on all aspects of design is not an easy task. We are experts in our flied, and can develop bespoke homes for our clents, with an outstanding record of securing planning applications throughout London & the South East.

When building your own home from scratch, it’s paramount to develop sympathetic and trusting working relationships with our clients. In order to be able to share your vision, we really need to understand want you want to achieve. Whether you are a self-builder looking to build a single private house on your land or a well-established property developer looking to build multiple dwelling houses, we are here to help…

Specialists in 3D Computer Aided Design we can produce highly detailed models with associates plans, elevations, sections & detail views. Once the model is created this is rendered to photo-quality finish and can be placed in a photographic background to provide a very accurate representation of the final build. This feature is incredibly helpful when submitting planning applications, as it allows the Local Authority to view the final product and not just interpret plans and elevations.

Give us a call today on 01342 833448 and we can start discussing your vision