Information on Planning Permission

Planning Permission has always been a subject that has eluded many renovators (and designers) but even in London today, depending on what works you are planning, you may be surprised to find you will not need planning permission. Permitted Development (PD) rights entitle homeowners to make changes to their home without needing planning permission and include a number of renovations, including extensions. This is not to say you will never need planning permission for an extension (heavens no!) as there are a number of limitations and exceptions to the rule, for example, if you live in a Conservation area or a Listed building.

For listed buildings, all alterations (including internal ones) require consent. Depending on the size of your extension, you may require planning permission and listed buildings consent.

However, in general, planning permission will not be required for an extension as long as

• The extension will not exceed 50% of the total land area around the original house - this calculation should include sheds and other buildings.
• Single storey side extensions do not have a width greater than half the width of the original house
• Single storey side extensions do not exceed 4m in height
• Extensions within two metres of the boundary are built no higher than 3m
• Single storey rear extensions do not extend beyond the rear of the original house by more than 3m for an attached house, or 4m for a detached house
• Single storey rear extensions do not exceed 4m in height
• Exterior materials are similar in appearance to those of the existing house
• The roof pitch of extensions more than one storey should match that of the existing house

There are a number of other details that apply to extensions of more than one storey.

All extensions will require Building Regulations approval, which ensure that minimum design and construction standards are being met and cover things such as fire safety, insulation, drainage and access. Your interior designer or architect can help you submit a Full Plans Submission, or you can do this yourself. A building inspector will visit the site at various stages of the project. Alternatively, you can submit a Building Notice, giving the council 48 hours notice that you intend to start works. A building inspector will visit the site at various stages during the project and you will need to be prepared to correct work that does not meet the regulations.

For more information on Permitted Development, visit www.planningportal.gov.uk.

Reference:

Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine

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Estimating Build Costs

Estimating the cost of your renovation is a fundamental part of the planning process but can be very difficult, as there are always a number of factors so prices are very project-specific.
Factors include the size of your house, the level of your own involvement, location, materials and then the specific list of works that need to be done. Using these factors, one can start to formulate rough build costs.

In order to get started when estimating build costs, there are a number of sources for advice. Firstly, we recommend picking up a copy of Homebuilding and Renovating - they post a table of costs in every issue that estimates the build cost of your project based on location, square metres and the type of builders involved (DIY, subbies, main contractor etc). The table is based on information supplied by the Build Cost Information Service (part of RICS). Of course this is just a rough estimate but it is at least a starting point. For example, using this table for a project in Greater London of around 75-80sqm, the table estimates the following figures:

Main Contractor: £115,000

Builder and subbies:£110,000

Subbies: £105,000

DIY+Subbies: £85,000

Of course, the table does not outline what works are included but it is based on a full refurbishment or average sized extension.

Homebuilding and Renovating also provides two other, more detailed ways to estimate costs. The first is the My Building Project Estimating Service (www.mybuildingproject.co.uk), a full analysis of your costs based on specific plans. Prices start at £199. There is also an online Build Cost Calculator at www.homebuilding.co.uk/buildocosts which can be used for free advice.

For more detailed information, refer to this Article.

Of course the best way to get an estimate would be to submit the same Schedule of Works to a number of builders or contractors to see the range of prices that professionals would offer - however, this is very difficult to estimate until the Schedule of Works is quite specific. Many clients ask us what we think the cost of their renovation will be - it's one of the first questions asked and obviously of high importance but it puts us in a difficult situation where we can normally only offer a range estimate or show a case study of a previous, similar project. We advise our clients to view as many case studies as possible and to keep in mind a budget when entering this stage, as ultimately it's the Client's budget that defines the Schedule of Works. Unless you are planning on going the DIY route, it's always advisable to work with at least one professional, such as an interior designer, architect or surveyor - your interior designer or architect can guide you through the entire process and make sure you know the costs clearly - often, people overlook costs that would be spotted by professionals and costs rise above the expected. Check with your designer, but often designers pass on their trade discount to their clients and the savings accumulated more than make up for the designer's fees! Not to forget that your project will also be designed and dealt with by professionals who take the stress of budgeting and managing off your shoulders. 

If you are planning a renovation, we suggest you get in touch with us for a site survey and brief discussion on your building requirements so that we can give you a free cost estimate.

Resources: Homebuilding and Renovating

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