Services
Every client is different and their requirements can vary significantly, which is why we have developed carefully considered packages to suit our clients’ needs. We understand that for some, making structural changes to the biggest investment they have ever made can be daunting. Knowing where to start can be hard enough and can easily delay, if not put off, house development dreams. To help align your thoughts and to highlight some of the considerations you need to take into account, we have put some key points and explanations together.
Whether you are looking to do a loft conversion or extend a first, double or multi-storey building, or even both, there are a few points to consider:
Planning Permission
Planning permission isn’t always needed as it depends on what you want to do. With loft conversions for instance, it may be possible to do works under lawful development, providing you meet the criteria set out in the government legislation, introduced in October 2008. For your property to qualify it must be a house, be outside a conservation area and if it is a leasehold property, you must have held the lease for at least 7 years and have the freehold’s permission. When converting your loft under lawful development you must match the existing materials of the property and build within the volume quota relevant to the type of property in which you live. For example, Terrance = 40m3 Semi-detached = 50m3 Detached = 50m3.
The same applies for extensions, however, the lawful development regulations surrounding ground and first floor extensions are quite complex and tend to be very specific to your property but we can assist you with this.
Local Authority Permission
Whether you need planning permission or if lawful development is sufficient for your needs, an application will be needed either route you take, and Making Rooms can arrange all local authority permissions. This includes drawing up plans, submitting the relevant documentation and liaising with the council on your behalf to ensure your application is successful. The process takes approximately 8 weeks for the council to make a decision on your application.
Build Time
The time it takes to build your new space depends on the scope, specification and size of the space, and if you are doing a loft conversion, extension or both. As a rough guide, construction work is usually completed within 6-8 weeks for a loft conversion and within 8-10 weeks for an extension.
Guarantee
Making Rooms guarantees all workmanship and materials used by us for 10 years from the date of completion. However, plumbing and electrics are guaranteed for 2 years only. For more information and guidance, please see our full list of FAQ or please contact us.