What to Expect When Extending

If you are undertaking a home renovation and/or extension project for the first time, you might feel a little overwhelmed at the vast amount of information which is thrown your way. There are loads of companies out there. Different companies will have alternative services and processes. Most of the time these services will be named slightly differently despite being the very same thing. Some companies will say you need X Y and Z, and others will say you just need X.  

At Home Tales, we understand it can be difficult to start, due to all of this conflicting information. The process of home extensions is not simple. There are various components, trades and expertise you need at different stages. All of these need to work in unison to allow for an efficient process to run. We thought we would talk you through some of the most crucial elements of the process. 

Architectural design

The architectural design is a very existing part of your home extension journey! Generally, it will be the first stage of the process. Not much can happen until you have a design in place, and your design will dictate how the second stage goes (planning), which gives permission for the project to continue – so it’s safe to say the architectural design is an important place to start. If you go ahead with us for the Design Phase, we will send one of the Home Tales architectural team members out to your property to measure up in detail. This takes around 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the project. They will then sit down with you and discuss design options. If you have ideas, this is the time to tell us. They will also guide you and have lots of suggestions, so don’t worry if you aren’t sure at these early stages. Following the survey, they will send you floorplans which include existing and proposed designs. You will then have lots of back and forth to finalise on final design. 

Planning permission takes time

Your architectural designer will be working closely with our expert planning team during the design development phase of your project. This means we can build a design we feel will have a good chance at passing planning permission. 

Planning permission takes 8 weeks, but it’s important to note that your local council has no contractual obligations to meet this deadline. In most cases they are on-time with their decisions, and if they are delayed, we push to receive a decision as quickly as possible. If you are seeking approval via permitted development, you are still required to submit an application to your local council. This can also take up to 8 weeks for a decision but in most cases, it is a bit quicker than full planning. 

Structural calculations

We have a dedicated structural engineer who will create the structural calculations for your scheme. This is a hefty document that includes all of the structural details. This includes beam calculations, load amounts etc. Imagine a 40 – 100-page Ikea ‘put together’ guide. It’s kind of like that but much more complicated. Your builder will require this pack to guide them how to implement the structure within your extension. 

Building control approval

You need to appoint Building Control to oversee your build. In the first instance they will request all of your detailed drawings to review. This includes your floorplans and your structural calculations. Once works have commenced on-site, they will visit at various times throughout the building works to check (and approve) important aspects. At the end of your build they will issue you with a building control certificate. 

Building works 

Building works are loud and messy, and in general, it’s safe to say they are intrusive to your day to day life. It doesn’t last forever, and if you have efficient builders they will be out before you know it! Depending on your living circumstances and the project you are undertaking, it is possible to live in during the building works. 

Snagging period 

Once the bulk of the work is undertaken, you will enter a period called ‘snagging’. Once you move into the new part of the home, there are always things that crop up that will need addressing by your contractor. Sanding down some rough plasterboard, fixing a faulty plug socket, or securing some loose shelves – these are all the kinds of things you might expect to find on a snagging list. 

If you are thinking of undertaking a home renovation project but aren’t sure where to begin, get in touch with our team today on 0207 043 2378 or email us at hello@hometales.co.uk. We offer free home visits to discuss your project in more detail, and we would be happy to explain more about the process and answer any of those initial questions. 


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