Mar 15, 2024 | Construction
Extending your home by constructing a bright, airy, modern extension can be a fantastic opportunity to add value to your property, incorporate additional space to accommodate a growing family, or replace the small, dark kitchens typical of a Victorian home or period property.
Homeowners increasingly look for ways to build a rear extension or construct upwards with a two-storey addition in favour of moving – since revitalising and improving your current home is often significantly more affordable.
Let the construction experts at Pinnacle Works explain how modern extension construction works, and share some ideas and inspiration to breathe fresh life into your home and include subtle design details that embrace the style of your property whilst feeling contemporary.
Understanding Modern Extensions
While most homeowners think of sliding glass doors, ultra-modern brushed concrete, and open-plan living when they consider a modern extension, the reality is that your house extension is entirely up to your preferences, tastes, and the way you live in your home.
The differentiating factor between a conventional and a modern extension is the way your additional space is designed, often including:
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- Locally sourced, eco-friendly materials that offer superb performance – think next-gen insulation and glazing, underfloor heating and long-lasting, toxin-free paints.
- Excellent energy conservation, with heat retention, solar panelling, low-carbon appliances, and central heating a key priority for many.
- Extension designs that mimic the style of a period home yet use more efficient techniques to achieve the same aesthetic; particularly important in conservation areas where the local authority will only grant planning permission for an extension that retains the look of the original structure.
Contemporary extensions might include a larger dining space, adding French doors that open into your garden, a beautiful kitchen/diner with a sleek glass link corridor, or a rear extension with plenty of glazing to flood the room with natural light – but the design principles and focus on durable materials are fundamental.
Planning Your Modern Extension
We often consult with homeowners with great initial extension ideas, whether you’re keen on building classic bay windows to make the most of panoramic views, want to use charred timber cladding on the exterior of your rear façade or have your heart set on an elegant, covered balcony to create a focal point on a two-storey extension to revamp your family home.
The design process itself should be approached methodically, with assistance from a capable team of contractors with plenty of experience completing contemporary extensions. The steps may include:
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- Putting together your main deliverables and design ideas, considering how you’d like your new modern extension to work with your existing property.
- Defining your budget, and collating estimates and quotations to ensure you have full knowledge of the total anticipated pricing – including the installation cost for a new kitchen, bathroom or other appliances.
- Reviewing your extension plans to ensure they are viable and structurally achievable and then submitting technical drawings to the local authority planning permission department.
Collaborating with a knowledgeable construction team, alongside architects and designers with ample expertise in modern extension design, is essential – we can suggest materials, shapes, structures and approaches to achieve your planned contemporary extension while remaining within budget and adherent to local planning limitations.
Popular Types of Modern Extensions
One of the primary objectives when designing a modern extension is to ensure it will work well with the current property – whether as a contrasting extension with bright, white walls to lighten a dark brick exterior or in keeping with the original structure.
You might, for instance, inject the wow factor into a two-storey addition by using alternatively coloured grouting or render, match the colour and style of brickwork with the existing house, or go for a completely different material – from an extended dining space with an extensive glass roof to a rear extension that looks as if it has always been there.
Glass extensions and orangeries remain hugely popular, as modern, well-insulated garden rooms that extend the sense of bringing the outdoors in. Other high-demand modern extensions include loft conversions, making better use of your upper storeys, or creating a side return extension around a semi-detached house to utilise empty space to extend your living areas.
Each extension project will differ, and we’d always suggest getting in touch to ensure your chosen extension design will work with the layout of your property and budget.
The most common snags include a lack of contingency planning, under-budgeting for variable costs, and making assumptions about the underlying structure of older period properties. Putting sufficient time and detail into the planning process is a great way to ensure your build runs on time and budget and meets your expectations.
Why Choose Pinnacle Works for Your Modern Extension?
Constructing a modern extension necessarily takes time, and it’s paramount you discuss time frames before work begins – acknowledging that high-quality work may be completed efficiently, but a contemporary extension build shouldn’t be rushed. Cut corners inevitably cost more later on, and don’t deliver the same impact.
Pinnacle Works is a full-service contractor with teams of multi-skilled professionals, allowing us to project manage complete extension design and builds in-house. From initial consultation through to the final snagging list, we focus on quality and communication as a family-run business with over 25 years of expertise.
We can steer you through your extension build, handling every aspect from planning permission applications, recommending locally sourced materials and brickwork for consistency, creating technical specifications and drawings, and helping you make decisions about how your completed modern extension will look, feel and flow.
Our commitment to exacting standards is borne out by our countless five-star customer reviews, and we welcome you to access independent testimonials to see how our previous valued clients feel about our services. The Pinnacle Works project gallery is also a great resource, showing you how other contemporary extensions look and providing stimulus for your own extension design.
Please get in touch at any time to discuss your extension plans, arrange a site visit, or drop into our Chichester head office for a chat about the type of extension you’d like to achieve and any concerns or complexities in terms of planning consent or budget, and we’ll get to work.
Nov 29, 2023 | Construction
Building regulations and planning permission are often misunderstood – but both are essential for any loft conversion project, ensuring your loft space has been approved before construction and that the build and design comply with all the local authority requirements.
In short, building regulations cover the health and safety aspects of a loft conversion and relate to factors such as energy efficiency, fire safety and the technical structure of a building. In contrast, planning permission may depend on the aesthetic and style of your home and whether converting the loft would impact your neighbours.
Today, we’re focusing on building control and will explain the basic rules to ensure your planned loft conversion meets all the essential criteria.
What Are the UK Building Regulations for Loft Conversions?
The first aspect to clarify is that when you work with an experienced, highly qualified contractor, we can advise on loft conversion building regulations and provide support with creating designs, structural specifications and construction plans.
We also ensure that the assigned local building control inspector who visits the site to evaluate the work has all the information they need to approve the conversion.
While homeowners should understand building regulations and why these might impact their design ideas, we wouldn’t necessarily expect every client to have an in-depth grasp of every nuance. However, as a guideline, we’ve run through some of the primary requirements below to give you an idea about the areas covered.
Essential Design Elements of a Loft Conversion for Building Regulations
Some properties are better suited to a loft conversion than others, with these projects often ideal for semi-detached houses and terraced houses where there isn’t space to extend outwards.
You’ll need to ensure your conversion has a head height of 2.2 metres as a minimum within the usable space – although more generous space is recommended. It’s worth looking at the angle of your roof structure, with a steeper roof providing more capacity to introduce habitable space.
Next, you’ll need to look at any alterations where you have a water tank or other components of your central heating system installed in your loft. These will need to be disconnected and relocated before any conversion work can begin.
Loft conversions within terraced houses that are likely to impact a neighbour may require a party wall surveyor before you think about loft conversion building regulations approval. A surveyor can draw up a party wall notice to notify your neighbour(s) of your plans and address any concerns well in advance.
Roof Windows and Doors
Any dormer loft conversion, or alternative conversion type, should incorporate windows to introduce sufficient natural light to provide a liveable space. Building control standards state that those windows must be large enough to act as an emergency escape route and should be at least 45 x 45 cm. Dormer windows or roof lights should open from the top of the glazing and be between 80 cm and 110 cm from the floor.
If existing doors connect your ground and first-floor habitable rooms, these should be solid or fire-rated doors that can withstand a fire for at least 20 minutes.
Fire Safety Regulations
Leading on from the building regulations for doors, several other components of your loft conversion must be fire safety compliant:
- Joists must be specified to provide at least 30 minutes of protection from fire, which may mean that the ceilings in the rooms beneath the conversion require new plasterwork.
- Your loft room must have a fire door at either end of the staircase connecting the storey below with the additional floor.
- Every floor needs to have integrated mains powered smoke alarms – meaning if one smoke alarm is activated, all the alarms will sound.
These regulations are the most extensive, and a building control officer will often ask for documentation to prove that, for example, fire doors are safety rated.
Insulation and Energy
If you’re keen to add another storey to your home, you will need to budget for sound insulation – this is all part of the legislation that prevents anybody from constructing a loft room that isn’t safe or suitable for use as a bedroom. You may need additional insulation if your plans will mean removing existing roof insulation within the loft living space.
Electrics wired into the new loft space, such as lighting or heating, need to receive building control approval. Depending on variables such as your property’s size and current electrics, you might need your contractor to install a new consumer unit to accommodate the extra connections or appliances.
Bathrooms and Plumbing
Loft rooms with an en suite bathroom must comply with building regulations, where the lights and switches within a bathroom are suitable for use in these spaces, and you have enough ventilation to prevent mould or moisture from causing a potential health hazard.
Staircases Up to Your New Floor
Converting an existing roof space in a two-storey house normally means you’ll need a protected stair enclosure – rather than an open or spiral staircase leading up to the loft room. That enclosure should connect to an external door.
The focus is safety; you can build an enclosed staircase or have a small lobby area at the bottom with fire-resistant doors. If you have an open plan property, you can use a consistent theme for your converted loft staircase but will usually need extra fire safety measures such as a sprinkler system.
Floors and Support Beams
Finally, any loft conversion building plan needs to include new floor joists that are strong enough and have sufficient load-bearing capacity to manage the weight of the additional storey, usually requiring extra joists following an assessment by a structural engineer.
Joists come in many sizes, densities and grades, so these measurements are an essential part of the planning process, ensuring your load-bearing walls and existing ceiling joists sit alongside reinforcements.
If you’re adding a new vertical wall within the loft, this should be graded to the right load-bearing capacity according to loft conversion building regulations to account for the removal of existing roof supports.
How to Ensure Your Loft Conversion Is Fully Compliant With Building Regulations
As you can see from our summaries above, building regulations cover a broad array of areas. Your plans should be overseen by an experienced, qualified construction specialist with knowledge of the regulatory requirements and how these might apply to your home.
The first step is to arrange a good time to chat with one of the Pinnacle Works team where we can discuss your ideas, offer further information, and start working on building regulations drawings and diagrams.
We can advise on elements of your planned conversion, whether you’re planning a simple dormer loft conversion, a full hip to gable loft extension, or using a mansard loft conversion to add a complete extra storey to your home.
Oct 9, 2023 | Construction
Designing, planning and completing a commercial build differs significantly from a residential project, whether you wish to construct a series of warehouses, extend your facility outward or upward, or commence a new development from scratch.
For many of our clients, the most difficult part is getting started, understanding considerations such as on-site risk management, compliance with building standards, and working out how to begin working on a design based on sustainability, best practice construction techniques and the finish you want your commercial structure to achieve.
In this guide, we work through every aspect step by step, explaining how the construction process works and why project management is key.
The Contrasts Between Commercial and Residential Construction
Commercial construction refers to any building project that is intended for business use – that could include:
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- Renovating disused warehouses or facilities.
- Erecting new office buildings and shopping malls.
- Constructing a parking area.
- Extending existing business premises.
- Developing residential accommodation as a rental investment.
While the primary contrast might appear to be in the budget and size of the development project, there are multiple key differences to be aware of.
For example, commercial buildings may require framing built from steel or concrete for durability instead of wooden frames within residential construction projects. They also need different power connections, especially for large-scale commercial units or buildings erected for heavy industrial use.
The planning rules and inspection process are also very different, with commercial builders needing to comply with stricter regulations around electrical safety and building materials, with the scale of the build dictating the types of equipment and machinery necessary for a construction team to carry out the work safely.
Establishing Your Commercial Construction Project Scope
Generally, there are three types of commercial construction:
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- Small-scale construction projects typically involve modifying or extending an existing building, such as retrofitting an interior or adding additional outbuildings or units.
- Medium-scale commercial projects could include building retail stores, smaller office buildings or substantially changing existing commercial structures.
- Large-scale projects normally refer to building premises such as hotels, office blocks, high-rise buildings or multi-unit shopping centres.
The type of building project can influence your budget, the time required to complete the construction, the expertise you need from project managers and crew members, the contractors with the capacity to finish the build, and the materials we might suggest for maximum efficiency.
Industry Trends to Be Aware of in Building Design
Smart cities, sustainable materials, technology in computer-aided design simulations and using less equipment that generates fumes are all big focuses in the construction industry. They may be crucial for commercial construction projects utilising grants or planning permission based on environmental criteria.
Experienced commercial contractors can discuss your objectives, budget and requirements during the bidding process to propose solutions that ensure your finished construction project is at the cutting edge of building design.
How to Improve the Sustainability of Commercial Construction Projects
The ideal approach is to assess each step within the project before construction begins to evaluate the tools, equipment, machinery and materials being used. For instance:
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- Groundworks might be economised by organising daily responsible waste removal as foundations are dug to minimise the use of space and resources.
- Incorporating advanced energy efficiency measures into the design of the building could mean that post-construction, it commands less cost to run.
- Using high-quality fuels, locally sourced materials and consolidating transportation can all deliver cost efficiencies while making your construction project more sustainable.
Even on small-scale projects for small business clients, there are multiple scenarios where an accomplished project manager can spot further opportunities to add value.
Project Managing a Commercial Build
As all commercial construction companies will agree, construction project management is vital to a successful outcome, working strategically and systematically to coordinate the workforce on-site at any one time, the allocated equipment, site inspections and regulatory checks, and verifying whether construction plans are running to schedule.
Below, we’ve summarised some of the most important factors, whether planning large-scale projects to build a new premise for commercial purposes or needing a medium-scale build to move forward with your business.
Complying With Regulatory and Safety Standards
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets standards for commercial construction sites to protect workers from accident or injury, with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 a relevant piece of legislation all commercial projects must comply with.
In addition, site owners must have valid planning permission and adhere to building regulations that cover everything from fire safety to structural stability, sound insulation to ventilation, and drainage and waste disposal.
During the planning stage, we review all construction projects to assess whether these regulations are being met and make recommendations where processes, schedules or layouts need to be revised to remain compliant.
Implementing Robust Quality Control Processes
Introducing quality controls can mitigate a huge range of the common pitfalls that delay construction projects, usually where materials or vital equipment are not available at the right time, resources are of the wrong density, size or colour, or phases within large-scale projects are not checked and ticked off before work progresses onto the next project.
As experts in all types of commercial construction, we devise custom quality control policies that prevent these issues, setting tolerances and criteria to ensure all work meets your expectations and achieves the necessary results.
On-Site Risk Management
Risk management is imperative to meeting the HSE requirements we mentioned, where construction managers will conduct regular checks, looking at PPE, moving vehicles, delivery management, supply chains and provisions made to protect workers at height, using high-heat equipment, or exposed to fall risks, trip hazards, or vibrations.
Commercial construction planning should include these measures from day one, providing an audit trail of assessments conducted, measures put in place, and inspections completed.
Post-Construction Management
Finally, once your commercial build has been completed, a reputable construction team will provide post-construction services, walking you through the structure, evaluating the quality of the finished work, and collating a list of any revisions required, often referred to as the ‘final fix’ in residential construction projects, before your new building is ready to operate.
During this stage, any certifications required can be arranged and finalised, assuring you that you have the documentation needed to demonstrate full compliance with all applicable standards.
Professional Assistance With Commercial Construction Planning
We hope this guide clarifies some of the most important areas of planning commercial construction projects and shows why precise, detailed planning is essential to finishing your construction on time, on budget, and according to your specifications.
Please contact the Pinnacle Works team anytime if you would like more tailored advice or require assistance from our multi-skilled professionals to get your business construction plans moving ahead.
Sep 13, 2023 | Construction
We recognise that many homeowners have had problematic experiences with building services in the past – with a wariness of rogue traders and unskilled contractors who cause no end of cost, stress and problems for their clients across Portsmouth, Hampshire.
The challenge is often that customers are unsure how to find good local builders, how to verify whether a construction firm is above board and check that they have the right knowledge, expertise and professional skills to complete the project to the expected high standard.
Here the team at Pinnacle Works details some expert tips to ensure you never fall foul of low-quality home improvements and can proceed with confidence that your selected Portsmouth builders will go above and beyond to achieve your aspirations.
Choosing Dependable, Trustworthy Portsmouth Builders
One of the reasons for such variances within the building trade is that no two projects are identical. You might be, for example, looking for contractors who specialise in house extensions, loft conversions, interior décor, plastering and painting, or roofing services to bring your house into superb condition.
The first suggestion we always make is to ask your neighbours, friends and family for recommendations since this can assure you that your chosen Portsmouth servicing building company has provided excellent services for people you can rely on to offer their honest opinions.
Personal suggestions are useful, but a business that offers outstanding quality building work will also provide access to reviews from previous clients, ensuring you get a solid feel for the service standards a contractor holds themselves to and how well they have completed prior projects.
Any building company that is reluctant to discuss projects in your local area they have worked on or is vague about discussing their success rates and the satisfaction of their customers is best regarded with caution.
As a long-standing business with years of experience creating beautiful extensions, conversions, renovations and refurbishments, we are always delighted to discuss how we might approach your building work or invite you to view testimonials from our clients to ensure you are comfortable with the quality workmanship we guarantee.
How to Check the Reputation of Local Portsmouth Builders
There are a few resources you can use to evaluate builders in Portsmouth:
- Checkatrade Hampshire pages.
- Trustpilot customer reviews.
- Ratings against Portsmouth builder listings.
It’s also useful to search for a Portsmouth, Hampshire, building company online to see if there are any reasons to suspect they may not achieve your expectations, such as reports of costs above the agreed budget or low-quality solutions.
Ensuring Your Portsmouth Builders Services are Professional and Fully Insured
Local builders servicing Portsmouth, Hampshire with a great reputation, will always offer quotations in writing and can often produce a written contract for more extensive projects. This documentation outlines the overall budget for the work, the construction tasks included in the price, and the services they will provide.
Written quotes and agreements act as professional assurance that any local builder intends to deliver to a high standard, with good communication and transparency across all aspects of your house renovation, extension or build.
If you have any concerns, a construction company should never pressure you to proceed. They will take the time to explain the quote form, introduce the team appointed to carry out the work or suggest alternative options, for example, if you need to repair a roof and can select between various remedies, repairs or rebuilds.
During this dialogue, you can determine:
- The expected duration of the job and any variables that may affect your budget.
- Timescales for payments, from initial deposit to final remittance.
- Inclusions, such as materials, labour, expertise and assistance with planning permission.
- Arrangements while your work in Portsmouth is underway – can you remain in your home, and if so, what will your building company do to ensure your safety?
Credible local builders who work across Portsmouth will be able to provide evidence of their insurance coverage and will have zero qualms talking about their liability insurance and how that protects your investment in your property – every construction firm, whether local or national, independent or commercial, must have appropriate insurance coverage.
Questions to Ask Shortlisted Local Builders Covering Portsmouth
Choosing to complete your building work with a reliable team of local builders who provide work across Portsmouth ensures you are in safe hands with a business that provides full-scope building services and can navigate the process with you, from initial concepts to planning permission and final job completion.
Here are a few questions we’d recommend you ask when evaluating any Portsmouth builder or comparing quotations for your construction or extension job:
- Do I need planning permission, or can this project be completed through permitted development rules?
- How long will the building work take, and is this likely to change?
- What will you do to verify the workmanship on site throughout, and what happens if I am unhappy with something?
- Are your team all local builders employed by your firm, or do you outsource to other contractors?
Any further questions you can think of should be added to this list, ensuring you have peace of mind that the local builders in Portsmouth you select are the right contractors for you.
Working With Pinnacle as Your Choice of Building Company
With a first-rate reputation within the Portsmouth building industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional workmanship, in-depth knowledge and collaborations with our clients, ensuring they select materials, finishes, designs and services that make the best of the space they have.
Our building services are based on a foundation of trust, talent and expertise, with a project management team working in and around Hampshire, who remain on hand to sit down with any prospective client, explore the opportunities to complete their job to an exemplary standard and deliver services that go above and beyond.
If you would like any additional advice about hiring local Portsmouth builders or safeguarding your investment in your property, please feel free to get in contact with our team at any time.
Aug 25, 2023 | Construction
The design process is often the most difficult part of completing a contemporary extension, whether you’d like to build outwards to create a larger dining room, need to extend your existing house to accommodate a growing family, or wish to add value without needing to relocate.
However, with a little help, there is a perfect extension for every property, from a period home to a terraced house, and even a Grade II listed building with the appropriate planning permission, designing a modern addition that is sympathetic and in keeping with the style of the original house.
Here the Pinnacle Works team shares some of our top tips and ideas to get you thinking about how you can introduce more living space to your property and create a beautiful contemporary house extension.
Placements and Positioning for Modern Extensions
One of the first things to consider is where your modern extension will go. There are countless options based on the footprint and layout of the existing structure and the outdoor space on which you have to build. It may also be possible to create extra space without developing outwards, building an additional level above an existing ground floor roof.
Some of the typical placements for modern extensions include:
- Constructing a side return extension on a semi-detached property, with the extension running along the side of the house, and sometimes combined with a rear extension in an L-shaped configuration.
- Designing a covered balcony area at the back of a rear extension, utilising surplus garden space or building a hybrid indoor/outdoor dining area.
- Adding a first-floor extension to build above a flat roof or extend a downstairs room upwards as a double-height extension.
However, these are far from the only solutions! Homeowners in areas such as South West London, where properties don’t tend to have an expansive outdoor space, can build upwards into a loft conversion or add an extra storey to their property.
You can also build downwards if you have the capacity and structural stability to turn a basement area into a games room, extra bedroom or living space.
Adding Height and Depth Through Double-Height Extensions
The ultimate in a super modern extension design is high ceilings, replicating the sense of space you get in a period property but with contemporary touches such as an open plan kitchen, discrete sliding doors, or using a glazed extension for a dramatic impact.
Vaulted ceilings, irregular roofing shapes and double-height French doors are a superb way to modernise an older property – although those in a conservation area may require approval from their local authority if they are making big changes to the main house.
Another of the best modern extension ideas is to look at the way you use materials and colour to either match your new living space to the existing property or create a stark contrast. If you’re drawn to home extensions that deliver a gorgeous contemporary aesthetic, we’d suggest looking at those who take inspiration from the original house and then extend that to create new shapes and forms.
Examples might include using treated timber cladding adjacent to a red brick property, placing a glass extension next to a sandstone external wall, or creating box extensions which seem to float above the original perimeter and deliver panoramic views through full glass walls.
The trick with modern extensions is to think about texture and shape as you build upwards or outwards, without necessarily trying to replicate the exact appearance of the current house – unless, of course, this is a necessity due to planning requirements.
Drawing Natural Light into a Ground Floor Living Space
A common challenge for homeowners with a Victorian terrace property is that a rear extension is often fairly dark, making the glazing and lighting a key consideration to ensure a single-storey extension feels bright, airy and modern.
There are lots of ways to leverage modern lighting and use interesting window placements to flood even a small space with more natural light:
- Recessed or statement roof lights can look striking, adding an architectural feature to your ceiling and attracting sunlight directly from overhead.
- Using wide-scale sliding doors that face into your garden works brilliantly. You can construct a patio or deck right outside, stepping into the morning light for a relaxing cup of coffee or leaving the doors swung open for evening al fresco dining in your outdoor space.
- Creating open-plan modern extensions on the ground floor can maximise light without internal walls obstructing the view.
If you are looking for inspiration to add a home extension to a terraced house, high-performance glazing is also a great choice, ensuring you make the most of your extra space.
Creating a Modern Extension Using Glass Instead of Brickwork
Modern extensions can be constructed from a variety of high-quality materials, and if you’d like to make a real style statement, your choice of texture and colour is important. A steel frame rear extension or a fully glazed extension is a world away from the traditional conservatory or garden room.
Incorporating sliding French doors into the rear aspect of your extension makes the space feel like a structural glass room, capturing the most stunning views around your property as you watch the seasons pass.
Adding contemporary accents such as recessed or spotlit lighting, polished concrete flooring or rich, deep timbers to contrast with the modern materials used in the walls and room works wonderfully, particularly if you’re trying to add a touch of classic style to a London townhouse without detracting from the original building.
Energy-efficient thermal insulation and extra thick extension glazing will keep your space warm and comfortable throughout the year while ensuring you make the most of every square metre within your property and celebrate the views from your rear elevation.
For more modern extensions ideas and to view our previous projects to inspire your imagination, please contact the Pinnacle Works team at any time. Alternatively, you can browse our online images for further examples.
Jun 30, 2023 | Construction
House renovation projects are hugely popular, with homeowners looking to restore period properties, reimagine the way they use their home to create more space or add modern, energy-efficient touches to a building to ensure it is a warm, sustainable and functional family home.
However, professional advice throughout, from the initial designs and planning consent considerations through to completing the final second fix jobs, is complex and requires a broad range of skills, equipment, knowledge and guidance to ensure your dream home renovation doesn’t become a money pit.
With so many TV series that make the home renovation process look simple, Pinnacle Works always advises clients to work with an experienced, capable construction company who can deliver the finishes, quality and structural integrity they expect.
Let’s look at some of the most compelling reasons to hire a proficient team of tradespeople for your planned house refurbishment – and why it’s a great way to keep your budget under firm control.
Choosing a Contractor for Your House Renovation Project
The first step to any home renovation is to put together your ideas, vision and priorities, thinking about the existing structure, the space you have to renovate or extend, and how you’d like your building renovations and newly renovated property to look and feel.
Although many aspiring renovators assume they won’t need any professional help until they’re ready to begin work, the opposite is true. Consulting with clients from day one is a fantastic opportunity for our teams to provide insights and advice, ensuring that your plans aren’t derailed due to having missed a practicality, such as:
- Checking whether your existing house has restrictions around the renovation work possible – this often applies to properties in conservation areas or with listed status.
- Examining options for groundworks and drainage connections if you’re thinking about creating an extension.
- Assessing the internal walls within the property to see which are load-bearing walls and where you may need structural steels and possibly an engineer to assist with technical calculations.
- Making sure the building has the capacity and stability to cope with extra storeys or adaptations, which might mean any defects such as erosion or subsidence need to be managed first to prevent further collapse before any renovations can begin.
Our advice is to pick a local home renovation team with previous experience who can showcase past projects or even allow you to review properties in your area with a similar style of renovation.
We’d also suggest checking your contractor’s compliance standards and accreditations, and their knowledge about building regulations and planning requirements relevant to your local council area alongside professional insurance coverage, including public and employer’s liability cover.
The Importance of Planning Permission Advice During House Renovation Design
Renovating a house can be incredibly exciting, from browsing treasures in your nearest salvage yard to working with an interior designer, transforming your living space to your exact tastes, and uncovering original period features.
However, planning permission is a crucial component because most house renovations will require approval, although minor renovation work may potentially fall under permitted development rules.
Proceeding with a house renovation without consulting the local planning department can create no end of problems, including legal expenses and the costs to reverse work that has been completed, and a contractor can help in several ways:
- Advising which work is likely to require approval from the local authorities.
- Guidance on party wall agreements where your renovation project will affect neighbouring properties with adjoining walls.
- Managing building regulations approval, which is necessary for any building site, in addition to planning permission.
You may also need to consult the land registry if you don’t have current property plans, which show delineated boundaries. This is important if your project requires a new extension or addition to the existing building.
Getting these aspects of your renovation project right from the beginning will save money in the long run and give you absolute confidence that all your structural work is correctly approved, certified and compliant – you may also find that local estate agents will ask for certifications if you come to sell the house in the future.
Common Reasons for a House Renovation Project to Run Over-Budget
A home renovation project necessarily requires an investment, but done correctly and with the requisite attention to detail, it can make a considerable difference to the market value of your home.
Many of the typical reasons a complicated renovation, such as a basement conversion or loft conversion, runs over budget and potentially becomes unaffordable are absolutely avoidable. Examples include:
- DIY work completed to a poor standard.
- Using the wrong building materials.
- Painting or papering newly plastered walls before they have cured.
- Failing to address first fix jobs before moving on.
- Laying timber floors before fitting underfloor heating.
- Not making the building weathertight before installing stud walls.
A professional home renovation team follows a defined pattern of work, so every stage is completed, assessed for quality and subject to a building regulations inspection where necessary before the project proceeds.
The first fix stage is also a great time for you to assess the renovation project progress, provide feedback, and have an active input, once the structural work is finished and the interior fitting has begun.
Project Managing a Complex House Renovation Project
No two renovation projects are the same, and Pinnacle Works recognises the importance of both time and money, providing advice about some of the energy efficiency measures, innovative construction methods and techniques that can add tangible value while expediting the process.
Whether you’re embarking on changes for an eco-friendly home and need a sustainable heating system, wish to open up your property to increase the natural light, or want to bring a period house back to its former glory, using a skilled contractor means your renovation work is project managed end-to-end.
Our project managers supervise all the details and liaise with the professionals your renovation project requires, from your architectural designer to inspectors conducting a building survey, giving you ongoing reports about when your dream home will be ready.
For more information about planning a house renovation, sorting out planning permission or to browse our previous renovation projects, please get in touch with the Pinnacle Works team at any time.
