‘Living on a building site is a recipe for chaos’

With the property market being what it is, many people requiring more space are now tending to maximise the space they already have. However, extending is not for the faint of heart – as it usually requires at least having builders in your home, with the accompanying mess and disruption for weeks or months, or moving out of the home altogether, with all the costs that this incurs. If you are deciding to renovate, there are some ways to make your life a little easier. Here are some tips from the experts.

Making the case

The first thing to think about when deciding to extend is to assess what you want – and what you need. It’s important to really assess what you already have, and what you think you need. Having an architect come and give advice at this early stage is money well spent, as often they’ll be able to view the home in a way that you may not. Retired architect Denis Gilbert says it is key to think about how many bathrooms are needed, to orient the principal rooms south if possible, and that all rooms should have good daylight and functioning windows.

Once a contractor is on-site, and the site is effectively his, he has significant power to drag out the works, and increase costs

—  Denis Gilbert, architect

“Make sure to have adequate storage and space for mechanical services, see what the planning constraints may be under the current regulations, and make sure to incorporate all requirements of the current building regulations in relation to insulation and ventilation.”

Getting the go-ahead

Once you’ve decided to bite the bullet, it’s important to think about the challenges of renovating and extending. Gilbert says an engineer is needed as part of the design team to understand the structural feasibility of the options considered, after the planning stage. “Most important for the construction stage is the selection of a good builder with a solid reputation. Unfortunately, there is no real protection from a poor builder if one is appointed and takes possession of the site.”

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Working with trustworthy people

The only way to be confident that the works will be to a good standard is to appoint a good design team, architect and engineer, and a good builder, says Gilbert. “Once a contractor is on-site, and the site is effectively his, he has significant power to drag out the works, and increase costs. Thus, for the past few years I have explained to clients at the start that I only work with the one builder, whose work I can trust. All projects completed subsequently on this basis have been successful.”

Timelines

If planning permission is not required, this will reduce the project duration significantly, says Gilbert. “If planning permission is required, there will be pre-planning design work between architect and client which typically would result in a design agreement after a month to six weeks after the initial appointment. The subsequent planning processes should take a minimum of approximately three months (eight weeks for decision and four weeks for appeals). In the event of a refusal or a request for further information, an additional three months should be allowed for. Some planning departments facilitate pre-planning discussions, but not always – there is no time limit.”

Most belongings end up in boxes and can be stacked to the ceiling, but if you have a long sofa you need to make sure you can accommodate it in the unit

—  Brian Hefferon, Nesta

The post-planning stage, from the design of the works to the construction stage, including the structural design, should be ready to facilitate works on site after a further six weeks. “Allow a further month for the contractor to commence on site, following the engagement with the BCMS (building control).”

Moving out – and managing your stuff

Gilbert says it’s essential that anyone planning significant renovation work move out fully for the duration of the works. “With the dust, noise, and lack of privacy, living on a building site is a recipe for chaos.” If you are moving out, your belongings must also move out. This is where a self-storage unit can come in handy.

[ Small home renovation: ‘There’s no point in adding floor area for the sake of it’ ]

Brian Hefferon, managing director of Nesta, says if someone’s moving out for an extension, the first step is knowing how much space they’re going to need, and that’s usually dictated by the largest piece of furniture, “as a storage unit is going to have to accommodate that. Most belongings end up in boxes and can be stacked to the ceiling, but if you have a long sofa you need to make sure you can accommodate it in the unit.” Hefferon recommends using a removal company to move the contents of your home to the unit, as they’re experienced with packing spaces and maximising how much they can fit in.

“You will get better utilisation of space using a removal company. The vast majority that stores with us do so themselves. They rent a van or put items in their car and bring it down, but the better-packed the room is, and the better utilisation, the cheaper it is.”

Think before you pack

When packing, think about what is least likely to be used so it can go at the back, while the items most likely to be needed can go at the front for easier access. “We often get people who pack their stuff into storage, but then are working with a designer and say they’ve two pieces that they have to work with and the interior designer wants to see the item so they can design around it.” Usually, of course, these pieces are then way down at the back, necessitating much more work than would occur with a little forethought.

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Hefferon has one last titbit of advice. “Make sure you haven’t packed away your passports because you might think you’ll be back in the house before you go on hols, but if there’s any delay to the works… Instead, put a box together of essential documents, and don’t put it into storage. Keep it with you, while the work is going on.”