Anyone Built their own extension?

[rodgy-dodge]

We've been talking about doing this for a number of years and feel the time has come to bite the bullet. After all how hard can it be?

We are wanting to do the work ourselves, after experiencing unreliable tradesmen letting us down in the past.
My DH is quite a dab hand at plumbing and completed a short course on bricklaying just before Christmas, I've done small bits of plastering, we've done all the work like tiling, fitting Kitchens and bathrooms as well as general decorating; both in our own home and our two sons. I've studied interior design at C&G's level and also a BA (hons) Arts degree.

After doing a bit of research on planning permission and building regulations we both feel that this if at all would be the hardest part of the project Jumping through the hoops what would you say are the pitfalls to building your own extension, do's and don'ts? any advise to make it plain sailing?

 

[dellzeqq]

Answer me this and answer me this only. Why do you want to build an extension?

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Answer me this and answer me this only. Why do you want to build an extension?

Because I'm sick of cooking in a small kitchen 6' x 11' on my own and not with my guests... Having to go through my kitchen units like a chinese puzzle everytime I need to find a bowl tupperware dish etc...our family is growing and I would just like the space for entertaining

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Oh I should add its only a single storey extention to extend the Kitchen making it a kitchen come dining room

 

[dellzeqq]

Because I'm sick of cooking in a small kitchen 6' x 11' on my own and not with my guests... Having to go through my kitchen units like a chinese puzzle everytime I need to find a bowl tupperware dish etc...our family is growing and I would just like the space for entertaining

Cool. Definite aim, controllable result.

My thought is this. Forget architects for now. Make two calls

1. To an Approved Inspector. This is a person who takes on the duties that were previously monopolised by Building Control Officers. They tend to want the work (more so now than ever) and they're usually very happy to go through the Building Regulations with you - after all, it's not in their interest to receive an application that is so horribly wrong that it takes an age to correct it. The big sticking point is part L - conservation of heat and power. Without being too patronising, make sure you understand what the AI says to you, and if you have doubts ask the same question a different way. My advice is to visit him or her - take map and photographs (see below) and just be very patient. Make notes.
2. To the your Planning Department and preferably make it a personal call. Take a 1 to 1250 OS map and some photographs and ask their advice. If getting a 1 to 1250 map is too expensive (about £40+VAT from Promap) then get the Google Maps page with a scale on it. Measure your back garden and put the dimensions on the map or the Google Maps page. Mark out the plan area of the extension you think you'd like to build. The photographs should include streetscene, rear elevation of your place, pictures the rear of your neighbours houses, pictures of the side of your neighbours houses (showing all windows), pictures of any extensions built on your street, or a nearby street of the same character - particularly extensions you like the look of. Take a copy of the photograph of the rear elevation and pencil over (it can be as rough as shoot) an outline of your intentions. Listen carefully and make notes.

If the Approved Inspector doesn't put you off the idea, and the Planners think that your ambitions are not too out of the way, then your next call is.....

3. To a local structural engineer. Take a plan of your house (1:1250 will just about do) and mark on all the manhole positions you can find. You're going to need foundations (unless your house is perched on a mega lump of granite) and you're going to need drainage. This work can greatly affect the price of the job, so it's best to have a handle on this before you start getting jiggy with bricks, or even making a planning application. Most structural engineers with a degree of local knowledge and if they say 'whoops, seventeen foot of clay, you're going to need to pile that one', or 'shitfire - you're going to have to pump the drainage'.

So that gets you a way down the track, relieves you of a degree of uncertainty, and for no money!

 

[rodgy-dodge]

We made the first call to LPO today they are going to send us a form for the "one stop shop" which is an Informal enquiry form where you lay out your initial plans (self drawn). although I was able to download this myself. The one stop shop was set up to help people get the best out of their planning department to many people where being charged time and time again for resubmitting their plans. They will let us know within 15 days if we can proceed, with the information we've gave them. Then we'll get the right people in to draw up the plans properly. I've heard of people doing them their selves and even though I've played around with sketchup, I think I would still prefer someone who specialises to do it for us. We only have one drain to move as it is at the back of the house and will need to go to the side. Obviously we're not sure if the extension will need underpinning but I wouldn't have thought so as its only a single storey extension. We have a detached garage set back from the house so not sure on the building regs on how close we can build towards it!

 

[dellzeqq]

At the risk of appearing overly censorious....

Go back to my post. Read it through again.

First call - Approved Inspector. There is no point in applying for planning permission until you understand your position regarding the building regulations. I'm telling you this because I have designed really, really big buildings, and there is no way that I'd set about a domestic extension before talking the thing through with an Approved Inspector. http://www.cic.org.uk/services/AIregister.shtml is your friend.

Second call - Planning - and don't do that stupid online thing if you have the option of going to see somebody and talking the thing through.

 

[Fnaar]

I've never put a big erection up outside my house. But I can see the attraction

 

[GM]

Absolutely spot on Dell, when building it yourself you need all the correct information possible. Getting it wrong can cost you dearly.

 

[Aperitif]

I've never put a big erection up outside my house. But I can see the attraction

You might need family planning permission.

 

[Dewi]

Well I always get the Planners sorted first then Building Control - I've always found both very helpful. No point worrying about the Building Regs side if you can't get planning! Never used an approved inspector, never would as the Building Regs guys generally have better local knowledge...

Take lots of advice, anyone worthwhile will give you plenty for free. If the extension is simple then doing the drawings and building work yourself is do-able - make friends with planning and building control and they'll tell you what to do. There are 'relaxations' you can get for small extensions and if the ground is good - local Building Control lads will have a fair idea, there may be no need to bother with a structural engineer. Planning could even be permitted development if the area isn't huge

 

[Over The Hill]

Yes - I built a Kitchen/Utility extension as we needed more room (turned old kitchen into a bedroom).

I did everything from plans (won appeal) through to final decorating myself, no other person touched it. It is tough and takes lots of time but I do not regret it at all.

The hidden bonus is that you can do the work as you wish without living in a building site. I had it all finished and working completely before knocking through so went from old kitchen to new one on the same day. Builders rip your house apart and then go off to do another job!

Oh and get to play on diggers too.

Make sure you do it all legit and with all the right bits of paper or else you will make your house unsellable.

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Yes it is only a small single storey extension, not a big grand design, we're planning on making it L shaped the largest area only going out 3.90 meters this will give us a decent area for dining table and chairs and the kitchen we think can only go out 2.80 because of the detached garage. its a simple single story with tiled roof. I'm not so keen on these plastic conservatories and I think a brick building can be better insulated. We have to do this one stop shop thingy to see if the council will let us extend before we waste money on getting the plans drawn up! well thats what I'm led to believe by the phonecall we made yesterday. I can't see a there being a problem of extending as everyone along our avenue has some sort of extension to the rear of their propery.

Over the Hill: sounds a bit like the one you did, we plan to have it all built before knocking through from the kitchen.