SamUK

iTrader: (1)

I want to extend the living room of the house.

What is it i need to do? how much would the plans cost to get dran up and whom can i get these from?

Also unsure what application and what order i need to do things in and the costs pre work starting.

http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/E...ntentOid=15990


Any help appreciated.

Tidgy

as far as cost then you'll need to speak to a structural engineer. they will need to design the foundations etc they will be able to design and draw up the plans for the work. also you may need to speak to an architect depending on circumstances of what you want done, architect would be first stop for me due to them pretty often having ties with reputable structural engineers, knowledge of planning laws etc etc

you'll prob find local council pretty helpfull as far as plannign rules and regs go so its always best to give them a bell

Scooby Soon!

I have just paid:
£1500 for plans + building regulations spec
£150 application fee for council,
£175 for building reg calculations (for RSJ's etc)
I need to pay about £450 to the council when the work starts

The above is for a 28 square metre lounge/kitchen extension and 36 square metre garage/utility room.

Unless you live in a large detached house with no neighbours with massive garden there are stacks of planning regulations to stick to!

Leslie

Good grief, they know how to charge before you even get started!

Les

Tidgy

hehe, you shoudd see some of th bills we send out, but that is for big projects lol

scooby L

Find yourself an architect's technician who does jobs on the side (many do)..it's not hard to draw up some plans.. . They will do it for a fraction of the cost of an Architect/consultant.

You'll need to find a structural engineer/consultant only if you're planning to install an RSJ and that's only for their insurance (if the worst happens).

The roof can be quoted from the truss manufacturers spec sheet (some will also draw up timber plans for regs), all included in the price.

Foundations, easy, 600mm trench fill 1.2m deep, covers 99.9% of 2 storey extensions.

PS

The magic 3 words on planning application plans are "to match existing", the planners love it..because you are matching what's already there, and it also saves you having to find and list all the proposed materials.

Scooby Soon!

I would say you could get plans done for £500 - £1000 but I wanted to maximise my space and make sure everything was usable space etc

Foundations..... no one I know who has recently built something has had an easy ride, my neighbour has a laurel bush 2 metres high 50cm wide (the total bush not the trunk) i could carry it if it was in a pot! Council want the footings down to 2.5 metres because of this but will hopefully be able to get this down to 1.5 metres with a few test holes.

Also foundations are near to a drain so it has all got to be reinforced with steel, like I said unless you have lots of space no neighbours and detached its very unlikely to be as smooth as you think!

scooby L

That's something you pay a consultant to work out, but only if/when you need to...(usually when you start digging and start finding hidden stuff)...no point shelling out £600 unless you need to...especially if you're only trying to get planning consent....regs can come later..they don not need to be issued/passed until you want to actually start building.

I did all my own plans, regs too... no need for expensive consultants... when we stripped we found a buiried MH... then and only then did I get the planning Regs officer out and also a structural engineer..on site together, we chatted, agreed a solution... problem over...cost me one day's fee for the structural engineer.

Coffin Dodger

Having been through the initial process and the extension is now under way I would say this, get as many recommendations as you can for architects, planners, builders etc. from friends, neighbours or relatives who have had works done.

The architect we had recommended to us was superb, though of stuff we'd never had considered, and got the plans drawn up such that we wouldn't need planning as it was covered under permitted development rights (single storey extensions to the rear of the house up to 3m usually don't need planning). Only just over £1000 up to the point the plans / specification were signed off by the council's building control department. We also had to pay around £400 for a structural engineers report and around £150 application fee to the council.

Again the builder we are using was highly recommended and somehow gave us the cheapest quote of the three we had. So far he has been top notch (touch wood). Only downside was having to wait for several months for him to become available.

Do it right and you'll only have to do it once / won't have any regrets.