Loft Conversion | Extension | Renovation
Having any major work carried out on your home can be a testing and emotional time.
In our experience, knowledge is the key to overcoming many of the challenges. In our effort to build trust from the outset and provide you with the confidence, that having your loft converted or property extended with us is the right decision, we have provided a series of guidelines outlining what you can expect when entrusting your property to us.
Consultation
One of our experienced builders will meet with you to understand what you hope to achieve from investing in your property through either a loft conversion or an extension.
As a business we have chosen not to employ sales people and you will only meet with an experienced builder, who has the expertise and knowledge to advise you on important items such as maximising your space, making an addition that compliments the existing building, navigating building regulations and planning permissions and ensuring you are familiar with what realistically can be achieved for the budget you have available.
Quotation
A detailed quotation will be supplied covering all proposed work, specifications and payment schedule. It is important to clarify in writing the agreed work to be carried out and the payment schedule associated with that work.
As an experienced and trusted construction company we have a constant stream of work and an active schedule that you will need to secure place in.
Once you have made the decision to instruct us as your construction company, we require a security deposit to initiate our architect to begin your final plans and applications as required.
Plans and Submissions
Our architect will make contact with you within 5 working days of receipt of your deposit to co-ordinate a full site survey of your property.
Following this, full working drawings and structural calculations will be drawn up and submitted to you for approval, prior to being submitted to the relevant local authority on your behalf.
At this point any amendments can be made until you are 100% satisfied with the plans.
The proposed plans will then be submitted to the relevant local authority on your behalf, and monitored by our team, through to successful approval.
This process can take several weeks, depending on a number of factors, but largely the time taken will be dictated by the local authority once the plans have been submitted.
We recommended allowing a minimum of 8-12 weeks for this process to be carried out, but can take longer in areas of conservation, or for buildings of significant heritage value. Our architect will advise you at the time of your expected processing time and the type of permission or lawful development you require.
A statutory commencement notice will be forwarded to the local authority informing them the work is going to take place on your property, and our team will continue to liaise with the appointed inspectors throughout the process.
Work Commencement
Once the relevant permissions have been acquired and work is ready to begin our team will make contact with you to coordinate final preparations and fix a start date.
Arrangements will be made to erect scaffolding where required and deliver materials to site.
Schedule of works
Whilst every extension or loft conversions is completely unique, most follow a similar pattern to successful completion, and below we have provided a guideline to help you visualise the process easily.
1. Preparation
- Scaffolding Erected (if applicable)
- Skip ordered
- First fix materials delivered
2. Ground Works
- Digging of foundation trenches
- Relocation of man hole if required
- Foundations laid
- Damp proof course applied
- Drains fitted
3. Structural Work
- External walls built
- Openings created in property to connect the rooms
- structural steels and lintels applied
- Internal Stud work erected
4. First Fix Plumbing
- New pipe work and drainage laid for facilities where applicable
First Fix Electrical
- New wires are laid to accommodate new fittings
5. Fitting Out Internal Work
- Insulation Laid
- Plasterboard fitted
- Plastering completed
Fitting Out External Work
- Windows Installed
- Skylights and Flashing installed if applicable
- Tiling, lead work and flat roofs if applicable finished
- Rendering of external walls
- Fascias boards, down pipes and guttering applied
6. Second Fix Plumbing
- Radiators installed
- Waste connected if required
- Sanitary Ware completed if required
Second Fix Electrical
- Fixtures and fittings applied including, light switches, light fittings, etc…
- Electrics connected to the fuse board
General
- Skirting and architrave fitted
- Doors hung
7. Decorating
If you have chosen to have our decorators come in to finish the room, then arrangements will be made according to your requirements, this can include:
- Painting of the woodwork, skirting and architraves
- Painting or wallpapering of the walls
- Laying of the floor
8. Completion
- Clearance of rubbish and materials
- Removal of skips
- Removal of scaffolding
9. Final Approval
The appointed building inspector will make a final inspection of the extension, issuing a certificate of completion.
The appointed building inspector will make a final inspection of the extension, issuing a certificate of completion.