Diy Conservatory...

stingray_316

planning_officer wrote: »

Good advice - too many people just assume they don't need planning permission for a conservatory!

l did not think you needed planning permission for a small conservatory of 8x6 or 9x9, l thought you had to have planning permission when you wanted a extension

BushBag

The impression I was given with regards to a Planning Permission and Consevatories was:

Under new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 adding a conservatory to your house is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the limits and conditions listed below.

• No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house.
• Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.
• Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres including ground floor.
• Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.
• Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
• Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house.
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• On designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.

Conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:

1. They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area
2. At least half of the new wall and three quarters of the roof is either glazed or translucent material
3. The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality door(s).
4. Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements

This is lifted straight from the Planning Portal.
I'm looking into putting a consevatory on my house so I'm interested in this thread myself.

27col

A friend of mine who was well into his 70's built his own conservatory. He got a chap from work to dig the footing by hand as there was no access for a mini digger. He built the dwarf walls himself and assembled the frames with the help of a friend. I believe that he bought the frames from a firm in Yorkshire. The final thing is a very impressive structure. Even more so, when you realise that it cost less than 4k. It is about 4.5m x 3m.

planning_officer

stingray_316 wrote: »

l did not think you needed planning permission for a small conservatory of 8x6 or 9x9, l thought you had to have planning permission when you wanted a extension

A conservatory IS an extension in terms of whether planning permission is needed. The info Bushbag helpfully copied above from the Planning Portal sets out when something is permitted development - it applies to all extensions, whether they are glazed conservatories, brick extensions, timber lean-tos etc.

The criteria that most people trip up on when wanting a conservatory is the depth - it cannot be more than 4m on a detached house and 3m on a semi or terraced dwelling. 3m depth does not usually provide a decent conservatory, although others may beg to differ! These measurements also only apply to the rear of the original wall of the house - you can't put an extension onto an existing extension for example, if they cumulatively exceed 3 or 4m in depth (or are to the side of the house). Also, in conservation areas, AONBs and National parks, no side extensions are allowed at all, irrespective of dimensions, without applying for planning permission!

stingray_316

So would l still need planning permission if l keep the depth to 3m depth by 3m wide and no more than 4m height, if l do need planning permission where would l have to go and do they have to come out before and after the work..

sillygoose

I am having a 3.6 x 3.6 built right now and I am glad I am not doing it! builder has dug the foundation trenches by hand and at the end of day 3 they are full of concrete. Two big skip loads of sticky, rocky, clay soil dug out? no thanks - he is earning every penny!

Also the walls are about 0.25 so a 3 X 3 becomes a 2.5 X 2.75 internally, pretty small really.

themanbearpig

By hand? The footings too? Thats insane, hasn't he heard of a mini-drigger?!
You get them for about £50 a day!

fluffymuffy

BushBag wrote: »

[/LIST]Conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:

1. They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area
2. At least half of the new wall and three quarters of the roof is either glazed or translucent material
3. The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality door(s).
4. Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements

This is lifted straight from the Planning Portal.
I'm looking into putting a consevatory on my house so I'm interested in this thread myself.

Conservatories will come under the heat loss part of the Building Regulations later this year - probably in October (said our local Building Inspector). Then they will become very expensive indeed.

slummymummyof3

themanbearpig wrote: »

By hand? The footings too? Thats insane, hasn't he heard of a mini-drigger?!
You get them for about £50 a day!

Where do you live? Mini digger for £50 per day????

The vast majority of people would also need an operator to dig the foundations and even in this current climate, £50 a day is rather unrealistic.

planning_officer

stingray_316 wrote: »

So would l still need planning permission if l keep the depth to 3m depth by 3m wide and no more than 4m height, if l do need planning permission where would l have to go and do they have to come out before and after the work..

If it's a semi or terrace, then provided it is no more than 3m depth beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling (does not include any previous extensions), then it should be ok. If it's detached, you can go to 4m in depth. If it's larger than this and you end up needing planning permission, your local Council (usually a District Council, or if you live in a city - the Metropolitan or Borough Council) is the local planning authority and you would need to apply to them - they have planning pages on their websites giving lots of info, and application forms, checklists of what to submit, etc.