Has Anybody Ever Bought A House That Had An Extension Without Building Approval?

Money_Doctor

thanks, any idea of cost of rebuild of kitchen extension 16ft by 10ft approx in greater London/ Essex area? Thanks to all

shane42

ballpark 20k includes howden type kitchen plumbing electrics, not decorated or finnished flooring ( tiles or laminate)

Money_Doctor

Assuming a new roof in that as well I assume Shane? What timescales would you expect from start to finish? Anybody have any experience of the companies that seem to be about that manage project from start to finish to include the applying for planning permission?

silvercar

You may not need planning permission. Either because it comes within permitted development and doesn't need permission or because it has been in place for more than 4 years and so it is now too late for the council to object. If the latter you could get a certificate from the council to confirm this for peace of mind.

It may not be a bodge job, it could be a garage conversion where the walls were never improved to room standards.

shane42

yes new roof and windows etc finnished basically
there may be extra drainage cost if things were not done properly in the first place, should be 12 - 16 wks , could be less but these things do go on abit

shane42

silvercar wrote: »

You may not need planning permission. Either because it comes within permitted development and doesn't need permission or because it has been in place for more than 4 years and so it is now too late for the council to object. If the latter you could get a certificate from the council to confirm this for peace of mind.

It may not be a bodge job, it could be a garage conversion where the walls were never improved to room standards.

if the external walls are single skin then its no good silvercar,

timmyt

Money_Doctor wrote: »

I am hoping that somebody/ lots of people might be able to provide advice, I am looking to potentially purchase a house that has had a kitchen extension which did not follow building regulations i.e no planning permission or building certificate for the works, the planning permission is being taken care of by an indemnity policy but what is worrying me is the lack of a building certificate in place, although the full survey has not thrown up any faults of note apart from the advice that a couple of airbricks need to be installed and that a cavity wall is in place which is perhaps not an ideal thickness, my main concern is that the same issues will crop up when/ if we ever came to sell the house.

So in short I guess how much of a big deal is the lack of building certificate

Thanks in advance

if the works are over 1 year old then you get a combined indemnity policy for both planning and building regs.

done deal, enjoy your new home.

Money_Doctor

hi Timmy, just to confirm there is no building control certificate or has there ever been? How would an indemnity policy be granted in this senario bearing in mind the extension quite clearly does not meet building regulations of the past or current day?

Hopejack

We are currently renting a house where there is a bedroom extension above the garage which is single skin - it is constantly cold (can't heat it at all as it just doesn't retain any heat) and often has mildew/damp on the outside walls. Personally, I wouldn't touch a single skin extension on a property but everyone to their own - we are moving out very soon and I'm pleased as we are effectively paying rent for a 4 bed house but can only really use 3 beds (the 4th can be used as storage but items tend to get damp!).

I'm sure I read somewhere recently that mortgage companies look very unfavourably on single skin extensions. In fact, I seem to recall someone saying that they had a similar situation (albeit a bedroom again) and that the mortgage lender valued the house as having one less bedroom i.e. ignored the fact that extension existed due to the construction. Not sure if this is true but I recall reading it somewhere - might have been on here.

Money_Doctor

Hi Hope, Mortgage company didnt seem to have an issue but then it was quite a low LTV so not sure if this made a difference to them (Mortgage Valuers)