Home Renovation Advice Needed

tylerjaffa

I bought my house from the council a few years ago and it is in need of complete renovation (new kitchen, bathroom, flooring, re-wiring, re-decoration etc) and I'd also like to create more space...I'd like to find out about the feasibility of converting my attic space or extending my house at the rear too...

My problem is I don't know where to start!

Do I start by looking for an architect or a company to do the work? And will I be able to find one company to do all that I'm looking for or will I have to use several tradesmen? I have asked for recommendations from friends & family but no-one is happy to recommend anyone who has done work for them!

What I'm really looking for is someone like Sarah Beeny from Property Ladder to advise me how best to improve my property within my budget and a company like Carol Vorderman's "Better Homes" to do the work! Do people & places like these exist???

Can anyone recommend any companies in Midlothian/Edinburgh, East Lothian or West Lothian?

I'd really appreciate any help anyone is able to offer.

Thanks.

Vicki

[Deleted User]

I think you should post this in the DIY section

Alan_M_2

Start with an Architect, make it clear to them what your budget is from day one, architects are often frustrated designers and can run off into a world of fancy and endless cost if you allow them.

Basically ask for a feasibility study, - the architects will the be able to recommend builders.

You will pay a premium for a one stop shop but in theory this will reduce stress as you have one point of contact for any decisions/disputes (less or no buck passing).

Employing tradesmen yourself and project managing will save money if you do it right, it will increase stress if you do it right, it will give you a nervous breakdown and probably cost as much as a one stop shop if you don't do it right.

If you have no experience of this kind of thing, I recommend the one stop shop approach.

Out of the list above, the only one on there with any credibility is Sarah Beeney, she is a property developer, has been there and done it before ending up on TV, the rest are all on the bandwagon. The official term would be project manager, architects sometimes do this, so do some designers.

The one stop shop approach will have the project manager built into it, that's where the extra money goes - paying a guy (or girl!) who knows what they're doing to oversee everyone and the buck stops with them.

Doozergirl

What he said

marybishop

Just make sure whoever you choose has a professional qualification and is registered with the appropriate body. We have clients who used a bogus architect (yes, really!) and it's cost them thousands. Now trying to get some redress which is proving very difficult. Meanwhile they've got to fork out a lot more money having everything put right.

BobProperty

marybishop wrote:

Just make sure whoever you choose has a professional qualification and is registered with the appropriate body. We have clients who used a bogus architect (yes, really!) and it's cost them thousands. Now trying to get some redress which is proving very difficult. Meanwhile they've got to fork out a lot more money having everything put right.

Grass the bogus architect to RIBA, they don't take kindly to people calling themselves architects when they aren't and aren't registered with RIBA.

marybishop

Don't worry, we have. I think it's actually the Architects Registration Council (ARCUK)? Anyway, all in hand and they're on the case!