Not sure where to start with home redevelopment

skintchick

I'm hoping this is the right board to put this on. It's not about DIY but I need some advice and help on how to begin the redevelopment of our house.

We are about to sell (hopefully) our other house which was OH's homne before we got married. After costs, paying off the mortgage and capital gains tax we should have around £130k based on recent selling prices for similar houses on the same estate.

Which sounds loads.

BUT we want to ideally do a lot to the one we live in. It's a three-bed end terrace with a huge garden. In an ideal world, planning permitting, we'd like to build a double-height extension on the back to enable us to move the main bedroom and spare room out (staying the same size) so we can put a bathroom in the gap created by moving the main bedroom, and then turn the current bathroom into a single room.

Downstairs the extension would be bigger, and we'd move the living room into the bedroom, move the kitchen and downstairs loo to a better configuration, put up a wall to make a study out of the current living room.

We are open to doing a loft conversion instead of the double height extension, but the roof would need totally rebuilding as currently it has a lot of palings in to support it, as it was slipping off the house! We did know this when we bought it and it is stable.

Other neighbours have done loft conversions, and there are extensions to the rear on a single height level. So we think some of what we'd like to do will be OK. A neighbour right now is doing their loft and have put two massive dormer windows in so we could do that too. We are not in a conservation area.

Right. This brings me to my questions. How do I find out what we can do and how much it might cost? We would like an architect as it is such a big job and needs doing properly, but can we get free meetings with them to discuss how they'd do it? We do know an architect and I would never use him (!) but I only know that because I know him personally - how do you find out of they have the same taste as you and what they'd cost?

I really don't know where to start. I know what I want at the end but no idea how to begin or if we have anywhere near enough money. I suspect we don't, as we are in the South East, so an architect will be essential to help us work out what we can do within our budgeta nd come as close as possible to our dream.

This is our forever home so end value isn;t important, but liveability is.

Thanks for reading all this! and thanks for any help.

teneighty

Most good architects and architectural designers will provide a free initial consultation visit. Arrange for several designers to come out for a chat and you should be able to gauge from their ideas whether they are on the same wavelength as you designwise. Also ask to see examples of previous similar work. A good starting point would be to ask the neighbours who they used.

It is good that you have strong ideas but try not to be too blinkered. One of the benefits of using a good designer is they can come up with fresh new ideas.

If you are not sure what work you want, extension of loft conversion you could ask the designer for a fixed fee quote to provide some preliminary sketches initially so that you are not committed to a full design until you have made your mind up. (I would also ask for a fixed fee quote for the planning and building regulations drawings at the same time so you know what you are letting yourself in for further down the line)

cyclonebri1

Up here we would never use an architect for what is essentially renovation work.

There will be many individuals around that trade on their ability to draw plans and spec detail that conform to local building regs.

The advantage is that they have vast experience of what can be done and what is allowable under planning, without the price tag that that architects demand/deserve????

Someone should come in and suggest the options, provide links to builders and enable you to cost this out.

I would never pay for someone to come look Ist time, pay for the detail not the initial view.

ListysDad

This is how I'd start.

1 - do a bit of measuring and rough out what you'd like to do on graph paper.
2 - Trolley on down to the local planning office and talk to them. Ask the basic questions, a) are we likely to be allowed to do this? b) what do we need to do next?
3 - If you are, ask around for a reputable builder. Judge them by how they make you feel. A good builder will be busy, and he will profer good advice even to the point of making you reconsider what you already have. A good builder will ask many questions to get at what it is you want.
4 - A good builder will know of someone who can do your submission drawings for a shed load less than an architect
5 - If having a kitchen find a joiner NOT a fitter. Do NOT let the builder do it. Ask for their advice.
6 - Find your own electrician. That way it will be done properly and not down to a price. Again use their experience
7 - Find a good plumber and ask their advice about overall systems (you may need to upgrade for your long term aims) and also ask their advice about the best bathroom layouts etc

For me its all about expertise. Builders are opportunists and think they know more than they really do - sorry guys!

They will most likely say, "I'll sort all that out" as there is seen an opportunity to make a bit more. So, if you pay your builder £5 only £3.5-£4 will be spent on the tradesman. How can you get the job you think you are?

Far better to pay the trades direct and engage with each one. Then you are far more likely to get a better job and more commitment. IMHO.

Leif

From my recent experiences, I agree with much said by ListysDad. Pay a builder to do it all, and he will subcontract out a lot of the work e.g. plasterer, plumber, kitchen fitter and so on, and add on his cut, which can be a lot of money. But this approach is convenient, and (s)he does know the correct order in which to do work e.g. rewire, plaster, install boiler. But if you hire for example the plasterer directly, he is more likely to be helpful to you as you pay him, and you can talk with him about the planned work, rather than dealing with a builder who is too busy to talk about details, and anyway he probably does not know the details, all he cares about is getting the trades in, and getting paid.

When you get trades, get them by personal recommendation from people you know and trust. Neighbours can be a good source of names. If you cannot do that, then organisations such as Help The Aged and Trading Standards have approved lists. It does not guarantee good work, but if the work is bad, they will intervene, and strike them off the list if they do not make good. That is not the case with commercial schemes.

" ask around for a reputable builder. Judge them by how they make you feel. A good builder will be busy, a"

Yes, avoid someone who can start right away, clearly no-one likes them. I would avoid someone who spends time charming you. And avoid anyone you feel ill at ease with, trades here do the same.:D I would say that the trades I could talk to normally, polite but not over friendly, did good work. I got chatting to the plasterer who came round on saturday morning to do some work, and he ended up doing an extra wall for free, which I was chuffed about as it did need skimming. I only realised after he'd gone. It pays to be nice to trades.

"Find a good plumber and ask their advice about overall systems"

The emphasis is on 'good plumber'. Find a bad trade, and they will tell you nonsense to steer you down the path that makes life easy for them, but gives you an inferior result. I know this from first hand experience. One way to avoid this is to check online to see if what they say holds water, although you should have got them by recommendation anyway, so they should be good. But I would avoid telling the trade how to do his/her job. Either they are good, and know what they are doing, and don't need you getting in their way, or you don't hire them.

Leif

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Up here we would never use an architect for what is essentially renovation work.

There will be many individuals around that trade on their ability to draw plans and spec detail that conform to local building regs.

What do these people call themselves, and how does one find a competent one?

111KAB

Leif wrote: »

What do these people call themselves, and how does one find a competent one?

Generally Architectural Technicians or something similar however I would not discount the use of a qualified Architect particularly if, maybe, you want something a little unusual/different or dare I say it with a bit more imagination. Most Architects (particularly in this domestic case) will provide you with a free consultation if you go to one of the smaller firms/one man bands. In addition their probable current low workload may ensure you are provided with a reasonable/acceptable quotation for their services.

cyclonebri1

Leif wrote: »

What do these people call themselves, and how does one find a competent one?

In my area there are at least 2 that advertise in the local rag, several have cards on the counter at the 3 local builders merchants.

The one I have used isn't a fully qualified architect but he is an ex local government building inspector.

As for what the official title is I don't know, or care really, but simply ask to see sample plans and ensure that it's done on a fixed charge, and that any amendments the LA insist on are covered in the price.

Leif

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

In my area there are at least 2 that advertise in the local rag, several have cards on the counter at the 3 local builders merchants.

The one I have used isn't a fully qualified architect but he is an ex local government building inspector.

As for what the official title is I don't know, or care really, but simply ask to see sample plans and ensure that it's done on a fixed charge, and that any amendments the LA insist on are covered in the price.

I suppose my question is really "what do you look for to find one of these people?". Do they say "conversion/extension planning according to building regs" or something like that? Hope that makes sense.

cyclonebri1

Leif wrote: »

I suppose my question is really "what do you look for to find one of these people?". Do they say "conversion/extension planning according to building regs" or something like that? Hope that makes sense.

Of course it makes sense. The guy I used is simply called ZX Building and Design Services, no not his real name, And yes from memory the rest of the add ran "building design and planning services. Plans drawn for local authority submission", words to that effect anyway. The big bonus was when I did use him last it was the 1 time I have never handled the whole building works myself. Work was hectic and I couldn't get any free time to carry out a major extension and complete reroof of my property. I didn't know a single builder. He supplied 5 names all of which had worked on his projects, but insisted I make the decision.
I did, and he said I'd probably picked the best lads, there's a whole story to tell there but not today. The choice was the right 1 by the way.;)

I picked his details out of the local rag and have used him 3 times over the past 20 years so obviously I rate him, his rates were very reasonable and a fraction of a full blown architects charges.

Maybe I got lucky?, but I don't think so, I rate myself at being able to judge a person pretty well after simply talking too them

skintchick

THanks for all the replies. e do actually know a very good builder we have used before, he also does plumbing and electricals, but wouldn;t be able to do such a big job on his own obviusly.

I think we probably do need an architect, partly because of the issue with the roof, but also because I am happy to totally rebuild the house if needed.I have my own ideas but I want to collaborate with someone who has vision and good design skills as I cannot possibly desing a house to all the right standards.

I'm in Oxon/Buck/Berks area if anyone wants to recommend anyone