House extensions plans and not doing all work

whiskywhisky

Hi All

I would be very grateful for some general possible consequences of not completing all the work from plans submitted + approved by local authority.

We have a qualified person (Mr X) to do the drawings etc, we informed Mr X of what our requirements are (e.g more bedrooms, bigger bathroom AND in ideal world make use of the huge front garden etc). Mr X has previously worked in council planning, we were planning somehow to do a rear double storey extension as we did not think we would get planning at the front.

Anyway the first draft drawings Mr X has created, include an extension at the back and also a small double storey at the front. The property is detached and even with this extension would be keeping with the local area. Mr X is very confident this would be approved. The plans look great but we cannot in the near future afford to do both a front and rear extension.

Speak with Mr X the response was for us to think about it and also said "you can always do the rear and then do the front at some point in the future".

Well this is my question, I am new to this: as I right that if we proceeded with getting approval for front + back and only did the rear, then we will not get completion from the council and therefore will be unable to sell the house if we ever needed to, until we did the front extension?

Also are there any other consequences for only doing some of the work?


Many thanks

Doozergirl

Building Control and Planning are different departments.

Planning gives you permission to build.

Building Control check the quality of whatever you build. They are not linked to the planning department. If you build just a rear extension, you apply for building regulations consent on just a rear extension.

That said, if two extensions are not economically viable then the plan should really be to get you what you want, in budget. Two smaller extensions will cost a lot more than one large one covering the same footage. If that is what the designer is tasked to do and has been told what the building budget is, that is what he should do for you...

It may not be possible, in budget, but two extensions will definitely cost proportionately more. He should be managing expectations as well as putting forward ideas.

muckybutt

whiskywhisky wrote: »

Well this is my question, I am new to this: as I right that if we proceeded with getting approval for front + back and only did the rear, then we will not get completion from the council and therefore will be unable to sell the house if we ever needed to, until we did the front extension?

If you get permission to do the front and back and only do one lot then providing that particular work meets all the building regs criteria then that particular section will get signed off.

You could still sell the house with only one part completed, you could advertise it as selling with detailed planning permission so might get a few £'s more if you did.
Bear in mind though planning permission has a time limit of 3 years for full and outline planning permission, after that time has expired you have to reapply.

Johnandabby

muckybutt wrote: »

You could still sell the house with only one part completed, you could advertise it as selling with detailed planning permission so might get a few £'s more if you did.
Bear in mind though planning permission has a time limit of 3 years for full and outline planning permission, after that time has expired you have to reapply.

The typical 3 year limit for planning only relates to starting work on the development, it doesn't mean that you have to complete within 3 years.

So you start one part within the 3 years limit, and then complete at your leisure.

whiskywhisky

Thanks for the advice.

The extension to the front will give our house much more kerb appeal as currently looks a bit dull, it is just at the middle of a double front house therefore downstairs is planned for a porch/hallway and upstairs could be a family bathroom, with the existing bathroom to become a on suite.

We cannot afford to do this work, and can live without a porch and 1 less ensuite as will already have an ensuite to master.

What will you chaps do? get the planning just in case our plans change (unlikely) or more likely we sell and then could maybe help the sale?

Just to clarify, if we got both rear and front planning approved and building control passed the extension to the rear. And we did not do the front, then there will be no detrimental effect on us?


Many Thanks

System

get planning for both, once you do one the planning will remain valid in perpetuity
get regs approval for the work you actually do which will allow you to get a completion cert. which will be required should you sell the house

the 3 years (as above) are to start the works and only relevant to planning permission.

the fees in drawing production shouldn't be that much extra - whereas if someone was doing an entire new application for a separate extension they would have to do new survey drawings etc in addition

whiskywhisky

Will Building Control not look at the drawings on the planning application and query why we are only doing half a job?

Kernel_Sanders

whiskywhisky wrote: »

Will Building Control not look at the drawings on the planning application and query why we are only doing half a job?

Surely you will be doing just one of two jobs.

System

whiskywhisky wrote: »

Will Building Control not look at the drawings on the planning application and query why we are only doing half a job?

you will have building reg drawings for the bits that building control need to see, there is no point in giving them more information than required, they may or may not check the planning drawings (very rare, or at least have never had any queries about planning from bs)

They are two separate departments and they would have no reason to query it

Furts

whiskywhisky wrote: »

Will Building Control not look at the drawings on the planning application and query why we are only doing half a job?

If you are using your Local Authority for Building Control, and it works the way my local one does then your fee will be based on the size of the work. Hence you will be paying for all extensions shown on the drawing, unless you make it clear to them that you are doing one extension. They are not bothered about your motives, or strategy, provided they receive correct payment and your work is done properly.

But if you start the second extension without paying the fee for this, they will refuse to deal with this, which is fair and reasonable.

I had multiple extensions to my home put on one drawing then negotiated the fee. In return the Local Authority wanted a written assurance on start dates - which again is a reasonable requirement.

fezster

As said already, your architect will charge you separately for building regs drawings. So make sure you only get those for the rear extension for now. Planning is completely separate and the permission will stay valid forever provided building work has started (which it will have, with the rear extension).