Potential extension - Ideas?

Billy_Bullocks

teneighty wrote: »

What do you expect for free...a full set of scale drawings?

The point of taking advantage of the free consultation is you get an idea of how the designer works and their design style, their knowledge of the local planning policies and if you think you could work with them. If you play it right you can pick their brains and get some very useful design ideas.

The designer will look on it as a sales pitch to try and win the instruction and also get enough information from the client to calculate a reasonable fee quote.

Anyone considering this type of project would be totally daft not to meet 3 or 4 recommended designers on that basis?

Have you done this before?

You sound as if you haven't.

teneighty

Billy_Bullocks wrote: »

Have you done this before?

You sound as if you haven't.

Funny, I was thinking exactly the same thing.

System

sold stc...

Anyway, technically they can be a pain to alter the roof structure much, it really depends on what you want out of the property, the downstairs layout is pretty much a warren of rooms, it's a reasonable sized house without extensions, it's just not really set up for most modern living...
If you are sinking your money into this the first stop should be figuring out how you want to live in it and then adapt it for that, if it does then need an extension fine, but you'd be amazed at the number of people who think they need an extension without considering that all they need is some thought on the existing layout.
I have done a couple of demolish and rebuild jobs, (also got permission to build on the footprint of ruined buildings) planning is rarely an issue if you know the local policies, the principle of a house is already established on the site, so it's just down to the details of that house that become issues. An architect who knows the local area and local planners will be able to advise on the likelihood of permission being granted...If you have got time on your side, this one of the very few times doing a preapp is actually useful!

Furts

9ja4life wrote: »

It is a countryside location plus it's in a conservation area.

This is a stumbling block to any ideas of extensions. Item number one for discussion with Architects and Planners. What can, and what cannot, be done has to be resolved.

9ja4life

the_r_sole wrote: »

sold stc...

Anyway, technically they can be a pain to alter the roof structure much, it really depends on what you want out of the property, the downstairs layout is pretty much a warren of rooms, it's a reasonable sized house without extensions, it's just not really set up for most modern living...
If you are sinking your money into this the first stop should be figuring out how you want to live in it and then adapt it for that, if it does then need an extension fine, but you'd be amazed at the number of people who think they need an extension without considering that all they need is some thought on the existing layout.
I have done a couple of demolish and rebuild jobs, (also got permission to build on the footprint of ruined buildings) planning is rarely an issue if you know the local policies, the principle of a house is already established on the site, so it's just down to the details of that house that become issues. An architect who knows the local area and local planners will be able to advise on the likelihood of permission being granted...If you have got time on your side, this one of the very few times doing a preapp is actually useful!

Its SSTC to us. We definitely need more rooms! Going out next week with 2 architects to see what can or can't be done. Plus seeing planning officer for advice - Breckland does a free drop in sessions on Wednesdays - next week.
If we can't extend it, we will live in it for a while and then buy another one when the time comes.