Renovation advice

Locornwall

I am considering buying a bungalow to renovate. I would like to gut the interior of all stud walls and services and possibly build a small extension at the back.

I am wary of getting an architect involved mainly due to unnecessary cost and instead may choose a company who will simply draw the relevant plans and submit them for me to the council.

Any advice please?

anselld

You don't even need to submit plans for a small extension under Pemitted Development.

If you are worried about unnecessary expense why are you gutting all the internal walls?

Davesnave

If you start messing with the property in a significant way, you'll want to be sure that your proposals meet building regulations. Therefore, whoever you employ ought to be capable of preparing plans to submit for those.


This is quite seperate from the matter of planning permission, which may also apply, depending on the nature of the proposed changes and whether you're in an area where permitted development rights have been withdrawn. If you're in Cornwall, as your username suggests, there are plenty of places like that.


Gutting a property and rearranging it internally almost inevitably leads to external changes to the frontage, so it's quite likely that planning permission would be required anyway.

Locornwall

Yes exactly. I’m quite happy I don’t need planning permission, however may speak to the plann8ng office anyway even though I’m quite sure.

In terms of gutting the place. It is a run down, old bungalow and let’s just say probate. I’m looking at the home as one for the rest of my life and would therefore like it designed in such a way it won’t need changing again, the electrics and plumbing looks old and the layout is strange. In some ways I’m happy to design it myself and have someone draw up plans based on this for regulation purposes, however part of me thinks it’s worth getting an architect involved who could help with the design part, as I don’t want to get this wrong. Suggestions? I think I can get someone t do the drawings part for approximately £500, not sure about architects cost?

Davesnave

When we did what you're proposing, it would have been possible to leave all the front windows and doors in place, but not without compromising the internal layout that worked best.

Every building is different, but avoiding the cost of PP and the involvement of an architect is not necessarily the best way to achieve a cost and space-efficient result.

What's probably most important is finding an architect who is in tune with your objectives and lifestyle. I'm afraid our was too vague and not appreciative of our situation here, so I can't recommend him.

In total, three people worked on our plans, and in the end we achieved a cost-effective result, but when we started out, we'd no idea the possibilities for such a 'simple' building could be so various.

Perhaps we should have seen it coming, as we weren't the first to have a crack at this place, and it was patently obvious the previous owners had spent large amounts of cash effectively devaluing it with changes that may have pleased them, but worked for no one else.

As it's your forever home, that sort of consideration might not seem to matter, but they thought it was their forever property too!

Locornwall

Thanks.

Can I ask how much were the architects costs?

Davesnave

Locornwall wrote: »

Thanks.

Can I ask how much were the architects costs?

In excess of £2k, but that was in 2012 and it included an initial survey costing around £450. However, final costs were much more, because we scrapped the initial plan, drew up another and employed a structual engineer too.


Ironically, we now have a fully qualified architect in the family, but even with the changes, I don't think around 4-5% of the overall costs spent on planning is too bad.


P.S. 'In My Home' is pobably a better place to find the builders on here.

Locornwall

Thanks. Can I also ask your overall build cost?

Nobbie1967

If you want some ideas on layouts, have a look on rightmove for bungalows as these often have room layouts. This should give you an idea of what generally works.

Locornwall

Thanks Nobbie, I’ll do that.

Davesnave

Locornwall wrote: »

Thanks. Can I also ask your overall build cost?

Difficult and I'm not sure how relevant, as I don't know your set-up.

We're a smallholding with outbuildings and land, so some money was diverted to things like converting a pole barn to dry furniture storage, stock fencing and improving drains/septic tank etc.

We had up to £120k to spend on everything and we didn't use it all, but that was mainly because a skilled but semi-retired friend relocated to a village nearby and worked at mate's rates, with me doing the labouring or less skilled work. Took 3 years, on and off. My wife did all the decorating and I'm still working on hard landscaping.

We had the place rewired, new ch, replumbed, put in new kitchen, utility, 3 bath/shower rooms and converted a garage. We also altered the roof considerably and overhauled it at the same time.

It's so difficult to gauge costs for others. For example, a skip here costs at least £280, but we've never paid for one because of contacts in farming and having land to re-profile ourselves. Similarly, we haven't paid much for digger work as friends have those. Other savings have come from people Freecycling stuff e.g. 600 roof tiles (!) or putting up with some inconveniences, like the electricians using us as a 'filler' between commercial jobs. Trade account at the builders' merchants helps too.

I suppose we could have done this place for aboout £70 - 80k, but it would have been penny-pinching.