Want to extend but don't know where to start

hjflit

I am being made redundant in 2 months time. I will have £20,000 and have decided to build an extention to the family home. I have absolutely no idea how to get the rough estimate without architects plans. I don't want to commission plans I can't afford to build. Catch 22. My idea is a garage, downstairs sitting room and toilet (cloakroom). Any ideas welcome. Thanks folks.

Doozergirl

The rough estimate is £1000 per square metre. If you go upstairs too, you double it (not obvious to some!)

Troub;e is that people seem to have trouble getting that price. London I should imagine would be impossible.

A great magazine to buy is Homebuilding and Renovating, it has a price matrix towards the back of every issue which you should be prepared to pay dependant on area, specification etc - far more comprehensive than I can be It's also full of inspiration; you'll be building an entire house before you know it!

if it's only a modest extension with no big ideas then I would settle for an architectural technician Cheaper and they will be able to advise you just as well.

clutton_2

a quantity surveyor locally might be able to put you in touch with a technician. Good QSs can cost a project (from good drawings) down to the nearest 5p !!!!

pulliptears

Ask around friends and colleagues for a technician that does "side jobs". OH does them and depending on the job charges around £450. hell of a lot cheaper than using an architect!

Nenen

Draw some rough sketches yourself (you can download Google Sketchup yourself for free if that helps) and take the rough plans to your local council planning department for advice. We went to our local planning dept with these and they were really helpful... they even came out to do a site visit all for free before reporting back to us. They will tell you if the kind of thing you are hoping to do is likely to get planning permission. There isn't much point spending money getting proper plans drawn if you won't get planning permission anyway!

The other thing you can do is get two or three local builders round (preferably on personal recommendation from someone who has used them) and get them to give you an estimate.... mind you the one I asked to do that gave me an estimate that was way under once I had plans drawn up!

harryhound

As someone living in the Green Belt, who has extended several times, can I add a thought or two?

Price is not everything - knowing how to work the system at the local council is also important.

You have to realise that there are a host of technical rules: "Building Reg's" Party Wall agreements - Silly old restrictive covenants on you title etc.

There are also your particular council's planning regulations.
Take these two together, they are not "rocket science" and there is plenty of scope for confusion and lots of "wriggle room". Remember local authority staff think they are over worked, so helping them enjoy a quiet life, helps you get what you want.

So get some guides (from the library? I think Which? does a guide ) explaining what is possible and what the rules mean. See if you can get free advice from members of the Planning Department, without giving away too much of what you want to do, no point in sensitising them .
Don't forget the neighbours, try to put their minds at rest, even if you have an absolute right to do what you want, you still have to live next door, even after you have chopped through their water-main

How do you propose to organise the build? Employing one firm ? Subcontracting to individual trades? DIY?
Don't forget "Architectural Salvage Yards", or Ebay, for materials that are "different" or cheap.

It looks like the building industry is heading for a long overdue slump, if you get your timing right and have done your homework right, there will be some good men and materials available at keen prices, with a lot less hassle than building in a boom.

Good luck,

Harry.

PS All buildings, unless the council has specifically removed the original rights, have permitted development
extension rights. The Government is in the process of changing the rules (to make Nuclear Power Stations easier to build) and it looks like the percentage increase in size will no longer be used up by putting rooms-in-the-roof, changing the choice for most un-extended homes from extending into the loft OR into the garden, into loft AND garden.
Please post more information/links if you find out about the details.

happinessfactory

hjflit wrote: »

I am being made redundant in 2 months time. I will have £20,000

Stating the bleeding obvious here, but do make sure you have enough to live on.

Redundancy money isn't a present, it's money to keep you and your household going until you're back on your feet again.

Maybe think about the extra rooms once you've found yourself another job? You don't want to be sitting in your super dooper big new gaff waiting for the repo men...

...unless of course you're redeveloping the house prior to selling it, which is another kettle of fish altogether.

hjflit

Thanks everyone for the help and comments. I will be receiving more than the amount for the extention and have thought through carefully the use of the money . I have heard some people say that employing each trademan yourself can really reduce the cost. I feel nervous about that as I don't have building knowledge. I shall definately try some drawings myself and go on to professional ones after.

Doozergirl

Employing ttradesmen yourself does reduce the cost dramatically! It isn't easy - you need recommendations, I think, and you'll need someone to help with the order in which things should go.

First time I think would be quite hard but if you have time on your hands right now and can be flexible with the speed at which things go, it may well be worth it.

I have a feeling that the mag I recommended has some guides on where to start