Windows in Extensions – things you didn’t know you needed to know!

Did you know that there’s a basic allowance for the maximum amount of openings for windows and doors that can be designed in an extension.  Building Regulations (Approved Document Part L1B) limits this to 25% of the floor area of the extension, but to that figure you can add the total area of existing windows and doors that are now covered by the extension.

In other words let’s say you have and extension of 4m x 10m; then 40sq.m x 25% allows 10sq.m of openings.  If say there was an old back door covered over (1.5m wide x 2m high) then you can add another 3sq.m to gain up to 13sq.m of openings.

This is rather ‘prescriptive’ or limiting, so what if you want a brighter, lighter extension with more windows?

Well there is an “optional approach” with more flexibility.  For example ‘off-setting’, because the windows are ‘worse’ (for heat loss) then you can improve another element (increase insulation elsewhere or use better performing windows).  This is know as “Area-weighted U-value”.

Calculated by {(U1 x A1) + (U2 x A2) + (U3 x A3) + (…)} / {A1 + A2 + A3 + (…)}  WAKE UP AT THE BACK!

Joking apart, we agree this is all rather ‘maths school’ .  So we would work this out as part of the design process for you.

It is also possible to have “SAP ratings” calculated to show that the overall dwelling’s CO2 emissions situation is not diminished by the window situation.  There is often scope to improve other aspects of the existing house to make the compensation required (we could look at adding loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, perhaps a more efficicient boiler to replace an old one on its ‘last legs’).

Leading on from this, what about Conservatories which are predominantly glazed?

Well, here the basic expectation is that there should be external quality doors left in place between the main house and the conservatory.  Add to any heating some ‘room controls’ then you can then start meeting ‘exemption’ classification for this type of extension.  Be warned, the ‘exemption’ would only apply under Building Regulations, for Planning a conservatory is still an “extension” and so normal rules apply.

Hope that is of help.  If you need drawings and designs for your extension or conservatory then we’d be pleased to help. Contact Us

Getting ready for an extension, why would you not prepare drawings?

I met a lovely couple earlier this week, but my oh my they are in a ‘tiz’, they’d been told “you don’t need drawings“.  It’s the confusion around ‘statutory requirements’…every element seems to have different rules and restrictions.  So here’s a quick (well fairly quick) guide to what may or may not be needed when you are planning to add an extension to your house.

Normally a “Planning Application” is step one.  However with ‘Permitted Development‘ you can possibly do a fair amount of extending without needing to submit drawings for Consent.  We recommend to all clients that if you think that the work is ‘Permitted Development’ then get a ‘Certificate of Lawful Development’ from the Council.  It’s a fairly painless process.

So step two, “Building Regulations“.  There are two choices here “Full Plans” or “Building Notice”.  If the works are really simple then “Building Notice” might suit, then you do not need very much in the way of drawings.  For “Full Plans”, is as the name suggests, you submit ‘full plans’ for pre-approval before starting work.  What we say is this, if it is advisable to have detailed drawings later (to form a safe, clear contract with the builder) then why not get them approved by the council first….it just makes sense.  Many local authority Building Control departments now charge more for a Building Notice than they do for Full Plans, so go Full Plans if you can.

So next up, Building Over Agreements for sewers.  If by chance you are winging it without drawings so far (which might easily be possible), then suddenly you might come unstuck here.  In our area* most shared drains have now become Public Sewers and so any work above the sewer, or within 3 metres, needs an application to the water/sewerage authority to get their agreement.  At this stage plans are definitely required.  Also if a Building Over Agreement is needed then Building Control probably can’t continue with a ‘Building Notice’ and may need you to revert to ‘Full Plans’.  Soooo you end up back a stage.  Just another note here….most shared drains are, by their nature, fairly close to the building, more often than not your extension is likely to be coming within that 3 metre zone.  Check early and check carefully because delays cost builders money and builders are possibly going to need to seek that back from you.

(our area covers parts of Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council and adjacent we have Dacorum Borough Council and South Oxfordshire District Council.)

So slotting in within that lot is the Party Wall etc Act 1996.  Notices to your neighbour for building within 3 metres of their structures, or work to the party wall itself, or a new wall close to the boundary.  There aren’t too many schemes where at least one of these won’t apply.  In most cases it is sensible and wise (in parts compulsory) to have drawings detailing the work.  I say ‘slotting in’ because the timings do vary depending on the work, some need min. 1 month Notice, some 2 months, but in all cases you should be planning to start work not later than 12 months from Notice.

And then there’s “you and your builder“.  So many disputes and additional costs get incurred later because of different expectations.  Drawings normally resolve all this, they form the best foundations for the contract between you and protect you both.  Why would either not want that….oh unless of course the builder means to cause you confusion, read here ‘rogue’.

So, yes, in theory you could avoid drawings throughout the whole process if
(1) you trust your builder implictly
(2) you can plan and visulise exactly what you’re getting
(3) you are not within 3 metres of neighbours, not working on the party wall, not near the boundary
(4) you are not with 3 metres of shared drains
(5) the work is so simple that a Building Notice will do
(6) the work is within permitted development and you are absolutely confident about this
(7) or any other aspect that might crop up

What are the chances?  Rare in our opinion, so why would you not get drawings?

Plan for them at the start and they will serve you well through out each step.  With CAD (computer aided design) now each drawing can be adapted efficiently for each purpose throughout the process.  Speak with a Chartered Surveyor,  if you’re local call us, we can provide an efficient path through all the potential pit falls, but you can be fairly sure that drawings will be the key answer to most problems.

Make sure you get your Party Wall Notices right!

Serving Notices on Adjoining Owners under the Party Wall etc Act 1996 is a peculiar thing: for the experienced Party Wall Surveyor, such as for us at PBSC – Chartered Surveyors, Notices are relatively straight forwards and so we can prepare and serve the Notices on your behalf relatively cost effectively….but try doing them yourself and all sorts of mistakes creep in.

Most aspects of the design and building process run at a relatively slow pace and if things aren’t quite right there’s normally a opportunity to correct them and try again.  But not with Party Wall Notices, once they are served the first you’ll know about failings, missing information or in appropriate information is an Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor ‘dissenting’ to the Notice on technicalities or the lack of information.  And that means extra costs as their Surveyor needs to work out what your are actually proposing.  Now, even perfect Notices might still lead to dissent, but at least give yourself a chance to keep control.

There are some key points about getting Notices correct:

1. Make sure you identify the legal owners (as defined by the Act) – if we are serving Notices we check the Land Registry database for you free of charge.
2. Make sure you know the time-scales for serving Notice – one month for Section 1, two months for Section 2 and one month for Section 6.  These should be minimums so don’t leave it too late.  We make sure you know the right timings.
3. Make sure you provide as much information as is relevant for the Adjoining Owner to make a decision whether to ‘Consent’ to the Notice.  This often means providing more information than the minimum requirements under the Act.  We make sure the right information is provided, not just the minimum and not throwing everything in an envelope, because that is sure to put the fear in the typical neighbour.
4. Make sure that the Notice relates to the right sections of the Act, there’s no point in serving Notice under Section 2, when really it is excavation works under Section 6 that you should be referring to, you will be loosing valuable time and you may need to start again.  Of course this is the technical input that we make sure is covered correctly.

If you get it wrong it’s not the end of the world but it is just more likely to cost you in time and money: incorrect Notices and inadequate information are more like to lead to ‘dissent’ with your neighbour appointing their own surveyor than if you get things right.

Yes you can prepare and serve the Notices yourself or you can opt to make sure they’re right which might just lead to big savings and less hassle later.  If you are local to Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Amersham, Great Missenden, Beaconsfield then Call us on  01494 718009 to discuss which Notices you might need.  Or visit www.smartsurveyor.co.uk

Boundary Dispute Helpline – up to 30 minutes Free advice

The RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) operates a national “Boundary Dispute Helpline” where local surveyors have volunteered to offer up to 30 minutes free advice.  If you want to find a local surveyor participating then call RICS on 0870 333160.

If you know PBSC -Chartered Surveyors are local to you then call us direct on 01494 718009. See our Website for more contact details.

We cover areas in Buckinghamshire including parts of Wycombe District, Chiltern District, Aylesbury Vale and South Bucks.  Such as High Wycombe, Hazlemere, Holmer Green, Penn, Amersham, Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross, The Chalfonts, Chesham, Stokenchurch, Great Missenden, The Kingshills plus other surrounding villages & towns.

What is a Full Building Survey and why would you want one?

Most of our clients who instruct us for a Full Building Survey are in the process of Buying a house.  Buying a house of course is a massive investment and the cost of the survey is so small by comparison, it should really be on the priority list for all buyers, make sure that you budget for it in your moving costs.  The cost of the survey is actually also even small compared to just some of the defects that we find.  You need to be buying a property with your eyes wide open and PBSC – Chartered Surveyors are your Professional eyes.

There are plenty of sneaky touches that a seller can make to convince you it’s all A1 tip-top condition; even though they’re only ‘glossing’ the surface it is all too easy for buyers not to see beyond this.  If they’re being well advised by their estate agent then you’ll be falling in love with their home, which is great, but don’t be too blinkered….make sure you see the property for what it really is.  Make sure you have Professional assistance on your side, that is your Chartered Surveyor.

We all too often hear from the buyer, “our estate agent said“…but it’s really important to distinguish that if you’re the buyer then the ‘agent’ isn’t yours, they are acting in the sellers best interest, ultimately to secure the sale.

So the Full Building Survey is a visual inspection of the house and our written report that follows will explain all you need to know.  How the building is built, what’s wrong and, more importantly, what needs doing.  We categorise the defects that we find into the degree of urgency: those matters that need answering/rectifying before you proceed, those recommended early after you buy, and those to plan for during maintenance to come.

We’ll be inspecting and reporting on as much as possible for these main aspects:
Dampness, Condensation and Timber Decay; Foundation problems (subsidence, heave, cracking); Main Walls (cracking, disturbance, distortion, damaged brickwork, cavity wall tie failure); Roofs (leaks, structural problems, life expectancy of coverings); Chimneys & Fire Places; Internal Walls; Floors; Ceilings; Insulation; External Windows & Doors; Internal Joinery; Fixtures & Fittings (including kitchens and bathrooms); Plumbing, Electrical Wiring and Drainage issues.  These are just the main key areas, we’ll being looking at each in more detail over the next few blogs.

When you are choosing a Surveyor to provide you with a report make sure they are Chartered Building Surveyors and Regulated by RICS.  This gives you the protection and reassurance that you need.  Remember too that the cost of the report will probably reflect the quality and depth of information that you will receive in the report.  At PBSC we do not ever offer to undercut competitors prices just to win a survey, we simply offer competitive fees at the outset that we are sure will give you the best report possible and the best value for your money.

The last aspect we’ll discuss today is the term ‘Structural Survey’ and when that is sometimes asked for.  This is an old term that Surveyors once used, but it was easily confused with the same term that perhaps a Structural Engineer would use when reporting just on the main structural elements.  It must be 10 years ago now that RICS started recommending that we only use the term “Full Building Survey”,  this made sense to us, as we had always made this distinction anyway.  You’ll still find some using the old terminology, so make sure you are getting a proper “Full Building Survey” from a modern compliant Chartered Surveyor.

Building defect repairs, extension work arrangements, full building surveys..oh & a lot of business marketing work too.

Can’t believe where a week has gone, it’s been a mixed bag and so makes an interesting “week in the life of…”.

Started work on site with some roofing repairs, a complicated structure with all sorts of issues being uncovered which makes for some interesting site inspections.

Also been running through an extension project, which we’ve previously obtained Planning Consent for, Building Regulation Full Plans Approval received, Tendered and now our client has selected the prefered builder (with our help).  The Contract Documents needed preparing ready for signing next week, so looking forward to another decent project on-site which will run on until the spring time next year.  Using JCT Minor Works 2005 for this one.

And on to a Full Building Survey (‘level 3′ survey).  With the housing market being slow it’s nice to still be getting some interesting houses to survey.  This one is particularly interesting being a good contrast of ages between the original parts and its later extensions.  Nicely presented house, the written report will be a riveting read (no, truly! We’ve got a style that holds your hand right the way through, setting the scene, good bulleted highlights throughout and concluding summaries).

Then also for this week a strong focus on the “business operations” side, looking at a host of changes to ride out this dip in the economy and to come out the other side stronger and bolder than ever.  It’s our 9th year now with the ‘new’ practice: PBSC – Chartered Surveyors.  It’s amazing how quickly systems & images age; looking back at 2003′s logos is already amusing, these were revamped in 2005 and modified 2009.  2012 will be bringing a much fresher look.  As we’ve all discovered the internet has changed ‘everything’ about advertising and finding & presenting information. This Blog is part of the change…new website and other improvements coming soon…watch this space!

Planning’s “Permitted Development” – Have you used your extension allowance yet?

If you have heard horror stories about the Planning system and don’t think it’s worth the hassle for a small or modest extension then think again….“Permitted Development” (also referred to as “PD”) may be the answer.

So what is PD?  Every ‘normal’ house has it (which is the vast majority*),  it’s what you’re allowed to do to your property without needing to submit an Application to the Council for Planning Consent…and it includes EXTENSIONS.  I shall focus on Extensions for this guidance today.

With extensions in mind, you might be surprised to learn that you can EXTEND REARWARDS at the ground storey for FOUR METRES beyond the original rear elevation of a detached house or three metres if part of a terrace.  Even more surprising you might also be able to add a TWO STOREY EXTENSION REARWARDS for THREE METRES, although the restrictions become slightly tighter if the side boundary is less than two metres away or the rear boundary comes within seven metres.

Not only can you extend rearwards but also you can EXTEND SIDEWAYS at ground storey level, the distance depends on how wide the original house is, as you can go up to half its width.  And it’s not one-or-the-other, you can have a Rear Extension plus Side Extension(s) too.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  ….well, confirmation that the rights are in place and drawings for a start!  There is a growing trend for some less informed builders to be using the ‘trust me’ approach and suggesting that you don’t need drawings….”let’s just get on site and we’ll work it out as we go“.  Technically this may be true but it certainly is not without risks:-

• how does the builder know what you want, or even how do you know what they are building for the price?
• has anyone checked that the PD rights are in place, does the builder really know the rights and what restrictions there are on heights and materials and window positions etc?
• who’s thought about potential overshadowing neighbours, building within 3 metres might require Notices to your neighbour? (Party Wall etc Act 1996 – more on that another day.)

So our top recommendation is be sensible & be cautious.  Yes PD means less hoops to jump through at the Planning Stage, but it is not worth risking a dispute with the builder over “expectations” or a Planning Enforcement enquiry.  The cost of dealing with either of those would easily exceed seeking proper Professional drawings & advice in the first place.  Obtaining good design drawings for a simple extension should be quick and painless and will not hold up the project, remember with PD you can avoid the 8-week Planning Application process.

If you’re tempted with PD, speak with a professional now to get specific guidance relating to your specific circumstances, of course if you are local to us (we’re in Buckinghamshire) then there’s more information on our website at www.smartsurveyor.co.uk or call us and we’d be happy to talk some more.

If your dream extension is beyond the PD allowance, perhaps it has already been used up in previous extensions, or you’re not in the ‘majority’ so have restrictions, then all is not lost.  I should explain that the Planning system is not as bad a you might have heard.  Yes there are schemes which get turned down for seemingly no fair reason and yes there are definite policies in place to stop certain designs, but all-in-all most of our Planning Applications get Consent first time.  For the rare scheme that does need a tweak because of a refusal then for the first resubmission Planners cannot recharge – it’s free!

(* Different rules and/or some restrictions apply if your house is not in the ‘majority’ such as in the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB), Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites; or is Listed; or the Council has imposed special conditions (known as an “Article 4 Direction”).  You should always check whether any of these apply).

This article is given in good faith but no liability can be accepted by the author for any errors or omissions.  You must take professional advice before acting on any guidance given above.  Copyright remains with PBSC – Chartered Surveyors.