Having an extension built on your property is a great way to make your home bigger and better, and if you do it right, it can also add value and appeal to your home when it is time to sell.

Depending on the layout of your home and providing that the new layout complies with building regulations, a ground-floor extension can be turned into almost anything that you desire. Typical extensions can be larger kitchens, dining areas, additional living space, a home office or even a bedroom or en-suite.

If you can afford a two-storey extension, you will increase both your living and sleeping space, with the possibilities of a dressing room or an extra bathroom, whatever you need.

The challenge faced with two-storey extensions is that they usually require planning permission, whereas ground-floor extensions can often be done under your home’s permitted development rights (provided that they have not been removed). If your home doesn’t have permitted development rights or you want build an extension that can’t be done under permitted development, you’ll have to go through the planning                                                                                                     process, which can be lengthy, expensive and frustrating.

The Government is changing the permitted development rules for three years (until May 30, 2016) so that terraced and semi-detached houses can extend to the rear by 6m (on the ground floor) without planning, or 8m for detached houses. This is double the usual size and faced opposition in parliament. The agreed compromise is that the Local council will have to be notified of a planned extension and then adjoining neighbours will be given the opportunity to object. To be done under permitted development, the extension must conform to rules on width, height and materials, etc.

Architectural Building Design Services have been established since the year 2000 and have a wide experience of designing all manner of house extensions and achieving planning permission.
They offer a free consultation where they will happily visit your property free of charge to understand what is required from your property and offer no non-sense advice.
They surely have “the man with the plan”.

Chris can be contacted on 07773 899 597 or by email at abds@abds.biz