With a flat housing market and property prices that seem to be continuously on the decline in a number of areas, moving house simply is not an option to many home owners.
If you are struggling to home a growing family in your current home or wish to own a property which reflects your current lifestyle and standard of living, then a property refurbishment may be the solution to your conundrum. If a property refurbishment is carefully designed and implemented using a considered approach achieving these goals can become a reality.
If you are considering embarking on a property refurbishment project, then beneath are several key factors to consider in order to help you make the most of your budget, whilst also successfully completing each aspect of the refurbishment process.
1. First things first- start at the beginning
Unfortunately a large number of people intending to embark on a property refurbishment project rush to speak to a builder. This approach overlooks the essential design process. Therefore, before you consult a builder consider getting some design advice to ensure that your rooms complement each other under your proposed refurbishment design. Additionally, a comprehensive plan will enable you to gain the most from your available funds.
2. Remember your statutory obligations and ensure you fulfil them
Before embarking on any construction work for your property refurbishment, it is essential to establish whether or not it will require planning permission. You may not require planning permission, you may be able to conduct your proposed property refurbishment under “permitted development”. If your property has not been previously extended, is not situated in a conservation area and is not a listed property then you may be eligible to take full advantage of your permitted development allowance. A permitted development allowance is an automatic planning right available to some properties, it is worth taking the time to find out if your property is eligible.
In addition, your proposed property refurbishment will need to comply with Building Regulations. These regulations are responsible for governing everything from energy efficiency to safety. For your project to be signed by the local Building Control Officer you will need to satisfy their requirements.
3. Finally, choose a builder
Once you have a design which you are happy with and have obtained the relevant permission it is time to select a builder to complete your home refurbishment. Once you have selected a builder it is imperative that you obtain a written agreement which states the work which is to be done, the agreed price and finally the time scale involved for the project’s completion.
When embarking on a home refurbishment project the most important thing to do is to ensure that your project is thoroughly planned out from the outset.
Broadoak Basements specialise in home refurbishment projects, for further information about how we can transform your dream project into reality you can speak directly to a member of our expert technical team on 0161 962 1623.