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When it comes to extending a home, the rear of the house often comes to mind a lot more than the front. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t extend the front of your house. This can be done either as part of a renovation project whereby the entire house is incorporated or it can also be done in isolation. It’s possible to extend the front of your house without the need to apply for a planning permission, however, there are a bunch of limitations you’d have to comply with if you wish to carry out with such a project. Sometimes, this may imply that extending to the front of your home is more tedious and tasking than extending your home’s rear. So exactly how far can you extend the front of your home without planning permission?

The short and simple answer to this question is 2 metres square area with a height not more than 3 metres. Generally, you do not need a planning permission to build a front porch as long as its area doesn’t go beyond 2 square metres from a public road or walkway. Also, a tiled or slated roof can be as much as 4 metres but other roofs must not go beyond 3 metres in height. If you want to extend the front of your home beyond the restrictions specified, then you’ll have to apply for a planning permission.

Extending the front of home can be quite costly, but this can be controlled by not building to the extension to the highest specification, not including an extension on kitchens or bathrooms and more.

A dormer loft conversion is a type of loft conversion that’s built making use of a roof’s existing slope. In other words, it’s an existing roof’s extension which is constructed in such a way that allows for an additional floor as well as head room especially suitable for lofts lacking good amount of usable space. The dormer loft conversion is simply an addition to the existing roof looking much like a box-like build constructed onto a pitched roof as it creates walls that are vertical to the slope while also being 90 degrees to the floor.

This type of loft conversion is the most common amongst homeowners in the UK mainly because it represents a cost effective means through which you can add an additional usable space to your home or property. The structure extends for the slope of the existing roof and can easily be altered to suit various tastes or styles. Furthermore, if you’re looking for a type of loft conversion that aids to foster reduced disruption to work, then dormer loft conversion is also your best bet. This is due to the fact that the structure is built from a scaffolding made outside a home.

There are different types of dormer loft conversion and the one which will best suit your property will depend on the property type, be it detached, semi detached or terraced as well as the existing roof shape and size. The dormer loft conversion is a popular choice for a lot of homeowners for a variety of reasons. Let’s have a look!

✓ It’s very cost effective

✓ The dormer loft conversion does not require planning permission so far it complies with certain conditions and limitations

✓ It adds an extra headspace as well as floor space.

There are so many benefits that comes with building a porch in your home premises. It’s an extra space where a lot can be achieved such as drying a dripping wet dog, taking off your dirty shoes or boot and lots more. So if you’re considering to construct a porch, it’s definitely going to be a wise decision. However, before you get started, there’s a need to determine if you’ll need planning permission for a porch. It’s important to take note that planning laws are dynamic and can be updated at any point, so be sure only to use trusted sources only as your guide. If you’re the homeowner or landlord, it’s entirely your responsibility to obtain the right approval for any development project you wish to carry out within your premises.

A Porch can not be termed as an extension and neither is it a conservatory, they’re basically built to the home’s front covering the main entrance using a stone base or a brick. As a result, a porch does not need planning permission due to the fact that it’s covered by the permitted development rights if the specific guidelines for porches are complied with. Below are the instances where you WILL need planning permission for a porch.

✓ If the floor space is more than 3sqm (the wall inclusive).

✓ The highest point has a height of more than 3 metres.

✓ If the porch is situated within 2 metres of a boundary directly facing on to the road.

You may need planning permission if the house is a listed building, designated area or falls under an Article 4 Direction.

In order to build a porch without planning permission, you need to consider all the criteria stated above. You can also visit the Planning Portal website to get more detailed information before getting started.

Is your driveway damaged or starting to show some signs of cracks and gaps? If yes, then you’d probably be thinking of repairing it before it gets even worse. Repairing a driveway is largely an unknown process but also a very tedious task as well. So if you’re looking to hire a professional for help, just how much is the repair going to cost? In this article, we’re going to look at the various factors that can determine the cost of a driveway repair.

In the UK, the average price of repairing a driveway is usually within the range of £1,400 to £1,800, where as the normal price of a driveway repair will range between £700 to £2,400. although some small repairs tasks can be as low as £250, while huge driveway repairs can skyrocket to about £4,200.

However, in general, the overall cost of repair a driveway can not be determined as each driveway is unique with their special repair needs. The factors that can influence the price of a driveway repair includes the material used, the perimeter of the driveway as well as the condition of the foundation. The only factor that’s not unique to any one driveway is the materials used, so let’s take a look at the differences in price using the based on the various types of materials available.

✓ Concrete. The average cost of repairing a concrete driveway is usually between £250 to £3,200. Have it in mind at most times the price of fixing an overly damaged driveway can be more than the cost of buying a new one.

✓ Asphalt. The average cost of repairing an asphalt driveway is usually between £750 to £2,800.

✓ Brick. The average cost of repairing a brick driveway is usually between £700 to £1,700.

✓ Cobblestone. The average cost of repairing a cobblestone driveway is usually between £500 to £1,600.

How Much To Board A Loft?

If you stay in a building where the space meant for storing stuffs is not sufficient, boarding your loft may be just the perfect solution for you. In several homes, the space is already present, and all you have to do is to make it more usable by boarding it out. This is unarguably one of the easiest and quickest ways to create storage space in your home.

Boarding a loft comes with a number of special benefits which includes:

• Assisting to declutter our living spaces and makes for a more spacious home.

• Creating a usable space whereby all seasonal items can be stored.

• Assisting to reduce heating bills as it prevents the loss of heat. When your loft is well boarded and insulated, it’ll help trap heat and prevent it from escaping via the roof.

• Adding to your home’s value by making your attic a very useful space for storing items.

• Helping to create a quiet space which can used for relaxation or getaway purposes and of course, this will require a bit more structural work.

So now that you’ve learnt a few of the benefits associated with boarding a loft, how much will it cost to have one made? This depends on an array of factors which includes the size of the space needed, the type of materials and labour cost.

Overall, a standard semi detached building will feature a lot of space of about 40 sqm to 50 sqm in size. There’ll be a need to add to the height of the floor joists before installing the chipboard decking boards. This job size should cost within the range of £1,000 to £1,500. It’ll require just a two-person team that are fully equipped and well versed about the processes.

How Much Does It Cost To Have A Loft Boarded?

More often than not, several homeowners fail to realize there’s so much value sitting right under their roof - the loft. When a loft is boarded, there are so many juicy benefits that can be derived. It can be used as a storage room, spare bathroom, home office and several more functions. Therefore, if you really wish to maximize the space under your home’s roof, you’d have to considering boarding it. So how much would it cost to have your loft boarded? Here, you’ll discover the cost of boarding your lofts so you that you can set a budget and start to plan.

The cost of boarding a loft is actually affordable for several individuals, simply because you’re allowed to floor as much or as little as you require. And while you’re up there flooring and fitting the loft boards, you can as well decide to upgrade the insulation of the loft too. This way, you be able to prevent heat from escaping through the roof of the house which helps improve energy efficiency and ultimately, save you some money on heating bills.

If you’d prefer to make it a DIY project, the cost of 18mm chipboard is about £8 to £10 per sheet sized 2400m x 600m. Meanwhile the insulation boards should range between £18 to £22 for a sheet.

For a professional service, you’ll be provided with a quote for both the materials and labour. The amount will be based on the number of boarding required as well as the method selected. For an average storage space needs, flooring size of about 15m2 is suitable. The price for this quantity would be between the range of £50 to £700 for the counter barren method or above £1000 for a more sophisticated method.

The importance of underpinning a house cannot be overemphasized. Firstly, what is underpinning? Well, underpinning is simply the act of reinforcing, repairing, strengthening or improving the depth of an existing foundation by lowering the footing to ensure that it rests more on more reliable and supportive soil. Not only does this method help to strengthen your building and preserve its structural integrity, but it also does increase your property’s value and gives you peace of mind knowing your property is safe. If you’re thinking about underpinning your house, you have two options – do it yourself or call in a reputable structural engineer. The latter is more advisable as the method involves a lot of specialized knowledge, skills and tools to guarantee a successful outcome. In this post, we’re going to take you through the process involved in underpinning a house. Let’s take a look!

To get started, you should know that concrete underpinning features excavating pier footings around the building at about 2 to 3 metres distance between each other. In some cases, underpins can be installed from within the house. The footings of the underpin should go very deep into the underlying soil in such a way that fully supports the weight of the building or structure. Once done, now proceed to attaching the new footing to the building. You can achieve this by excavating underneath the existing footing to make for a stronger prop. Individual prop and pier arrangement is then strengthened using strong steel bars. Once completed, the concrete is then poured.

A professional underpinning contractor will make sure there’s sufficient space left between the existing footings and the new underpins as this space will ensure that the new underpins can be easily used to jack up the house and level it once the poured concrete cures.