Find a Builder you can trust in Betchworth.

Finding a builder nearby can have enormous assistance when it comes to your build. Period on site, their familiarity of local planning permission, constructors’ dealers and other local trades are all vital bits of knowledge that you’ll welcome on site.

It is always wise to walk around in your local area or drive to a site where any construction work is going on. It’ll give you a proper impression of the constructors who are active nearby. You don’t have to like their style of work or the project they are currently carrying out – after all, a builder can only produce what’s on the plans in front of them.

Find a Builder Other Tradesmen Recommend

If you’ve had to call an electrician before or a local plumber and liked their work, you can always ask them if they have any builders whom they would recommend. Maximum tradesmen get used to seeing the similar acquainted names from one place to another in the sites they are working on and every so often has favourites for who they like to work with — and who they see as a good source of work.

Always Talk to Previous Customers

Once you’ve found a builder you would like to work with, ask them for a list of previous customers they have worked with; they ought to be glad to offer particulars if they’re self-assured they’ve done an effective job.

Look for a builder online

A decent place to start looking for builders online is on sites like the ours so that you can find quality tradespeople and see genuine reviews from previous customers. Not all online review sites can be trusted to display real reviews.

A barn conversion is where an agricultural building is altered to serve a different purpose. Lots of barns conversion projects involve converting an old barn into one or more homes. However, barns can also be converted into other types of commercial building, like offices.

If you’re about to start your house extension project and wondering how long it’ll take to complete, you’re not alone! This is one of the most common questions that’s asked by homeowners in the UK and across the globe. However, there’s no single precise answer for this as there are multiple factors that’ll affect the length of time it’ll take to complete your home extension. These factors include the size of the construction work as well as whether you’re planning to live in the house after completion or otherwise.

For a single extension, the length of time it’ll take to complete the home extension is normally up to 3 months. So let’s break this down:

As you would have expected, the first step to be taken is the preparation of the site. You start by digging out the footing and preparing the foundation which should take about 2 weeks. This is then followed by the damp course installation as well as the fitting of any drains needed around the extension which will also take a further 2 weeks.

The 5th week will be for the construction of the external walls as well as putting the blockwork in place for the provision of the cavity wall insulation. A further 2 weeks after this, will be dedicated to the installation of the roof structure and the internal walls.

It’s at this junction that you’ll call on your weather proof installer to fit in your uPVC windows and doors. Once done, the gas fitters and electricians will have to be on site to connect power to your new extension building. Subsequently, this will be followed by internal wall plastering as well as breaking through your main house. Once the plaster is dried, decorations completed and all the required furniture and units installed, the extension is ready for use.

It’s a fact that a garage conversion can go a long way to add a resale value to a home or property. Therefore, in the event whereby your home already has parking facilities in place you can put into consideration converting your garage into a habitable space which will add to the sales price of the house by adding an extra room or increasing the floor space. So exactly how much does a garage conversion add to your home’s resale value?

Garage conversions can be seen as a cost effective means of adding more space to your house. However, not only does it add space, but can also add up to 20 percent to the value of your home. It’s also a way of adding an extra living space to your home that’s not under strict planning complication unlike the alternatives. Generally, if your garage happens to be connected to your house, the cost of converting it to another room should between £10,000 to £20,000. As a home owner, converting your garage into an extra room can help increase the value of your home by up to £45,000. And if you’re to comply with the set rules under permitted development rights, you may not even require to submit a planning application.

In the event whereby your garage is detached from your house or perhaps you live in a flat ( or maisonette) or a listed building , you’ll need to apply to the local authority before commencing your project. It’s always wise to check if there aren’t any planning conditions attached to your home or property.

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.

Well, just like many other team work, a bricklayer is only as good as his supporting cast. And a hard-working labourer should be able to keep three bricklayer gangs happy. But even when he gets to serve just one bricklayer, the site conditions and nature of the wall can also play a huge role in determining the number of bricks that can be laid within 24 hours.

With the best possible site condition, hard-working labourer and best scenario with no pillars, no face brick, long straight wall and no wall ties, a well trained bricklayer should be able to lay within a range of 800 to 1100 bricks all day long. However, you rarely get walls like this as there is always going to be some corner or curve somewhere which usually takes some time to get right. Furthermore, once the bricklayer has laid up to 5 feet, there’ll be a need to get some lift. From that point onwards, the job understandably gets slower and tougher - meaning there’ll most definitely be a face brick.

In addition, there are multiple other factors that can affect the number of bricks that can be laid in a day. Sometimes its the complex designs or weather that’ll determine the daily rate.

With the aforementioned factors and more realistically, on a good day and great site, an expert bricklayer should be able to lay about 500 to 800 bricks in a day. This is generally a very good target, but of course you never can tell with the reasons above and other factors that are simply beyond the control of the bricklayer. If you have a project and want it completed as soon as possible, you can pay the bricklayers based on the number of bricks laid to increase their efficiency.

Windows or lightwells can be a great way to introduce natural light into your basement, making it a more valuable, enjoyable space. However, they’re not always an essential requirement.

It’s important for your basement conversion to meet ventilation and fire safety building regulations. Windows can be a good way to do this, but they’re not the only option. Stack or mechanical ventilation, or ensuring that stairs up from your basement connect to an exit can be a good alternative.

So, while windows can be a great asset to your basement conversion, if you can’t afford them or they’re not structurally feasible, you can still create a basement conversion without them.

Over the years, garden rooms have gradually become a popular choice amongst homeowners as a cost effective way of expanding living space within a home or property. A garden room is basically a living space and a type of pavilion building made from wood that’s well insulated, double glazed as well as electrically wired. It’s however a building which is subsidiary to the main one, built with the purpose of creating an extra functional space within the property. These garden outbuildings are very functional and can be used as a garden studio, office, salon and much more. They can also be incorporated for recreational purposes for evening relaxations, family and friends get-together, lounge or even spa. Other possible uses of a garden room include gyms, pool houses, playrooms, dens, home cinemas and game rooms.

Garden rooms are functional living spaces that are usable throughout the year. And with the rate at which their popularity is growing, you’ll find some companies offering cheap and low quality alternatives featuring shed like construction and felt roof. Garden rooms, on the other hand, are a valuable investment with superior designs and top notch build. They’re constructed in a very similar way to houses with timber frames. Furthermore, they are fully insulated and can also include the normal building solutions such as heating and running water, electricity and many more depending on the requirements of the home or property owner. With the durability of garden rooms being a major objective, they’re typically clad in natural solid timber like Cedar, Larch or Acacia. Materials such as EPDM rubber or cedar shingles are normally used for the roof covering. What’s more? They usually have large expanses of glazing and glazed doors fitted.