Butbefore checking with the relevant authorities, answer these questions:
Have you told your neighbours?
Can the building work be carried out in such a way as to cause the minimum of disruption?
Will the planned extension or renovation be in line with the style and look of your house and the neighbourhood?
Will you be able to secure your home during the building process?You may want to check with a security expert before the work begins.
Plan ahead
Ifyou begin work without acquiring the appropriate permission, the council canmake you stop what you're doing or in the worst case scenario, request that thebuilding is returned to its original form.So don't take chances, contact the relevant authorities before any workbegins.
Youwill probably need permission if you are going to extend your home, if you planto divide your house to provide a separate dwelling or for a business, or ifthe renovation will obscure the view of road users.
Forless significant changes, such as putting up a wall or a fence below a certainheight, it is less likely that permission will be needed, but you still need tocheck, especially if you live in a conservation area or a listed building.
Employ someone trustworthy
Onceyou have your paperwork in order and you are ready to go, your next step is tofind a builder who you can trust to finish the job within budget and schedule.It helps if someone you know can recommend abuilder, but a good place to start looking is the National Federation ofBuilders.Their website, http://www.builders.org.uk, has a list ofaccredited builders.
Chooseat least three builders and ask them to provide a quote in writing.You are allowed to ask for their publicliability insurance and you should follow up on their references before makingany decisions.
Onceyou have made your choice, draw up a contract.The contract will outline the work that needs to be carried out, thetimescale of the work, hours of work, payment schedule and end date for theproject.
Building standards
Thereare set standards that need to be adhered to when designing and constructing abuilding.These standards help to ensurethe health and safety of project stakeholders, as well as things like energyconservation and building access.
Butremember, accidents can still happen so it's a good idea to protect yourself andyour finances by taking out insurancethat will cover any work done to your house.It shouldn't slow down the process; it's possible to get an insurancequote quickly online.
Itis the builder's responsibility to ensure that any work carried out on yourproperty complies with the Building Regulations, but it is your responsibilityto check this with the builder before work begins.
Ifthe work does not comply, then it is up to you to apply for an enforcementnotice.
