Building a house Extension

1. How to find an builder for your house extension

It is easy to waste valuable time contacting and describing your job to builders who are not necessarily available for or interested in your particular job. We make this process quick and easy. Simply post a job ad for free and we will contact extension builders in your area of the UK for you. You will receive tenders by email from builders interested in your job. You will be able to check the references provided and view feedback left by previous myworkman users.

2. Planning permission

Most house extensions, though not all, involve getting Planning Permission approval from your local council. Always remember that councils may have different views on planning applications depending on where you live. The use of an architect or architectural technologist will be helpful here as they deal with councils planning departments all the time.

3. Building Regulations

These Regulations apply to most building work, whether it is inside or outside the building. New buildings, extensions and even additions such as extra washing facilities and hot water storage systems all need approval before work starts. The Regulations are essentially a set of minimum building standards which provide acceptable levels of health and safety for people including those who are disabled, who live, work, visit or are in the vicinity of buildings. It is the responsibility of the Building Control Division of the local council to enforce the Building Regulations. These regulations change on a regular basis to keep in-line with new laws. Examples where regulations have changed in recent years is in the area of access for the disabled. External doors need to be a certain width to allow for wheelchair access. Also, newly built homes do not have the step in at the front door that most houses built in previous years have. Also the internal doors downstairs have a minimum width which is again wider that previously. Other regulations deal with ventilation. All new double-glazed windows must have the integrated vents - this is not the case for replacement windows.

4. Tips on employing builders

Before employing a builder, we recommend reading our tips on employing tradesmen.