Find a Builder you can trust in Stockport.

Builders are everywhere, but finding one for your project can be tricky and stressful, with both cost and reliability coming into question. This is even more worrisome when you’re fully aware that your house extension can only be as good as the builder. If you’re also facing the same challenge, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll share with you some tips on how to choose a professional and reliable builder who’ll ensure you get immense value for every penny spent. Let’s take a look!

✓ Ask for recommendations. To find a tradesperson, not just a builder, personal recommendations is the best way to go. Building a house extension is a major undertaking which comes with a lot of costs, so if you’re going to do it the least you can do is ensure you do it right. Carry out your research, ask friends and family, neighbours and loved ones if the know of any reliable builder in the local area. If they’ve have one they’ve used, you can request for the cost, quality of the job done, the duration of the project and any other detail you feel you should know.

✓ Search Online. Use our search feature to look at the builders available or submit and enquiry and we will find you one. Our site holds details of numerous builders and building companies which you can go through their ratings to select the best.

✓ Select a reliable builder from trading association. Most reliable builders are usually a member of a recognized trading association or the other. Though this is not obligatory for builders, but it can be used as a dependable medium to find a good builder. We list what trade association the builders are a member of.

How To Repair Sunken Concrete Driveway

If you have concrete driveway that’s cracked, uneven and mostly especially sunken, you’d know how distasteful it can be just viewing it on your property. A sunken concrete driveway is most likely caused by rainwater erosion removing the soil under it or a big root under it which as rotted over time. Another possible cause of the sunken concrete is an improperly prepared base which implies that the soil beneath wasn’t fully compact when the concrete was poured on it. Later on the soil beneath will eventually settle and shift below the concrete driveway which weakens the integrity of the entire driveway, making it more vulnerable to cracks, unevenness and sunken.

Two ways in which you can fix this problem includes either demolishing the whole driveway, re-compact the soil underneath and fill with new concrete or repair the entire driveway using an easy process called slabjacking. In this article, we’re going to look at the slabjacking repair process as it’s significantly less expensive than the demolishing approach and will also cause minimal disruption to your lifestyle.

Also referred to as mudjacking or concrete lifting, slabjacking is simply a process used to float your existing concrete back to its original position. If you are not a competent DIYer or lack confidence to pull this off, we’d recommend reach out to a professional for help. If otherwise, then you can practice the slabjacking process given below.

✓ Drill holes through the slab.

✓ Pump grout mixture through the holes. This mixture will spread out beneath he driveway and raise it up.

✓ Lastly, fill the holes and level the concrete driveway surface.in such a way to hide the signs of the repair made.

This is a process that works to efficiently get your driveway back in a top condition relatively quickly.

Rendering a house comes with a plethora of benefits. Not only is it able to brighten up houses that looks tired especially those with damaged brickwork or having discoloured render, but its also the final step of external wall insulation.

If you own a 3 bed house, you’ll probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to have it rendered. If yes, then you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we aim to look at the cost of rendering a house using the standard 3 bed house as an example. Firstly, it should be stated that there are numerous factors that affects the price of a rendering a house which includes the rendering type, the size of the house, the ease of access, the prep work required, whether or not scaffolding will be needed as well as your location and the quality of the contractor your hire. Out of all these factors, the most significant variables are probably the type of rendering you go for and the size of the house.

There are three types of render and the one you opt for will play a key role in the price of your 3 bed house. In this article, we’re basing our cost estimate for a 3 bed house (3 bed detached) on the size ranging from 110 per square metre to 160 per square metre. Now let’s look at the cost per square metre of each rendering type.

✓ The silicone or acrylic thin coat render is usually the most expensive option of the lot due to the fact that they’re the newest and also the best type of render. This rendering type usually costs within the range of £45 to about £75 per square metre.

✓ The monocouche modern through coloured rendering type are able to offer a decorative and waterproof finish for walls. They usually costs within the range of £35 to about £70 per square metre.

✓ Sand and cement render type is the traditional type which has been applied for several years. This rendering type usually costs within the range of £20 to about £45 per square metre.

General construction work should be restricted to the following hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Saturdays 8am to 1pm. Most councils advice that noisy work is prohibited on Sundays and bank holidays but you should check with your local council to confirm this.

As with every home development project, a home makeover comes with heaps of preparation and, hard work, but it is a remarkable way to breathe new life into an old home.

RESEARCH PERIOD FEATURES AND SAFEGUARD THEM

Get to know your household better, the time it was constructed in, and the kind of individuals who would have lived there. The greatest tactic is to repair current structures, make the house dry and safe.

CHECK FOR RENOVATION RESTRICTIONS BEFORE YOU START

There are certain restrictions that don’t allow you to remodel your house after a certain extent, it should be made clear to you when you purchase the property but if you are unsure about the regulations you should check them up, as it is a criminal offence to carry out unauthorised work to a listed home. Restrictions in Conservation Areas generally affect only the exterior of the property as the intention is to ‘preserve or enhance the character or appearance’ of an area, but the right to develop your house will be affected. This means the kind of work that you could have easily completed in a different location may need certain planning and even permissions to complete in your area.

CREATE A DESIGN FOR YOUR HOUSE RENOVATION

It is very important that you take your time to perfect the design. This will help to ensure that the finished work is in tune with your needs. You will also need to figure it out how the changes might play with the original building.

FIND THE BEST CONTRACTORS FOR YOUR RENOVATION

If you are planning on managing the renovation project yourself, it is advisable to ask from friends or family who have renovated their house before and have undergone a similar experience. They can help you find the right architect and builder. Or else, you can always opt for a project manager.

Driveways usually sink because they haven’t been laid properly. They may not have been dug deep enough, or the installer might not have used the right materials. This will need to be corrected at the earliest opportunity, although in extreme cases, the driveway may need to be completly be relaid.

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.

Well the reality is, sometimes, neighbours just don’t get along. With several individuals living in close proximity, it’s little surprise they tend to get on one another’s nerves from time to time. However, there’s a difference between having a tiff and being able to transform your house the way you want without having to obtain your neighbour’s approval.

The short and simple answer to this question is, not necessarily. However, you must first educate yourself by thinking about your extension and how it affects the houses around you. We’d strongly recommend you talk proposals through with your neighbour so as to avoid possible conflicts later. There are a number of reasons why your neighbour can protest to your new home extension plans. Let’s take a look!

• In the event whereby your new extension is blocking their view or providing an unwanted shade on their property. Here, they have a legitimate reason to protest as no one would want their once sunny garden suddenly covered or plummet into shade.
• In the event where it leads to a loss of privacy. For instance, if your new extension possesses a window which overlooks the neighbour’s property in any way. This is likely to be taken as an invasion of privacy and that has a little to no chance of being a welcomed idea.
• If it’s a major project and going to take a lot of weeks before completion. The noise generated, especially when your neighbours are enjoying your summer holidays or weekends, can make their gardens not as relaxing as it used to be.