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Do I Need Planning Permission For A Loft Room?

The answer to this question is maybe. Generally, loft rooms are covered under “Permitted Development which means you won’t need to apply for a planning permission to build a loft room. This is like an advance planning permission provided by local authorities to allow some particular building works to be done such as loft conversions, rear extensions and more. When you’re covered by a “Permitted Development, you’re given the free range to oversee your home’s development without much interference from the regulations or the council. However, for permitted development to apply, there are some specific criteria that must be met. Therefore, if your loft room does not meet the following requirements given below, then you must complete a planning application before proceeding.

• In a terraced house, the converted loft space must not be more than 40 cubic metres.

• In a detached building or semi detached house, the converted loft space must not be more than 50 cubic metres.

• The existing roof slope at the front of the house must cover the extension made.

• The extension should not increase the height of the roof in any way.

• Verandas, balconies and any other structures of this nature must not be included in the extension’s plan.

• The side facing window openings should be at a minimum of 1.7 metres above the ground. The windows must be obscured as well.

• The roof extension should be set back as far as practically possible. It should be at a minimum of 20cm from the current eaves.

• The roof extension should not overhang the house’s roof or it’s wall.

• The materials to be incorporated must be the same or at least similar to what you already have on the house’s exterior.

This depends on the amount of insulation already present in your property. However, adding insulation has been proven to improve the energy efficiency of your home and decrease your heating bills, this is more obvious in older properties or where single glazing is still in situ.

Insulating a cavity wall should not affect the damp proofing of the wall. All insulation approved for use in cavity walls has been tested to ensure that it does not allow damp to pass through the wall. Some walls which receive a lot of wind driven rain are unsuitable for cavity wall insulation.

The short and simple answer is yes, fitted wardrobes add value to any home or property. Owning a home is mostly the single most expensive asset that a person can possess. And as a result, your home is a very special asset that you’d want to make conducive and maintain to the best of your ability. To retain the value of your home or even add to it, you have to learn how to maximize its potentials using different means. In the UK, a big issue for most households is usually the lack of storage space and most especially, the quickly shaped bedrooms which is really affected with storage problems. It almost always seems like there isn’t enough space to keep our clothes as well as the never-ending portfolio of accessories, devices and gadgets. Therefore, an extra or excess usable room inside a home is always a premium.

In other words maximizing the space you have, especially the unused ones, is a great way to add value to your property. Custom made fitted wardrobes are a great means to making the most out of the space within your home and are also designed to last for several years. Unlike the freestanding wardrobes, modern and fitted wardrobes are not only visually appealing, but they’re also customizable to fully maximize every inch of space within the room. As a result, they’re the ideal solution especially for loft rooms where the bedroom may be slope or oddly shaped to make the best out of the space available.

Potential investors are always eager to invest in homes with enough space that are well maximized. Therefore, a fitted wardrobe will not only help you create a better demand for your home at the point of selling, but it’ll also go a long to increase its value in so many ways.

This is an individual who is trained in the art of working with concrete blocks or bricks, clay bricks as well as other kinds of mortar building materials. In a combination of these materials and good bricklaying skills, a bricklayer can build and repair veneer as well as full brick construction, arches, partitions and other structures.

Contrary to many beliefs, a bricklayer actually does more than laying of bricks. There’s more to being a bricklayer than you can probably think of. A single bricklaying projects requires a wide array of skills. Let’s have a look at these skills!

• Using damp resistant materials to seal foundations.

• Spreading mortar between joints and applying them to serve as a thick layer binding the bricks together in rows.

• Reading and working from specifications as well as plans.

• Working with brick-cutting machines.

• Taking charge and caring for cement blocks or bricks, clay bricks and the likes.

• Construction of scaffolding - subject to possession of some licenses in some states.

A bricklayer mostly works outdoors, in the field and may also work at heights. Depending on the job, a bricklayer can work as part of a team or be in contact with the public. They are mostly recruited by building and construction companies and bricklaying sub contractors. However, they can also set up their own private construction firm or become a self employed tradesperson.

A bricklaying qualification is one of just two construction trades which can continue to become a registered builder. And regardless of the form a bricklaying employment takes, there are certain qualities that makes a really good bricklayer. These includes:

• Ability to work at heights and outdoors

• Enjoy practical work

• Technical aptitude

• Good hand-eye coordination

• Independent and yet a team player too

• Top physical fitness

• Attitude and attendance.

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.

Patios do not require lots of maintenance. They will only need occasional cleaning to make sure that the material keeps its original appearance. It's always best to clean your patio with a pressure washer and occasionally tap each slab or brick just to check the sand underneath hasn't washed away.

Are you about to start a new construction job when it’s a heavily rainy period? Or perhaps you’re just interested in knowing how bricklayers work. Well regardless of your purpose, one thing you should know is laying of bricks has a few rules and one of them is not to lay a brick wall when its raining. This is mainly because your structure’s quality and integrity would be heavily compromised if water comes in contact with the mortar before it gets the time to dry. However, with the help of a concrete protective tent, you can prevent water from coming in contact and damaging the mortar. So let’s look at the procedures to follow to work in the rain!

lDetermine The Concrete Protective Tents Required

• Concrete protective tents come in various sizes so you have to know what’s required to get the job done.

• Firstly, calculate the amount of space required to lay the brick wall

• Then, incorporate the appropriate size and number of tents.

lSet Up The Tents

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to set up the tents

• Once installed, the tent should extend past the location for the bricklaying and slope downwards.

l Access The Area

• Inspect the location during rainfall to ensure water is not sneaking through.

lBuild a Lumber Frame

• Use 2 to 4 pieces of lumber to build a frame.

• Set it into the ground depending on the size of your wall

lApply Concrete or Mortar

• Fill up the frame with either concrete or mortar.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to allow the mixture to cure.

lPrepare the Brick Wall’s Mortar

• Mix the mortar for the brick wall construction

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction for the process.

When you’re done laying the bricks, you can remove the protective tents once you’re certain the rain has stopped. Exposure to sun and air will speed up the curing process, which is quite important to protect the integrity of your structure.