Find a Builder you can trust in Taunton.

After making the decision to refurbish your home or property, the next obvious step is finding the right builder to get the job done. The process of getting a good and reliable builder can be a very tricky one especially when you don’t plan ahead. And in truth, the outcome of your house refurbishment project can only be as good as the contractor your hire. Consequently, finding the perfect builder for your task should be a top priority to get the best return on investment. Here are a few sources that will put you in the right direction to finding a reliable home refurbishment company.

✓ Friends, Relatives & Neighbours

If you have a friend, relative or neighbour that have recently completed a home refurbishment project, you can go for a visit to check out the work done. If you’re pleased with the work, you can proceed to ask about the work ethics of the builder and get the contact if satisfied.

✓ Internet

With the rapid rise of online technology, there’s hardly a service you can’t find on the internet. Websites like HomeAdvisor have been helping people find their desired service providers with relative ease for so long. To get the right building contractor online, it’s advisable to check reviews as well as testimonials before moving forward. Nowadays, you’re most likely going to find so many positive online reviews as some businesses now go to the extent of dubiously writing good reviews for their companies. As a result, it’s recommended to pay closer attention to the negative reviews and check if it’s something you can cope with before hiring a contractor.

✓ Store Contact Lists

You’ll discover a long list of building contractors on several stores trading building materials. These builders may not be affiliated with the store owners, but many stores see it as their responsibility to point you in the right direction so that the building materials acquired from them can be put to good use.

So you’ve identified the type of garden room you’d like to construct in your property, chances are, you’ve already worked out where to put it and can’t wait wait to start spending valuable time on it. It’s very understandable to be a little impatient with the whole idea considering the numerous benefits provided by a garden, but just before you proceed with your plans there’s the need to first check whether or not you’re going to need a planning permission.

Factors determining whether you’ll need a planning permission includes where you intend to place it, the size of the room, how it’s going to be used as well as your location.

Generally, most garden rooms do not require a planning permission as they are categorized as outbuildings. In other words, you’re permitted to construct one so far you comply with some specific rules and have permitted development rights at your home or in your area.

If you want to build your garden room under permitted development, you have to comply with the following rules:

✓ The garden room shouldn’t be in front of your home or property.

✓ The total area of your extensions, sheds and outbuildings ( which includes your garden room), must not go beyond 50 percent of the total land area surrounding your property.

✓ It must be a single storey that’s less than 3 metres high ( 4 metres for a dual pitched roof). And it must not go beyond 2.5 metres in height if the structure is within 2 metres of your boundary.

✓ The eaves must not go beyond 2.5 metres above ground level.

✓ It must not feature a balcony, veranda or any raised platform

✓ It must not be a self contained living accommodation.

You should note that if your home is a listed building or you happen to live in a designated area, then you might not have permitted development rights.

Cavity wall insulation is basically the process of installing an insulating material between the two layers of brick making up a cavity wall, either as a retrofit measure or at the time of building. Obviously this is not a choice if you have solid wall, but for those who do possess a cavity wall, it represents an opportunity you may not want to let slide as it is a worthwhile and affordable wall insulation option. Clearly, cavity wall insulation will make your home or property feel warmer, but it also does come with a range of other benefits which is why we’d recommend installing it. In this post, we’re going to look at a number of reasons why having a cavity wall insulation done is a good idea.

• It’s one of the cheapest energy saving measures that’s available. Not only is cavity wall insulation really effective, but it can also deliver great saving. In other words, it possesses a bigger payback compared to other options. When compared to other types of insulation, you can’t install cavity walls insulation by yourself, however it’s not so expensive to have it installed. The cost of the insulation will be determined by a number of factors such as your location, the company hired and more.
• It reduces your energy bills. Cavity wall insulation can save you about £100 to £200 on a yearly basis on heating bills. In other words, this is usually able to pay for itself in as little as two years.
• It reduces your carbon carbon footprint. If your home is heated with gas or electricity like several other homes, producing that energy involves burning fossil fuels which is known to be hazardous for the environment. If the heat generated is now allowed to escape through the walls, that means you’d have to use more to keep up your required temperature. Installation of cavity wall insulation in homes will enable a more efficient usage of the energy which will ultimately cut UK’s carbon usage.

There are many different types of extension. For example, you could install an orangery, flat or pitched roof extension, over-structure extension, single or double storey extension or a glass box extension. Which one of these is most suitable will depend on your existing property.

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.

If you’ve decided to construct a porch to your property and now looking to figure out the cost required to complete the project, then you’re at the right place!

There are many factors that comes to play when determining the price of building a porch. These factors includes the size of the porch, the number of windows, the style of the roof as well as the type of the porch selected. Now let’s take a look at these factors one after the other.

• The Porch’s Size

As you would have correctly imagined, a large porch will definitely cost more money than a smaller one. A rough estimate of a porch’s cost per square metre is approximately £1,400.

• The Number Of Windows

Just like in the scenario above, the more the number of windows to be incorporated, the more money you’ll have to pay to complete your porch. A porch window will generally cost you within a range of £300 to £1,000

• The Style Of The Roof

There are two popular styles of porch’s roof which includes a tiled rood and a rubber flat roof. Generally, roof tiles are costlier than a rubber flat roof. A tiled roof would cost you between £0.80 to £1.80 per roof tile, while a rubber roofing will cost your between £70 to £90 per metre squared.

• Type Of The Porch

Another huge determinant of a porch’s price is type of material incorporated. For instance, if your preferred type is a lean-to, the price of a uPVC would be between £2,300 to £2,700. Meanwhile, a flat gable roof porch should cost within a range of £3,300 to £3,800.

Kindly note that the costs quoted in this article are only rough estimates, for a more accurate estimate you can contact a porch building professional within your local area.

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.

If you’ve converted a non-residential barn into a home, you might be able to reclaim some of the VAT that you’ve paid for your project. This includes money spent on:

• Construction materials

• Flooring

• Light fittings

• Kitchen units and worktops

• Electrical, heating and plumbing materials

To reclaim your VAT from HMRC, make sure you request and keep all of your invoices. You’ll also need proof of planning permission and evidence of completion. You should then submit your claim with all relevant paperwork within three months of receiving your completion certificate. You’re only allowed to submit one claim, so you’ll need to make sure you get it right first time.