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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.

The holy grail of home extensions is basically the need for additional space for living as well as leisure. However, before commencing your home extension project, you’d probably want to know just how big your new building can be. In this article, you’ll find the answer to this question which is also frequently asked by many other home or property owners in the UK.

Besides your budget, there are two other major influencing factors that can determine just how much extra room that can be added. These factors include whether you wish to carry out the extension project under Permitted Development rights which is usually for a smaller project or you’d prefer to opt for a larger project which is covered by Planning Permission.

Apart from the limitations in the size of an extension under Permitted Development, the extensions are also a lot more affordable and consumes less time when compared to the extensions under planning permission. So what exactly is the size limit for an extension under Permitted Development and the ones under Planning Permission?

For a single storey extension, the maximum size that can be constructed without having to submit an application for Planning Permission includes:

• An extension should have a maximum length of 6m, if you reside in a terraced home or a semi-detached property.

• Extensions for detached properties can have a maximum length of 8m.

• The extension built must not go beyond half your garden’s area.

• The extension should have a maximum height of 4 metres, but in the event whereby the extension is situated within 2 metres of the boundary of your property, it should not exceed a height of 3 metres.

• The extension should not be higher than the highest part of the existing house’s roof.

There are two main types of cladding. The first is material cladding, which refers to layers of a material that are attached to the external walls. The material used could be timber, PVC, stone, or other materials. The second type of cladding is rendering, where a coat of plaster is applied to the wall.

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.

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.

In recent times, more and more home and property owners are starting to come to terms with the large returns and little investment in cavity wall insulation provides. For a relatively little amount you can achieve a lot, from an increase in your home’s energy efficiency and reduction in heating bills to a huge boost in your property’s resale value and lots more. This makes you wonder how an ordinary insulation can help you achieve so much, right? Well, you’re definitely not alone! Several other potential investors are also eager to know exactly how the cavity wall insulation works to deliver all these juicy benefits. In this post, we’re going to go provide you with a detailed insight on how cavity wall insulation works. Let’s take a look!

Typically, cavity wall insulation works as acting as a shield which prevents the escape of heat from your home. It features a reflective surface which serves as a barrier to reflect heat from one side of the panel, effectively minimizing the amount of heat conduction that escapes through. This protection of your home from heat penetration comes with a couple of benefits with the obvious one being an incredible thermal efficiency. An insulated home or property is able to maintain a much more balanced temperature throughout the year – staying a lot cooler during the summer months and retain the heat generated during the winter months. However, a less talked about benefit is the fact that when an insulation is done during the construction of a house, the whole development phase can be completed a lot quicker. This is mainly because insulation offers total protection against weather conditions which enables internal trades to continue without the need to wait for brickwork or cladding to be completed.

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.

Rendering of a house is one of those projects that can greatly improve the visual appeal of your home, enhance it’s energy efficiency, protect the brickwork from the elements and ultimately, add value to your home. Generally, the cost of rendering a house normally costs within the range of £25 to £70 per metre square, while the average cost house rendering costs stands at about £40 per square metre. Therefore, a 3 bedroom semi detached house will cost within the range of £4000 to about £5000.

The total cost of rendering a house is determined by a wide range of factors. These factors includes the following:

✓ Type of the rendering. There are three main types of rendering which includes sand and cement rendering, monocouche rendering as well as acrylic or silicone rendering. However, re-rendering applies to sand and cement sooner and it’ll also have to be painted every 3 to 6 years. Consequently, longer term cost can be higher when compared to the other types.

✓ Ease of access. Where your contractor will have to work around obstacles like shrubs or conservatory, this can make the cost a bit higher as it’ll take longer time to complete.

✓ Prep work. If the contractor needs to fill some cracks or perhaps an old mortar requires tuck pointing before rendering can be started, this will also affect the cost.

✓ Scaffolding. In the event whereby the job requires the use of scaffolding and you’ll have to hire one as a different cost, then the price will be higher.

✓ Your location. Due to the high standards of living and higher demands in areas like London or the Southeast, prices in these regions are usually higher than that of the other regions like Midlands and North.