Expanding your horizons
Why do you want an extension?
The position and design of the extension depends on what you will use it for. According to Aidan Mortimer, CEO of specialist building firm Symm, people who want an extension fall into two different camps: "those who've been in a house for some while, circumstances have changed and they need more space, for example a playroom or study. They understand their property very well and will perhaps have thought through quite carefully a number of options to extend. They will have a pretty clear idea of the space they need, the style, the light they want to bring in.
"The second group is people buying a property which doesn't meet all their requirements. They may have an image of how they want to enlarge the property but they won't have lived in it, seen where the light comes in, know the bits they tend to use more."
Up, out or down?
Extending at ground level is not the only option. You may be able to convert your loft into a liveable space or create a basement. Aidan says: "Going down has the advantage that you gain space within the footprint of the existing building, but it can be expensive. It's a good way of getting functional spaces out of the way, perhaps a wine cellar or laundry. A lot depends on ground conditions and access and how they affect the practicalities?"
Aidan adds: "If you're going to the trouble of putting foundations down and extending the building, nine times out of ten it makes sense to have two storeys."
You live in a Conservation Area or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or your house is a listed building.
Extending a listed building requires obtaining listed building consent from the district council, but it is not always permitted. The extension must be sympathetic in design and materials and respectful of the scale and form of the original building. If you live in a Conservation Area or AONB, you will need planning permission to carry out certain work, so speak to a planning officer at your local council first.
Natalie Hill, enquiry officer for conservation and design at South Oxfordshire District Council says: "We recommend people have a look at the policies that we have to work within. For example the PPG15, (find it through Google), planning in historical environments, which is government guidance covering listed buildings and conservation areas. For example the removal of a chimney or fireplace is almost never acceptable."
Every district council has a local plan, containing policies that relate to historical buildings and the conservation area and a design guide, which tells you which styles are suitable for an area. You can usually find these on district council websites.
Traditional or contemporary style?
Unless planning rules restrict you, your extension doesn't have to match the rest of the house. David Hurcombe, architect and Managing Director of Apex Architecture says: "Sometimes you try and match bricks, roof tiles etc, but there's a conservation term 'honest repair' - most conservation officers would like to be able to see the history of the building. Sometimes it's appropriate to do a traditional extension in keeping with the property; sometimes we would do a very contemporary 21st century extension so you can see the distinction between the old and the new."
How do you obtain planning permission?
The government's website www.planningportal.gov.uk is packed with useful information about the planning process. Firstly you need to find out what planning polices relate to your house and what planning applications have been approved or refused in the past. You need to apply for planning permission if your extension would be nearer to any public highway than the nearest part of the 'original house' - the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date) unless there would be at least 20 metres between the extension and the highway. Also if more than half the area of land around the 'original house' would be covered by the extension, or if the extension exceeds certain limits on height or volume.
What possible problems could you face, and how could these be avoided?
Don't rush the design stage and make sure you employ a reputable surveyor, architect and builder who specialise in period properties; these are listed on the website www.buildingconservation.com.
Aidan advises: "Stake out where the building's going to be, imagine how you'd use the space, really put time into the planning process and listed building application. At a later stage it will cost you more to re-design and alter things. The planning process can take months so use that time usefully to engage in meaningful discussions with the builders and quantity surveyor, exploring costs and challenges. If you're very open-minded bring in a builder even prior to submitting a planning application, to get an idea of the difficulty and cost early on."
He adds: "It's almost inevitable that once you start knocking old buildings around you uncover structural challenges that you couldn't forsee at the outset. You also have to consider existing services, heating, hot and cold water, electrical wiring. Your boiler may not be big enough to heat the additional space. Take a holistic view of the building and go in with your eyes open."
