A Belgian water tower built in 1938 and used during the war as a watchtower was converted into a family home with spectacular results. The conversion works started in 2007.

The Building Conversion now boasts a garage with parking space for two cars, a study room, guest bedroom with it’s own en suite bathroom,a master bedroom, main bathroom, Living room, kitchen and dining room,and on the roof, a terrace.

The Kitchen

Living room & Dining Room

Bathroom

Roof Terrace

New Planning Permission regulations will allow people to build bigger house extensions than ever before, up to 8m long for detached homes and 6m for others.

The new Planning rules on extensions are expected to be only for limited amount of time, the idea behind this is to reinvigorate the construction industry by taking away the planning officers from building projects and hoping that the builders will take full advantage of the new planning rules.

Homeowners and businesses will, for a limited time, be able to build much bigger extensions without planning permission than they can at present.

The new Permitted Development Rights will make it easier to install conservatories and loft extensions without going through weeks of planning bureaucracy, the prime minister promised.

Full planning permission – required for extensions of more than three or four metres from the rear wall of any home – will only now be needed for those reaching beyond 8m for detached homes and 6m for others.

Businesses will be able to expand shops by 100 square metres and industrial units by 200 square metres.

lmost 200,000 households apply each year for permission to make improvements such as conservatories, rear extensions and garage conversions.

Application fees are typically £150 and professional fees can cost thousands more.
Under the current “existing permitted development” rules, single-storey rear extensions and conservatories can be constructed without planning permission as long as they do not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by a set distance.
For semi-detached properties, the current limit is three metres and for detached homes four metres.

Listed buildings aside, you already can build a conservatory up to 30sq metres without planning permission or building regulations. Many side and rear extensions are also exempt provided they conform to standard building regulations.

There are few reasons why people decide to extend a property ;

1. They need more space.
2. They don’t want to move.
3. They invest into the property.

In London most kitchen extensions have a flat roof or a pitched roof. Flat roof kitchen extensions are more popular due to its low cost compared to a pitched roof kitchen extension. Skylights and roof lights are very common, providing the kitchen extension with extra natural light. When building a kitchen extension, our Kitchen Extension Builders can advise you what type of kitchen extension is best for you.

Kitchen Extension with pitched roof

The construction of a Kitchen Extension with pitched roof is slightly more expensive in terms of labour and materials cost.It has advantages over the flat roofs by being more aesthetically pleasing and a longer life span.

Kitchen extension with a pitched tiled roof and a roof window

Pitched roof tiles for a kitchen extension

Kitchen Extension with a flat roof

Most flat roofs for kitchen extension are made of bitumen layers or asphalt and lead.

Kitchen Extension, asphalt flat roof and skylights

Kitchen extension, bitumen flat roof

Combination of a Kitchen Flat Roof and a Kitchen Pitched Roof

Lead flat roof for a kitchen extension

Terrace flat roofing

Contact London Kitchen Extension Builders for a free Quote.

Garage Conversion Company in London

Attached or detached Garage Conversions ?

Detached Garage Conversions
If the garage is not attached to the main building the options for a Garage Conversion are limited.

Attached Garage Conversions
In London, UK, Attached Garage Conversions are the best way to extend the main building, also cheaper than detached Garage Conversions.

Garage Design

A Garage Design & Conversion means one thing : There is not much room for external design. However, it should complement the existing main house or property.

Garage Conversion Builders in London

Loft Conversion builders in London
Our Loft Conversion Company enable our customers to use their home to its full potential by having a loft conversions.

The loft roof space can be used to create a bedroom, with or without an ensuite bathroom, a self contained flat and other domestic uses.

We have experience working on Listed Building and Conservation areas.

Garage conversions building company in London

Our builders can convert any type of garages into a bedroom, office, playroom, kitchen, bathroom, gym, home cinema,self contained flat, etc

Under the Permitted Development act, most Garage conversions do not require Planning Permission.

Garage Conversion, Converting the Garage

In London, Garage Conversions are very popular. Due to the standard size of most garages built for smaller cars, most garages are used as storage and Converting the Garage into a bedroom , living room , office or a GYM, it’s relatively cheaper than building an extension.

Garage Conversion into a studio flat, with ensuite bathroom and kitchenette

Typical Garage Conversion in London

Garage Door, Garage Floor, Heating , water supply ,drains, Wiring, Plumbing,Matching walls

If you want a bigger house, there are few options available to you.
* building a house extension
* convert the garage
* having a loft conversion

Building a House Extension is a very popular choice, especially if you can’t convert the garage and loft/roof space. Few important aspects when building an extension :

1. The design of the extension.
2. What can be built.
3. Planning Permission
4. Party Wall Agreements
5. Finding a good builder.
6. Never expect everything to go perfectly as you planned.

The design of the extension

Most popular types of extensions in London, are :

* Single storey extension ( one floor extension – ground floor extension )
* Two storey extension ( two floors house extension )
* Rear Kitchen extension
* Side house extension
* Rear and side house extension
* Side return extension

The shapes of a house extension can be very basic most of the time.
L-shaped extensions
I-shaped extensions

Planning Permission for extensions and conversions

You can have a loft conversion without planning permission, the maximum size allowed is 50 cubic metres. For house extensions, you can build a build a two-storey extension without planning permission, the maximum size is extending to maximum of 3 meters from the original house.

Any extensions or loft conversion over the Permitted Development will require Planning Permission.
Houses in Conservation areas, or Listed Buildings, will require Planning Permission.
All Building Works must comply with the Building Regulations.

How Much Does Your Building Weigh Mr Foster: The film traces the rise of one of the world’s premier architects, Norman Foster, and his unending quest to improve the quality of life through design.

http://youtu.be/EnqLIG3hukA

An interesting documentary about a man born from humble beginnings who (together with his associates) makes the urban world we live in more beautiful. Amazing shots showing building structures from great angles. I hadn’t realised his practice was responsible for the Millau Viaduct, a truly awesome structure. (I saw a programme about the building of it on Channel5 which was ace.) Norman Foster for those that aren’t familiar, is responsible for The Gherkin, in London. The documentary is a little long however, worth a watch. There is a fascinating segment at the end about the design and build of a sustainable city.