Single story rear extension - north Leeds

[lewisf182]

Getting a rear extension for the new house for me and my girlfriend. I've had one quote already but want to get a couple more and am hoping some of you PH lot have some good companies to recommend? I know there's review sites & stuff these days but they are so easily manipulated I'd rather trust the PH faithful!


So, any recommendations?

Also be interested to hear about roughly what you paid for yours, what you wish you did differently even?
Mine will be roughly 5.5 x 3m, 3 x vilux windows & full width Bi folds at the rear. Completely open plan into the rest of the house.

Also, It's permitted development but struggling to work out whether I need to submit proper drawings from an architect, whether I need party wall agreements etc... there's a planning portal but it's all so vague I just need a step 1,2,3 jobby.
If you do need above, any recommendations on Architects etc. also appreciated!

[vaud]

MAS Design have been recommended to me a number of times and I have seen a lot of their work locally.

[Baldy881]

lewisf182 said:

Getting a rear extension for the new house for me and my girlfriend. I've had one quote already but want to get a couple more and am hoping some of you PH lot have some good companies to recommend? I know there's review sites & stuff these days but they are so easily manipulated I'd rather trust the PH faithful!


So, any recommendations?

Also be interested to hear about roughly what you paid for yours, what you wish you did differently even?
Mine will be roughly 5.5 x 3m, 3 x vilux windows & full width Bi folds at the rear. Completely open plan into the rest of the house.

Also, It's permitted development but struggling to work out whether I need to submit proper drawings from an architect, whether I need party wall agreements etc... there's a planning portal but it's all so vague I just need a step 1,2,3 jobby.
If you do need above, any recommendations on Architects etc. also appreciated!

We're currently having a similar extension built, size is a little larger at approx 6 x 3.5. Two velux and 4 metre grey alu bi folds in the rear, not fully open plan as I wanted to retain the option to keep some separation from the main house but open it through when wanted.

The permitted development and plans etc is an odd one. We've proceeded under building regs only (which cost £660 on floor area), so no plans submitted. The building notice receipt came with a letter saying they couldn't establish if we needed permission, have ignored so far (!!) but the building inspector has been out already to view foundations and nothing has been said.

We are finishing exterior with a colour through render, but did price up both render and brick finish. Cost difference was negligible. Roof is to be pitched and tiled. Total for ours is about £32k (inc VAT), this includes the 4 metre bi folds, electrics & plumbing, but not the cost of radiators/lights etc

This is where we're up to...

[lewisf182]

Baldy881 said:

lewisf182 said:

Getting a rear extension for the new house for me and my girlfriend. I've had one quote already but want to get a couple more and am hoping some of you PH lot have some good companies to recommend? I know there's review sites & stuff these days but they are so easily manipulated I'd rather trust the PH faithful!


So, any recommendations?

Also be interested to hear about roughly what you paid for yours, what you wish you did differently even?
Mine will be roughly 5.5 x 3m, 3 x vilux windows & full width Bi folds at the rear. Completely open plan into the rest of the house.

Also, It's permitted development but struggling to work out whether I need to submit proper drawings from an architect, whether I need party wall agreements etc... there's a planning portal but it's all so vague I just need a step 1,2,3 jobby.
If you do need above, any recommendations on Architects etc. also appreciated!

We're currently having a similar extension built, size is a little larger at approx 6 x 3.5. Two velux and 4 metre grey alu bi folds in the rear, not fully open plan as I wanted to retain the option to keep some separation from the main house but open it through when wanted.

The permitted development and plans etc is an odd one. We've proceeded under building regs only (which cost £660 on floor area), so no plans submitted. The building notice receipt came with a letter saying they couldn't establish if we needed permission, have ignored so far (!!) but the building inspector has been out already to view foundations and nothing has been said.

We are finishing exterior with a colour through render, but did price up both render and brick finish. Cost difference was negligible. Roof is to be pitched and tiled. Total for ours is about £32k (inc VAT), this includes the 4 metre bi folds, electrics & plumbing, but not the cost of radiators/lights etc

This is where we're up to...

Thanks for that! Have you just done the building regs yourself? Its all a tad confusing i find, more so than what it needs to be. One minute I get it the next I don't.

My plan was building notice to council after getting party wall agreements. Then building regs and whatever that entails. These extensions are fairly standard fare, just think i need to get an inspector out as you have to just say yep fine.

Thanks for cost too, i’ve been quoted £31k fully finished so pretty close to yours given yours is bigger, least i’m in the right ball park though

Interesting with your layout too next to the garage, I have a similar problem and was thinking to just knock it down as the garage roof is screwed anyways.

[Baldy881]

lewisf182 said:

Thanks for that! Have you just done the building regs yourself? Its all a tad confusing i find, more so than what it needs to be. One minute I get it the next I don't.

My plan was building notice to council after getting party wall agreements. Then building regs and whatever that entails. These extensions are fairly standard fare, just think i need to get an inspector out as you have to just say yep fine.

Thanks for cost too, i’ve been quoted £31k fully finished so pretty close to yours given yours is bigger, least i’m in the right ball park though

Interesting with your layout too next to the garage, I have a similar problem and was thinking to just knock it down as the garage roof is screwed anyways.

I said building regs didn't I? I meant building notice. I had a few emails with a guy at City of York Council (COYC) before we did anything, they told me it could take weeks if planning permission was needed, but if done on building notice work can start within 48hrs of payment. I found it quite hard to get hold of someone and actually pay them the money!! Phones rang and rang but eventually got through and paid. I think you'll struggle to get a building inspector out to advise on if you need plans or not, my experience was form filling and money needing spending to do this, and I guess ultimately I've taken the risk that I'm happy it'll be OK, you may have a different attitude towards it!

I had a good look through the permitted development guides prior to starting and was fairly satisfied our build fell within the rules, however COYC said I could fill in this 'householder development enquiry form' to ascertain if planning was needed, but it cost over £100 for the pleasure of filling in this form. Ironically, the letter saying they were in receipt of payment for building notice also contained a paragraph about completing one of these householder enquiry forms and not to start work until we had done so, this letter was signed by the building inspector who has already been out to view foundations and said nothing. So i'm keeping quiet. At the end of the day it is a rear extension, falls well within the size guidelines of permitted and doesn't obstruct or encroach on either neighbouring property (I have spoken to both neighbours and let them know what we're doing btw).

Garage needed to stay and just prevents doing the extension full width of house by a smidge, so we are just going as close to it as we can. No biggy, I'm sure the builders will finish it off in a smart manner and that's all that matters. Internally it'll be opened through on the left as you look at it from the rear, the existing patio doors will come out and be replaced with wooden internal bi folds, which means there will be a pillar in the middle, but we can make a feature of that. Idea being with internal doors folded back to outside wall it will feel very through'y, but with them closed it will keep a degree of separation between existing living room and the new bit (so we can have two TV's, push the kids out to another room etc). Wife would have quite happily opened the whole thing up but I didn't want that and we've compromised.

Best advice before you proceed is to see if you can get a decent contact at Leeds Council, you won't in my experience get someone who says yay or nay to you and your ideas (I tried lol), but you should be able to get all the information you need to then decide what you need/want to do to proceed.

I'm also reassured your quote seems in line with ours! Always good to compare

Best of luck

[Baldy881]

Sorry I forgot to answer... didn't need any drawings and yes I did the building notice forms myself, but on the COYC forms it does say it should be completed by the appointed contractor. However it wasn't difficult and our builders just said if I needed any help to give them a shout. I got the costs during the initial emails between me and the building control department contact (it was £610 upon checking, based on sqM of floor area). Also on the York forms you needed to detail who is doing the work

Edited by Baldy881 on Thursday 7th November 12:34

[lewisf182]

Baldy881 said:

lewisf182 said:

Thanks for that! Have you just done the building regs yourself? Its all a tad confusing i find, more so than what it needs to be. One minute I get it the next I don't.

My plan was building notice to council after getting party wall agreements. Then building regs and whatever that entails. These extensions are fairly standard fare, just think i need to get an inspector out as you have to just say yep fine.

Thanks for cost too, i’ve been quoted £31k fully finished so pretty close to yours given yours is bigger, least i’m in the right ball park though

Interesting with your layout too next to the garage, I have a similar problem and was thinking to just knock it down as the garage roof is screwed anyways.

I said building regs didn't I? I meant building notice. I had a few emails with a guy at City of York Council (COYC) before we did anything, they told me it could take weeks if planning permission was needed, but if done on building notice work can start within 48hrs of payment. I found it quite hard to get hold of someone and actually pay them the money!! Phones rang and rang but eventually got through and paid. I think you'll struggle to get a building inspector out to advise on if you need plans or not, my experience was form filling and money needing spending to do this, and I guess ultimately I've taken the risk that I'm happy it'll be OK, you may have a different attitude towards it!

I had a good look through the permitted development guides prior to starting and was fairly satisfied our build fell within the rules, however COYC said I could fill in this 'householder development enquiry form' to ascertain if planning was needed, but it cost over £100 for the pleasure of filling in this form. Ironically, the letter saying they were in receipt of payment for building notice also contained a paragraph about completing one of these householder enquiry forms and not to start work until we had done so, this letter was signed by the building inspector who has already been out to view foundations and said nothing. So i'm keeping quiet. At the end of the day it is a rear extension, falls well within the size guidelines of permitted and doesn't obstruct or encroach on either neighbouring property (I have spoken to both neighbours and let them know what we're doing btw).

Garage needed to stay and just prevents doing the extension full width of house by a smidge, so we are just going as close to it as we can. No biggy, I'm sure the builders will finish it off in a smart manner and that's all that matters. Internally it'll be opened through on the left as you look at it from the rear, the existing patio doors will come out and be replaced with wooden internal bi folds, which means there will be a pillar in the middle, but we can make a feature of that. Idea being with internal doors folded back to outside wall it will feel very through'y, but with them closed it will keep a degree of separation between existing living room and the new bit (so we can have two TV's, push the kids out to another room etc). Wife would have quite happily opened the whole thing up but I didn't want that and we've compromised.

Best advice before you proceed is to see if you can get a decent contact at Leeds Council, you won't in my experience get someone who says yay or nay to you and your ideas (I tried lol), but you should be able to get all the information you need to then decide what you need/want to do to proceed.

I'm also reassured your quote seems in line with ours! Always good to compare

Best of luck

Thanks so much for this.. literally everything I had in mind just cracking on and doing it all myself. Architects etc want £2k+ when it all seems fairly simple but I just haven’t seen anything that says do Aa,B, C so wasnt sure...!

Everything im doing is permitted development, once neighbours have said OK its a building control notice then im cracking on.

Interesting on the garage, wonder whether to not do full width meaning i dont have to remove garage but it’ll need a new roof. One to contemplate.

Cheers !