The Improvement Blog

Making the most of our homes when moving is not an option

Sun, 16 May 2010 15:58:00 GMT

With moving home becoming less of an option, more and more of us are thinking of creative ways to increase our living space within our existing homes.

With a little imagination and creative thinking, your home may in fact offer more potential for expansion than we actually realise. You simply need to be pointed in the right direction to spot those hidden opportunities to either add more space or improve the existing layout.

Start by looking at all of the options for your particular house type, from extending up, out or down to changing the existing room plan. Then decide which option best meets the needs of your household and your available budget. Bear in mind that even if your extension adds less to the value of the home than what it costs, providing it gives you the space you need when moving is not a real option. Above all, please remember that we have been through property slumps before and any kind of improvement work you carry out will offer you the potential edge when you do finally come to sell and in the meantime, provides improved accommodation levels.

Five steps to increasing living space:-

Establish your budget; to help you with this, why not visit the extension calculator located on the www.doineedplanningpermission.co.uk website? This will give you a rough estimate of anticipated costs.
Understand your property works for you; for example, would a single ground floor space be more beneficial when compared to 2 reception rooms?
Identify potential constraints; any works you carry out to a listed building will require consent and will have to be carried out in a way which respects the existing fabric of the building. If your house has been the subject of previous extensions, this may constrain what further building works you may be able to carry out. If the latter is the case, don't dismay, as remodelling the internal layout may be the solution.
Consider the potential options your house offers; for example, terraced properties offer considerable opportunity for remodelling and semi-detached properties offer opportunity for loft conversions.
Think garden; if you are lucky enough to live in a house with a large garden, why not erect a garden room?

For many of us, we enjoy where we live but are forced to move because our families have outgrown our present homes. Before you consider moving, re-evaluate your present home and who knows......

DIY may damage your health and knock down your property value

Mon, 03 May 2010 07:41:00 GMT

According to a recent study undertaken by the insurance firm LV=, around 27pc of homeowners admit they have undertaken electrical jobs without professional help, while 22pc have attempted plumbing work, and 9pc have tried their hand at structural improvements, such as removing walls. A further 6pc have even tried to carry out major building work themselves, such as a loft conversion, while 3pc have tackled potentially dangerous gas repairs.

Whilst many homeowners have carried out the improvement works in the hope of increasing the value of their property, if the work is done badly, it could actually reduce a home's sale price by as much as 5pc. Not only can bungling a job be dangerous and costly to put right, it could invalidate your home insurance cover and make it difficult when it comes to selling. Yes, we all want to save money but remember that carrying out home improvement works that you are not confident with may well be a risk too far. If in doubt, contact a professional.

Need a Planning Consultant Look no further...

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:37:00 GMT

AAH Planning Consultants is a professional planning consultancy, whose consultants are chartered Town Planners and accredited members of the Royal Town Planning Institute. AAH is able to offer expert advice for all works that may or may not require planning. Should you require further information please visit the website www.aahplanning.com.

Alternatively you can put any questions you may have around your planning requirements to AAH via our 'Ask AAH' feature, which can be found on our home page.

Home Insurance the Easy Way

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:48:00 GMT

Orchard Planning Solutions is delighted to welcome to Money Supermarket.com to the site this month.

As the UK's biggest comparison site Money Supermarket.com makes searching for home insurance easy with over 60 leading home insurance companies to compare quotes from. As well as this, you can read their home insurance guides and learn how to find the cheapest buildings and contents insurance to meet your personal requirements, learn about leading UK home insurance companies and see their top tips for obtaining cheaper house insurance quotes.

How to Cut the Cost of your Extension the Imaginative Way

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:44:00 GMT

Like me, are you one of these people who cannot help rummaging around in a builder's skip? I remember going to a party and noticing a skip which was fit to bursting with discarded bricks and was ready to make its sad final journey to the local tip. My wife knew immediately what was running through my mind and to her dismay, the next 25 minutes was spent loading the car with bricks which now sit proudly in my garden wall. As the old adage goes, where there is muck, there is brass. In these times of economic belt tightening, we all need to think twice about how we can make the best use of our existing materials before consigning them to the tip. Old floorboards, doors, radiators, bricks, breeze blocks can all be used in imaginative ways which can ultimately save you money. For example, the less you throw away, the smaller the skip you will require or indeed no skip at all! Bear in mind that as a private individual, you can dispose of waste in your local tip for free.

Also, rather than buying new materials, why not think about purchasing salvaged materials from either the internet or salvage yards? Not only are the materials a great deal cheaper than buying from new but they offer instant character. For example, second hand items that offer good value include roof tiles, bricks, internal doors, timber floorboards, fireplaces and roll-top baths.

Yes, the easy option is to buy new but think what a great talking point you could create by telling your friends how you found your bath in the neighbour's skip!

Home Insurance

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:55:00 GMT

Your home and your family are likely the most important things in your life; and as such keeping both of these things protected and safe is probably one of your top priorities - but what's the best way to do that?

Read full article...

When it comes to altering or extending your property...remember to love your neighbour as yourself...

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:23:00 GMT

A belligerent neighbour whose sole objective is to make your life as miserable as his own is a sad tale that many of us can relate to. To add further salt to those wounds, any bridges of reconciliation were burnt years ago with little to no hope of making up. However, at times, we have to swallow that bitter pill, bite our tongue and go that extra yard to "love thy neighbour" as who knows when you may need their support.

When it comes to home improvements, to have a neighbour who accepts your grand expansionist plans for a two-storey extension hard up against the common boundary for example is a case in point. Their support can save you money and angst in the long run. In most cases, many of the common projects we carry out will not need planning permission which means that the local authority will not be required to consult with your neighbour over the said project. From the experience gained at Orchard Planning Solutions, we would recommend that for the sake of common courtesy, you let all your adjoining neighbours know of your future intentions to carry out works. Again, by having their support, life can be so much easier when it comes to executing the work. For example, you may live on a busy street with limited parking meaning that you may have to park a builder's van on a neighbouring drive in order to allow materials to be stored on your driveway.

If you require planning permission, your neighbours will be consulted by the local authority and at that point, will have the formal chance to either support or object to your proposals. Again, for the reasons set out above, it helps to talk in advance and hopefully, head off problems saving you time and money.

Now for the boring albeit important bit...Don't forget The Party Wall Act 1996.

For those projects which are likely to affect your neighbour, the Party Wall Act 1996 governs the alteration of any shared structures, access for undertaking work, hours permitted for this and responsibility for repairing any damage. You must serve notice to all owners affected - both freehold and leasehold - two months in advance, ideally by hand with an independent witness or by recorded delivery. Include full details and preferably, a set of plans. If they fail to respond within 14 days or refuse consent, you are in dispute and must pay for a surveyor to negotiate a party wall agreement. You can share the same surveyor, but your neighbours have the right to appoint their own independent surveyor at your own expense. They don't come cheap and a typical party wall agreement will cost approximately £700 per neighbour. It is also worth checking the property deeds to see if there are any restrictive covenants in place to prevent further development of your property without the consent of any beneficiaries. These apply to most ex-local authority properties and to many homes built on estates. When your neighbour decides to play his music loud or has a dog that fails to stop barking...remember that home improvement...

If you have any experiences you wish to share with us (good or bad), please post them on the interactive forum.

How to Save on Planning Fees and Time when it comes to Extending your Home

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:20:00 GMT

The recent changes to Planning Regulations (2008) have introduced greater flexibility to the planning system which we at Orchard Planning Solutions warmly welcome. If you are considering extending or altering your home, by thinking imaginatively, your project may not necessarily require the benefit of planning permission, thereby saving you a planning fee of £165 and much more. This does not sound a great deal but think beyond the money saving and think of the time saved not having to wait on a planning decision (approximately 8 weeks) together with any potential amendments your local authority may require you to make to your scheme. Such amendments may for example include lowering a ridge height or determining what materials you should use to build your extension. In order to assist you in arriving at your proposal, we would recommend you find an architect, architectural technician, chartered surveyor or structural engineer, or someone with a track record in delivering low cost schemes. They will be able to fully advise you of what you may be able to carry out without requiring the benefit of planning permission. Obviously, this advice does not apply to all schemes as some will require planning permission. Nonetheless, by thinking imaginatively, you may be able to save on both time and planning fees.

Working from Home has never been Easier

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:36:00 GMT

For many of us, the thought of foregoing the daily commute and working from home is no longer the stuff of dreams. According to recent statistics, nearly 6% of the UK's population works from home. Other than choice, the credit crunch has been partly responsible with many looking at ways to work more efficiently and cost-effectively. One question we are constantly asked at Orchard Planning Solutions is: "How easy is it to set up your own business at home?"

Subject to you having the space and broadband internet connection, it cannot be any easier. Our business began at home and there were several reasons for choosing this option. First of all, it offered the potential of greatly reduced overheads as you do not have to take on the cost of premises. As equally attractive is the fact that on average, you gain as much as an extra day of work by removing the daily commute which is time hungry and sole destroying. In planning terms, you should not have an issue providing your activity does not disturb your neighbours by creating excessive noise, smells and traffic generation. I remember a case where a company was running a beer importation business from a domestic garage. All very well until the Belgian lorry arrived at the home at 6am on a Saturday morning. Common sense should prevail and the question you should ask yourself is can I carry out my line of business without disturbing the neighbours? If the answer is yes, then planning permission may not be required.

Orchard Planning Solutions does recommend that you inform your mortgage lender of your intention to work from home. It won't lead to an increase in your payments. Furthermore, if you intend to invest in enhanced computer equipment, it will prove beneficial to let your home contents insurer know.

If your line of business involves members of the public visiting your property, you will need to comply with the checklist provided by the Health and Safety Executive so you are covered when clients call. No matter what the business, please make sure that you adhere to the checklist which can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg226.pdf

The last benefit to remind you of is the potential savings that running a business from home can also offer. As a tax benefit, you can claim back a percentage of your heating, electricity, and utility bills as business expenses and thereby reduce your end of year tax bill. This is a matter you should take up with your accountant (who may well be yourself in the first instance).

If you have had any experiences (both good and bad) of working from home, please share them with us in the comments below.

How to Save Pounds On Your Home Extension - and get you fit for the summer

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:15:00 GMT

When it comes to home extensions, did you appreciate that between one half and two-thirds of the project outlay is dedicated to labour costs? In these times of economic belt tightening, this is a sobering thought that can quite literally stop your aspirations of a home extension dead in its tracks. However, there are ways of addressing this and one suggestion that Orchard Planning Solutions wishes to put to you is to do some of the work yourself. Yes, the thought of brick laying or roof construction may well prove a project too far to the fair weather DIY enthusiast . However, don't dispair, as our hidden talents can be used in other ways. For example, for the person who has little confidence in DIY, why not consider labouring for your builder? If you feel slightly more confident, how about getting involved at the second fixed stage of the project. This is the stage when things really start to come together and include jobs such as plasterboarding, decorating, tiling and fitting kitchens and bathrooms for example. Outside, projects may include soft landscaping and block paving.

So, if you have the time and the necessary level of confidence, why not give it a go and save you money that can then be spent on a well earned post extension holiday!

Escape to the Garden

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:27:00 GMT

Orchard Planning Solutions is very pleased to welcome Cabinville to the site. With an extensive range, Cabinville can build you a log cabin suitable for any purpose. Whether you need a home office, small cabin for potting, a garden retreat, or even a large log cabin for residential use, they have the one just right for you.

Cabinville pride themselves on designing custom built log cabins of the highest quality, with each design carefully thought out to ensure the best use of space. Whilst using wood only from a sustainable source, Cabinville use the highest quality fittings to ensure your log cabin is built to last. During their 30 years experience in the business their passion for what they do has earned them a first class reputation and can even boast ITV, Channel 4, and the BBC in their clientèle.

For more information why not visit their website: www.cabinville.co.uk

Orchard Planning Solutions welcomes David Acreman

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:09:00 GMT

Orchard Planning Solutions is pleased to welcome David Acreman to the site this month. David is the author of 'Field and Farm', a book demonstrating how to live, build property, and start a business on ordinary agricultural land in the UK, and all without planning permission! The book takes you through all the steps starting with a field and up to getting planning permission for a house. It tells you everything that you need to know making it possible to turn a relatively modest investment in agricultural land into a substantial asset, uncovering all the loopholes in the current planning system along the way!

David Acreman has been involved in planning for over 30 years in various capacities, mostly as a consultant to the agricultural industry, and has written to redress the balance between the planning system and the individual with regard to agricultural planning matters.The book cannot cover every circumstance or eventuality so for any questions the book doesn't answer, David is happy to answer your questions using an online forum: http://www.fieldtofarm.com/forum/.