So you’ve probably landed on this page because you’re thinking of adding an extension to your home, how exciting! But where do you start? It can be very daunting and overwhelming, especially when it’s something you’ve never done before. Hiring an architect may be a good option for you, as they will be able to help you through the process and ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible. Let’s look at this in more detail…
Consultation
Before you decide whether to hire an architect or not, you will have an initial consultation. This is where you will have the chance to share your ideas and discuss what you are wanting to get out of your extension. Your architect will help you to understand the planning application process and tell you what is and isn’t achievable. You will also have the opportunity to discuss important points such as budget and the ideal size of your extension. This consultation is very important as it may be where you realise that you won’t be able to go ahead with your plans after all, or maybe you will have to scale back what you had hoped to achieve.
Planning permission
The process of getting planning permission for your building plans can be confusing and time consuming. An architect will make sure all architectural plans and documents are submitted correctly and in a way that is likely to be approved first time. Your architect can also attend any meetings on your behalf throughout the planning process. You can of course go through this process without hiring an architect but it’s common for people to make mistakes and miss out important documents, which inevitably leads to delays in what is already a lengthy process.
Building regulations
Building regulations are another hurdle that can be confusing to the average person, but an architect can take care of this for you. Building regulations are standards that are set out to ensure that new buildings, extensions and renovations are safe. They cover things such as gas safety, ventilation and fire regulations. For example, if you were having a loft conversion, you would need to have fire doors installed throughout the rest of the house to ensure you meet building regulations. There’s lots of things that we might not even consider, which is why hiring an architect is so important.
Final plans
This is where your ideas really come to life. Your architect will provide you with your final plans and drawings which will be used to apply for planning permission. This is a very exciting part of the process, but it also gives you the opportunity to make any amendments before submitting your final application. You may decide that you don’t like the internal layout so want to move things around a little, or after seeing the external view you want to add another window. All of these changes are possible at this point.
Are you planning an extension? I hope this post has helped you to understand the process a little better. Good luck!
Thank you for reading.
