At Thames Design & Build we work on all types of extensions one of the most popular types being garage conversions, as giving an underused garage a makeover can unlock precious space in your property and increase its value. We find the most popular garage conversions are of course to add extra living space. This could be converting to an open plan living area, adding an extra living room or extending a kitchen. However, adding another bedroom could be the best option in terms

Did you know that up to 30% of a home’s potential space is located in the loft or attic. So, a loft conversion is a great way to extend your home and can be used as an extra bedroom suite, a playroom, office or extra living and leisure space, adding both space and value to your property. A professional loft conversion can add significant value to your property – in fact it can add more than 20% to the value of your home. Many people choose to convert their loft instead of the

Many of our clients nowadays are creating open plan kitchen and family spaces in their homes. Often we are building them extensions and removing walls to open up their ground floor, so they can spend more quality time together as a family and also use the new kitchen/living space for entertaining. An open-plan kitchen-diner can also create the illusion of extra space. Fewer rooms means fewer walls, fewer doors, and a longer run of flooring, making your home seem bigger and br

In short, PD allows homeowners to extend and make alterations to their homes without having to apply for full planning permission. This can be confusing so we have highlighted some points which you may want to keep in mind if you are considering gaining approval via PD. Are you eligible for Permitted Development Rights? The rights cover terraced, detached and semi-detached properties. Restrictions do apply if you live within a conservation area, own a listed building or live

You can extend your home in several different directions. This could be building up into the loft, excavating down to create a basement, or extensions to the front, side or rear. A lot of home owners choose the latter because it can transform the entire property. There are lots of potential design ideas for rear extensions. A sensitive extension If you plan to use your permitted development rights to create the extension, you need to ensure it is sensitive to the main buildin

Planning permission can be a thorn in the side of home owners, developers and even architects. If you fail to get approval for a project it can increase the timeframe and cost. Fortunately, Thames Design and Build can help as our main area of expertise is extensions. A good extension can add a lot of value to a home but you must ensure you get planning permission if it is necessary. Not every project will require planning in some cases the project will fall under permitted de

Spring is a great time of year to extend your home - once the chaos of Christmas is over and hopefully the project can be finished in time so that you can enjoy your garden over the summer. However many of our clients don't understand how long things can take before you can actually start building. On average a project take 6 months between starting the design process and starting work on site, that six months is made up of the following: Initial design stage (4 weeks): Our i

As you look out your window on these cold, snowy winter days, it probably doesn’t feel like you should be thinking about extending your home. However, now is exactly the right time to start the process to be finished during the summer. Unfortunately, the weather here in the UK is not the most conducive for external works from late October through until about February or March – as there are more rainy days and less daylight hours. At Thames Design & Build we usually advise cl

Due to the national shortage of PIR (Celotex, Kingspan etc.) insulation, we did some research into alternative solutions at Thames Design & Build. We came across Actis Insulation, which have a product called Hybris, which can be installed between studs, rafters and joists as an alternative to PIR board in lots of situations. When this is combined with their HControl Hybrid or Boost Hybrid products, the required U-Values for Building Regulations are easily achieved. The pros a

The Halifax have just released their June 2017 house price index and the results show house prices are falling slightly - but they are still higher than this time last year. In a time of political uncertainty it certainly makes sense to make the most of the value and living experience of the home you are currently in rather than moving. Moving house is an expensive business, especially in London and the home counties with huge stamp duty to pay as well as the associated fees.

Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of all of our workforce, our clients and the public. All of our site managers are SMSTS trained to ensure that our sites are safe areas for all concerned. The Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is one of the best health and safety training courses in the UK, and is especially for construction site managers, project managers and senior supervisors, as well as proprietors of smaller companies like Thames Design & Build

At Thames Design & Build we have recently found that many of our clients seem to be opting for sliding doors as opposed to bi-fold doors, so is the fashion changing? Below are some pros and cons of sliding versus bi fold doors: Sliding Doors Pros * large glass panes possible * Wider overall width available * Open and close in line, not protruding * More traditional as a replacement * Up to two thirds opening * Narrow frame widths * Works well with curtains and blinds *H

The Pamborises loved the idea of a new family home and moved to Ewell to achieve this. What they missed was a real family hub to share and so they engaged Thames Design and Build to realise their vision The Pamborises live in their 1920s house in Thorndon Gardens, Ewell, with their 20- month- old toddler. They moved from Earls eld, where they had a two-bedroomed at, to enjoy more of the family lifestyle they wanted with their young daughter. The house that they fell in love

As our families grow our home requirements can change. A new baby, or a parent coming to live with us can call for a larger home... If you live in or near London, with space at a premium and very high property prices, it will probably be worth your while extending and improving your home rather than moving. Especially if you have garden space, an unused loft or garage, or a cellar, as all these offer huge potential for a convenient and financially viable home improvement. Eve

If you are considering extending your home in 2017, now is the time to get the ball rolling! So many of our clients are initially shocked at how long the pre-construction phase can take when you take into account the following hurdles that may need to be crossed: 1. Initial designs 2. Planning Application 3. Detailed designs 4. Building Regulation Application 5. Party Wall Agreement 6. Tender process 7. Waiting for builder's availability This whole process can easil

Extending your home or adding a loft conversion can add more than £42,000 to the value of an average property, while an extra bathroom could boost its worth by nearly £10,000, a report has found. Based on average house prices, Nationwide Building Society calculated that an extra bathroom could add 4.9% or £9,600 on to the value of a home in the UK, while increasing the floor area by 10% could add another £10,000, or 5.1%, on to its worth. A home extension or loft conversion c

All too often we have to break the bad news to clients who believe their extension will fall within Permitted Development, when, due to a technicality, they don’t. If your property has a flat wall on the rear elevation, then you will most likely be able to do a 3m or 4m deep rear extension without Planning Permission. However, if that rear extension wraps around a side elevation then it becomes a side extension and a rear extension and therefore doesn’t fall within Permitted

Many of the homeowners we visit make the mistake of believing that the new scheme for larger extensions the 'Neighbourhood Consultation Scheme' is an automatic right and that they can build either a 6m or 8m deep extension. The reality is that it completely depends on whether or not your neighbours object to the proposal. If they do, then the chances are that the application will be refused as it will go against the Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG). In most situations, t

Structural Openings for 2 x 3m bi-fold doors and a new front door are now in place. We are having to deal with a multitude of different sized bricks which were in the walls, The bricklayers Jamie and Rob had fun building up the internal walls and putting in the concrete lintels. The existing walls were made up of a mix of imperial and metric sized bricks complicating the build, meanwhile Paul, Harry and Rick managed to get the bay window out and round the side without so much

The majority of extensions we do require Party Wall Agreements, which is something which a lot of clients don't initially consider or realise. If your new foundations are within three metres of your neighbour's foundations and they are going to be deeper than theirs (usually new foundations are deeper than foundations on older properties) then you are required to serve a Party Wall Notice. There is an option to do this a 'DIY' way using government provided templates, which ca