When we speak to homeowners about extending their properties the main question they ask – and rightly so – is how much is all this going to cost?
Of course we can provide a quote for labour, materials and fixtures and fittings. But there are other costs you need to consider too so make sure you factor these into your budget.
Planning application fees – take a look at www.planningportal.gov.uk and you’ll see how much this is going to cost you. You can also check out while you’re there the fee to check your plans meet building regulations. Planning application fees at the time of writing are £172. Building regulation compliance checks can cost anything from £400 to £4,000 according to the Moneywise website.
You’ll also need to get an architect on the case to draw up the plans for your extension. Some builders will recommend one or you can use your own. Whatever way, you’ll need to get a quote for costs on this too.
If you make sure from the start that you factor in all the possible costs for your extension then you will know what sort of finance you will need to raise. Be clear on the total including all these extras before you arrange your finance otherwise you could find yourself looking for ways to stump up the excess you didn’t account for.
