Extensions

23 articles

• Beam and Block Ground Floors: Standard and Wide Blocks, Sleeper Walls, Insulation Layer and Part A Structural Requirements
  155mm standard block vs 225mm wide block spans, sleeper wall at 1.8m centres, 100mm PIR insulation target U-value 0.13 W/m²K, Part A propped beam installation
• Bi-fold Door Installation: A Tradesperson's Guide
  Bi-fold doors: Part L whole-door U-value 1.4 W/m²K, FENSA/CERTASS notification; level/square opening within 2-3mm; steel beam to Part A; threshold + cavity tray detailing
• Building Control Application: Full Plans vs Building Notice & Inspection Stages
  Building control: Full Plans vs Building Notice, inspection stages, regularisation, and Building Safety Act 2022 changes
• Conservatory Planning Rules: Permitted Development, Part L Exemptions & Glazing
  Conservatory planning: PD rules (3m/4m rear, 50% land), Part L thermal separation exemption conditions, solid roof conversion triggers full energy compliance
• Do I Need Planning Permission? Permitted Development Rules for Extensions
  Permitted development for extensions: single-storey rear limits (3m/4m detached), height limits, GPDO Class A conditions
• External Wall Insulation Systems: EWI Rails, Board Types & Render Finish
  External wall insulation systems: EPS/mineral wool/phenolic board types, rail vs direct-fix, mandatory mineral wool fire breaks at floor levels, PAS 2030/2035 for funded work
• Foundation Types for Extensions: Strip, Trench Fill, Raft & Piled
  Foundation types: strip (1m min depth), trench fill, raft, piled; soil bearing capacity, Building Control requirements
• Garage Conversion Checklist: Planning, Insulation, DPC & Building Regs
  Garage conversion: permitted development limits, DPC requirements, insulation standards, Part P electrical notification
• Garage Conversion Guide: Step-by-Step Process for Tradespeople
  Garage conversion process: usually PD but always Building Regs (Parts A/B/C/F/L/P); floor build-up DPM + 100-150mm PIR; door opening infill on foundation; headroom 2.0m
• House Extension Build Process: Planning Timeline, Building Notice vs Full Plans, CDM Duties and Construction Sequence
  House extension process: design→planning→Building Control→build sequence, CDM 2015 domestic client duties, LABC stages (foundations, DPC, drainage, roof, completion), PD 4m/3m rear extension limits
• How Do You Install a Steel Beam (RSJ) in a Domestic Property?
  RSJ install: engineer calc + Part A approval; acrows + strong-boys propping; C30/37 padstones; 100-150mm bearing; 30/60 min fire protection intumescent/PB; LOLER lifting
• Loft Conversion Types: Velux, Dormer, Hip-to-Gable & Mansard
  Loft conversion types: Velux (no planning), dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard; structural requirements, Part B escape window
• Outbuildings and Garden Buildings: GPDO Class E PD Rules, Building Regs Thresholds and Electrical Supply Requirements
  Outbuilding regulations: GPDO Class E PD conditions, ≤15m² fully exempt from Building Regs, 15–30m² exempt if ≥1m from boundary, Part P for electrical supply, SWA cable 450mm burial depth
• Party Wall Act: When You Need a Notice, Timelines & Surveyor Costs
  Party Wall Act 1996: section 1/2/6 notices, 2-month notice period, surveyor appointment, award process
• Roof Lantern Installation
  Roof lantern: pyramid on upstand kerb; Part L U-value ≤1.2 W/m²K; Part F purge ventilation; structural opening to Part A; thermally-broken kerb to prevent condensation
• Steel Beams in Domestic Extensions: RSJ Sizing, Padstones & Building Control
  RSJ steel beams: universal beam selection, padstone requirements, temporary propping, Building Control submission
• Underpinning: Mass Concrete Method, When It's Needed & Building Control
  Underpinning: mass concrete method, staggered bay sequence (never adjacent), C25/30 concrete specification, dry packing 50mm gap, CDM excavation safety, Building Control mandatory
• Warm Flat Roof Build-Up: Vapour Control Layer, PIR Insulation, Waterproofing Membrane, Falls Design and Upstand Details
  VCL below PIR insulation (SR≥100 m²·s·Pa/kg), 150mm PIR for Part L U-value 0.18 W/m²K, single-ply membrane lap 50mm, 1:80 falls minimum, 150mm upstands
• What Are the Permitted Development Rights for Home Extensions in England?
  England PD: Class A extensions 3/4m or 6/8m larger scheme; Class B 40-50m³ loft; 3m eaves / 4m ridge; 50% curtilage cap; LDC £103; Article 4 / conservation restrictions
• What Do Tradespeople Need to Know About Structural Calculations?
  Engineer's calcs to Eurocodes (BS EN 1990-1999): UB designation depth×width×kg/m; S275/S355 steel; padstone C30/37 + 4×T8; deflection span/360; fire prot Part B
• What's the Structural Difference Between an Orangery and a Conservatory?
  Conservatory exempt Schedule 2 Class VII (≤30m², 50% glazed walls, thermal break, indep heating); orangery full Building Regs + Part L (roof 0.16, glazing 1.4 W/m²K)
• When Do You Need a Structural Engineer? Beam Calcs, Underpinning & Load-Bearing Walls
  When a structural engineer is needed: beam calcs, underpinning, load-bearing wall identification, ground investigation
• When Is a Party Wall Agreement Required and How Do You Get One?
  Party Wall Act 1996: Sec 1 (boundary) 1mo, Sec 3 (party wall) 2mo, Sec 6 (3m excavation) 1mo; 14-day response; surveyor £750-2000; Schedule of Condition critical