HOME EXTENSION SPECIALISTS
KITCHEN Extensions
Offering affordable kitchen extension solutions
All works covered by a 10-year guarantee.
About Loft Care
Providing Bespoke Conversion Solutions
KITCHEN EXTENSION COMPANY
A kitchen home extension is one of the most popular types of home extensions, offering a variety of benefits for homeowners. People choose to extend their kitchen (and, more broadly, their homes) for several reasons. Here are the key benefits of a kitchen home extension, as well as the reasons why people often prefer to extend their property rather than move:
Benefits of a Home Kitchen Extension
Increased Space and Functionality:
A kitchen extension allows for a more spacious kitchen, providing room for a larger dining area, additional storage, or more counter space for cooking. This is particularly beneficial for families or people who enjoy cooking and entertaining at home. You can add features like an island, a breakfast bar, or open-plan living areas that combine the kitchen with dining or living rooms, making the space more versatile.
Improved Property Value:
A well-designed kitchen extension can significantly increase the value of your home. The kitchen is often considered the heart of the home, and a modern, spacious kitchen is a major selling point for future buyers. It can make your home more attractive to prospective buyers if you eventually decide to sell.
Better Use of Natural Light:
Extensions can incorporate larger windows, bi fold doors, or even skylights, bringing in more natural light, which enhances the atmosphere of the kitchen. This can create a brighter, more welcoming space and improve the overall ambiance of the home.
Customising Your Needs:
A kitchen extension allows you to tailor the space to suit your lifestyle and tastes, from choosing materials and finishes to designing the layout for optimal workflow. It can be built to accommodate your specific needs, such as adding more cooking space, a home office area, or a play space for children.
Enhanced Flow and Connection with Outdoors:
If you have a garden, a kitchen extension can help create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living. For example, large glass doors leading to the garden can turn the kitchen into an area that feels open and connected to the outside world, ideal for hosting family gatherings or outdoor meals.
Why People Choose to Extend Their Property Rather Than Move:
Cost-Effectiveness:
Moving house can be expensive, involving costs such as agent fees, stamp duty, legal fees, and the cost of purchasing a new home, which may be more than the cost of extending your current property. A kitchen extension, while a significant investment, is often more affordable than buying a new home in the same area.
Additionally, the cost of moving can escalate if you’re looking to upsize in an area with high property prices.
Avoiding the Stress of Moving:
Moving house can be a stressful process, involving packing, dealing with logistics, and adjusting to a new environment. Extending your current home allows you to avoid this hassle and stay in a place that you’re already familiar with and comfortable in. The disruption of settling into a new town and new routines can be time- consuming and emotional, particularly for families with children or those with established connections in their community.
Personal Attachment to the Home:
Many homeowners have emotional ties to their property, whether it’s the location, the neighbourhood, or simply the memories they’ve built there. Rather than leaving this behind, a kitchen extension allows them to stay in the home they love while improving it to suit their changing needs. The existing layout and charm of a home can be difficult to replicate elsewhere, so instead of moving, extending gives homeowners the chance to enhance what they already have.
Fitting the Family’s Growing Needs:
If your family is expanding, or if your lifestyle has changed (e.g., more people working from home), an extension can provide the extra space needed without having to leave the area. This is especially useful when children are settled in schools or if the neighbourhood offers specific amenities that the family enjoys. A kitchen extension allows for flexibility in the design, which can accommodate a growing family and evolving needs over time.
Maintaining Location:
For many, the location of your home is one of the biggest factors in your decision to extend rather than move. You may live in a desirable neighbourhood with good schools, access to public transport, or close to family and friends. Moving could mean losing access to these important factors, while an extension allows you to remain in the same location.
Avoiding the Hassle of Finding a New Home:
The search for a new property can be time consuming and unpredictable. Even in a seller’s market, it can be difficult to find a suitable property that fits your needs and budget. With a kitchen extension, homeowners have the freedom to expand their existing space without the uncertainty and effort involved in buying a new home.
KITCHEN EXTENSION SPECIALISTS
In Summary:
People often choose to extend their property, especially with a kitchen extension, because it is a cost-effective, less stressful alternative to moving. It offers the chance to create a custom-designed, more functional living space, increase the value of the home, and keep the benefits of their current location and neighbourhood. In contrast, moving can be more expensive, stressful, and uncertain, and might not offer the same opportunity to tailor the space to one’s needs.
RECENT KITCHEN EXTENSION PROJECT
WHAT IS A PARTY WALL AGREEMENT, AND WILL I NEED ONE?
A party wall is an existing wall or structure shared with an adjoining property, for example, the wall between two terrace houses. As most loft conversions may affect the structure of a party wall you will need to notify all adjoining neighbours. Typical works include:
- Changing the height of a party wall
- Breaking into a wall to insert a structural beam.
- Underpinning a party wall where needed.
The above is covered by the Party Wall Act 1996.
HOW DO I SERVE A PARTY WALL AGREEMENT?
Being neighbourly, it is best practice to inform your neighbours if you are planning to convert your loft space, pre-warning them of a pending planning application from the local authority can avoid unnecessary hick-ups. It would be a wise decision in our opinion to share your plans beforehand.
Next steps – give notice in writing to all owners of when you plan to do it, and how it will impact them. Served at least two months prior to party wall works being undertaken. Your neighbour may agree to work starting earlier but is not obliged to, they have 14 days to respond. Any agreement from other owners must be gained in writing.
If agreement on the work is not reached, an “agreed surveyor” can be appointed to draw up an “award”. This award will typically set out the work to be done, how and when it will be carried out and will include a report on the existing condition of the adjoining property. These costs are typically covered by the owner of the property converting their loft.
WHAT IS BUILDING CONTROL?
The building control office located within a local authority is in place to ensure any building work undertaken conforms to building regulations, this includes, design, construction methods, and approved materials.
Internal loft alterations (even non-structural ones) may affect fire safety, so prudent to contact the local authority.
Planning Services
A full scope of services that are fully transparent is fixed and detailed below. Please note the only fees to consider outside of these are the council’s submission costs.
Drawings to include Certificate of Lawfulness – Prices to be discussed
A certificate of Lawfulness is essentially a means of obtaining a decision from the planning authority that a proposed use or works does not require planning permission and is lawful to be built under permitted development. Our surveyors are qualified to produce Architectural drawings that comply with permitted development. This certificate will be useful when the day comes to potentially sell your property.
Drawings to include a Full Planning Application – Prices to be discussed
You will need to apply for full planning permission if your property does not have permitted development rights or is situated within a conservation area where permitted development doesn’t apply. Loft Care, having obtained a full understanding of local authorities’ guidelines are able to guide you accordingly on your planning journey, ensuring all documentation is evidential on request.
LOFT CONVERSION
Loft Care can provide a complete design and planning service package, ensuring you maximize your loft space at your property, whilst working to a budget and taking into consideration the latest building regulations and strict planning guidelines from your local authority.
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PROCESS
If you are considering getting a loft conversion constructed at your property, and are interested in finding out the process, let us take you through step-by-step as to what the typical loft conversion schedule looks like, so you can get an insight as to what to expect.
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DESIGN & PLANNING
Depending on which tailored service you decide to use our architects and structural surveyors will attend your property to complete a full site survey for building regulation drawings that you will require to fully understand the layout and potential your property has.
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CONSIDERATIONS
Your existing roof is designed to keep out the elements and is used for internal storage. Following a loft conversion, your roof will have to cope with significant loadings, for example, new RSJ supports, a new floor structure, and some form of Dormer or Hip to Gable conversion style. Roofs can generally be divided into two types.
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FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How high does my loft area need to be for a conversion?
A loft conversion requires there to be approximately at least 2.2 meters in height from the top of the floor joists to the bottom of the ridge board. If not, your property might be eligible for several different types of loft conversion. Depending on the property’s structure, we could lower your existing ceiling joists to enable sufficient height required to construct a loft conversion.
2. Do I need planning permission for my loft conversion?
Planning laws changed in 2008, meaning most loft conversions could be possible without the need for planning permission thus making the process a lot simpler for many homeowners.
This law change means that homeowners can extend their roof space by adding a dormer or hip-to-gable conversion by 50 cubic meters for a detached or semi-detached property and by 40 meters for a terraced house. This is called the permitted development allowance. However, there are several exceptions to the permitted development allowance rule, namely, flats and maisonettes will always need planning permission. If the property is located or listed within a conservation area, or if the roof height is being increased then these will require full planning permission and meet the policy design guidelines of your local council.
3. What is building control?
The building control office located within a local authority is in place to ensure any building work undertaken conforms to building regulations, this includes, design, construction methods, and approved materials.
Internal loft alterations (even non-structural ones) may affect fire safety, so prudent to contact the local authority.
4. If we are required to submit a full planning application, how long will it take for a decision?
Normally the council will advise of their decision within eight weeks.
5. What if my neighbours object?
6. What is a party wall agreement, and will I need one?
A party wall is an existing wall or structure shared with an adjoining property, for example, the wall between two terrace houses. As most loft conversions may affect the structure of a party wall you will need to notify all adjoining neighbours. Typical works:
- Changing the height of a party wall.
- Breaking into a wall to insert a structural beam.
- Underpinning a party wall where needed.
The above is covered by the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
7. What is a party wall agreement, and will I need one?
A party wall is an existing wall or structure shared with an adjoining property, for example, the wall between two terrace houses. As most loft conversions may affect the structure of a party wall you will need to notify all adjoining neighbours. Typical works:
- Changing the height of a party wall.
- Breaking into a wall to insert a structural beam.
- Underpinning a party wall where needed.
The above is covered by the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
8. How do I serve a party wall agreement?
Next steps - give notice in writing to all owners of when you plan to do it, and how it will impact them. Served at least two months before the work on the party wall is due to start. Your neighbour may agree to work starting earlier but is not obliged to, they have 14 days to respond. Any agreement from other owners must be gained in writing.
If agreement on the work is not reached, an "agreed surveyor" can be appointed to draw up an "award". This award will typically set out the work to be done, how and when it will be carried out, and will include a report on the existing condition of the adjoining property. These costs are typically covered by the owner of the property converting their loft.
9. Is there disruption when constructing a loft conversion?
Throughout any building works there will always be some sort of disruption. With the process of converting a loft, most of these works (85/90%) are carried out in the loft area, therefore minimizing the risk of disorder. The only time you will potentially experience any disruption will be when the team breakthrough your existing ceiling for the new staircase to service the new loft area, this will be no longer than 2 days.
10. Health and Safety & Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015)
At Loft Care, we are continuously committed to ensuring the health & safety along with the welfare of our employees, contractors, clients, and the public. We are fully aware of our legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Separately, we ensure the implementation of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) in the domestic construction sector, guaranteeing these duties are passed on to the contractor.
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Church Lane
Loughton
Essex
IG10 1PF
Phone
0800 002 9411
info@loftcare.co.uk
