What tips should I remember when planning work on my home?
Work out your costs
Fully plan your work before starting and include as much detail as you can as this will make your cost estimates more accurate. If you're buying in outside help you'll get more accurate quotes from tradesmen if you have detailed plans. Remember to set aside money for delays or unexpected overspend.
Hiring tradesmen
You'll need a quote (rather than an estimate) to finalise your costs. Take the time to find the right builder. Solicit recommendations from friends or family and get multiple quotes before signing off on any project. Don't be afraid to ask for references or to talk to past customers. Remember, your home is your most important asset so you need to be sure you can fully trust anyone who is going to be working on it. There are also various websites that let people rate and recommend tradesmen. Listed below are a few to take a look at:
- Rated People https://www.ratedpeople.com(opens in a new window)
- Checkatrade http://www.checkatrade.com/(opens in a new window)
- TrustMark http://www.trustmark.org.uk/(opens in a new window)
Planning or building permission
If you're changing the structure of your home, or adding a garage or outhouse, you'll need to take a look at the rules in your area(opens in a new window) and you may have to apply for planning permission. To do this you'll normally need plans drawn up by an architect.
