Planning Your Project With JH Group – Construction & Groundworkers

Did you know that over 40% of homeowners would prefer to have an extension built than move house. And 1 in 7 people are currently in the research process of building their own home. This comes as no surprise considering that the alternative option of moving house can typically cost up to an eyewatering £20,000 in wasted fees, taxes and moving costs.

Some of the top trends driving home improvements and self builds in 2019 are open floorplans, increasing natural light, master bedroom suites, smart homes and family functional kitchens. 

At JH Group  we understand the importance of ensuring your extension or new build project runs smoothly from conception to completion. Here are our tips:

Planning

We believe that the key to a successful project is thinking it through in advance – check whether the proposed works will require Planning or Building Regulations consent, find a reputable and reliable building company and most importantly, produce a realistic budget.

Visiting your local Council website  is a great place to start when researching permitted developments, planning permission and building regulations. If your neighbour has already carried out similar works, it can be very valuable to speak with them to discuss what they learnt from the experience and any hurdles they faced.

Careful planning at this stage can save a huge amount of heartache and expense further down the line. After all, it’s a lot easier to move a wall on a drawing than it is on site!

Budgeting

Regardless of how careful you are when budgeting for your project, there is always a level of uncertainty because at any time you could discover an expensive complication. For example, when excavating for foundations you may come across soil instability which could result in needing to excavating deeper.

We would recommend including a contingency sum of at least 10% to your project. At this stage it’s all too easy to be overly optimistic, only to suffer later on. So when budgeting try to be realistic.

Managing Disturbance

Larger projects, such as extending your home will need careful consideration when it comes to where you’ll stay for the duration of the works. An extension which involves removing external walls and reconfiguring a kitchen will cause significant disruption, so alternative accommodation is highly recommended. The cost for this is something you will need to factor into your budget. 

Are you considering your next project? Call us on 0117 978 3568 or email enquiries@jhgroup-sw.com to talk through your requirements and how we can help.