Extending and Improving Your Home An Introduction

Written for small builders and tradesmen such as bricklayers and carpenters, as well as householders wanting to provide more space and enhanced living conditions without the substantial cost of moving house. While there are many books that deal with the construction aspects of extending a house, there are few sources that combine the planning, construction and regulatory aspects into one easily accessible source.  Extending and Improving a Home meets that need. By focussing on specific building elements ? foundations, walls, roofs, services, finishes etc ? the book neatly provides a comprehensive, accessible guide to the areas of home improvement that cause most concern for householders and small builders.

Extending and Improving a Home will: Guide you through the maze of legislation that affects most building alterations and extensions; show how to go about getting a project realised in terms of design, choice of contractor and construction, successfully and to budget, and give sound technical solutions for all the elements of a project that also comply with Building Regulations.

Preface ix

1 Extending and improving your home – an introduction 1
Why extend or improve your home? 2
Do-it-yourself 4
Extending and improving your home – practices and procedures 6
Practical design tips 9

2 Legal background 14
Introduction 14
Planning permission 14
Listed buildings and conservation areas 25
The Building Act 1984 and the Building Regulations 28
Building Regulations 28
Competent persons schemes 46
The Party Wall Act 48
Energy performance 57
Occupiers’ Liability Act 59

3 Arranging and organising the work 60
Use of professional designers 60
Getting a builder or doing it yourself? 61
Cost implications 64
Contractual arrangements 65
Availability of grants 66
Insurances for contract and after 68
Further information 72

4 Issues affecting the property as a whole 73
Structural stability 73
Weatherproofing and damp-proofing the envelope 79
Maintenance 80
Further information 81

5 Site survey and investigation 82
Site investigation 82
Subsoil investigation 84
Significance and proximity of site boundaries 85
Presence and significance of trees 86
Measured survey 88
Further information 90

6 Foundations 91
Introduction 91
Foundation types 92
Further information 101

7 Ground and upper floors 102
Ground floors 102
Upper floors 112
Building Regulations and Approved Document guidance 117
Further information 119

8 External walls 120
Introduction 120
Solid walls 121
Cavity walls 125
Framed wall construction 128
Building Regulations and Approved Document guidance 132
Further information 145

9 Internal walls 147
Partition walls 147
Building Regulations and Approved Document guidance 151
Further information 153

10 Roofs 154
Roof structure and coverings 154
Roof coverings 160
Other coverings 164
Building Regulations and Approved Document guidance 165
Design for thermal efficiency 165
Further information 173

11 Wall and ceiling finishes 174
Wall finishes 174
Ceiling finishes 179
Further information 180

12 Services 181
Introduction 181
Installing new kitchens and bathrooms 182
Above and below ground drainage 183
Electrical installations 196
Heating and ventilating services 197
Hot and cold water supply 202
Further information 205

13 Improving the thermal efficiency of the home 206
Thermal efficiency 206
The green deal 221
Building Regulations and Approved Document guidance 222
Further information 222

14 Conversions 223
What type of conversion 223
Loft conversions 223
Garage conversions 224
Basement conversions 226
Further information 229

Case Study 1 Thermal Upgrading 231
Elements 231
Heat losses 234

Case Study 2 Loft Conversion 237
Existing property 237
Proposal 237
Specifications 238
Additional notes 242

Glossary 245

Index 247

C. Gibbs is a building surveyor with over 30 years experience in education and the construction industry.