Question 1

Are you fully insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes — £5m public liability, £10m employer's liability, and contract works cover. Certificates available on request.

Question 2

Are you registered with any trade bodies?

Accepted Answer

We're members of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), CHAS accredited, and listed on TrustMark. Specialist trades hold individual qualifications (Gas Safe, NICEIC).

Question 3

Do you provide free quotes?

Accepted Answer

Yes — every quote is free with no obligation. We come to site, take a brief, and provide a written fixed-price quote within 5–7 working days.

Question 4

How quickly can you start?

Accepted Answer

From contract signing, typically 4–8 weeks for projects requiring planning permission, 1–3 weeks for projects that don't.

Question 5

Do you work outside the West Midlands?

Accepted Answer

Our regular working area covers the West Midlands and into Warwickshire. We occasionally take on luxury projects further afield where the scope justifies it — call to discuss.

Question 6

Do I need planning permission?

Accepted Answer

Many extensions and loft conversions fall under Permitted Development if they meet specific size and design rules. Conservation areas, listed buildings, and front-facing changes typically need a planning application. We check on every project.

Question 7

How long does planning take?

Accepted Answer

Householder applications are determined within 8 weeks by statute. Larger or more complex applications can take longer. We submit complete applications first time to avoid resubmission delays.

Question 8

What is Permitted Development?

Accepted Answer

Permitted Development rights allow certain extensions and alterations without a full planning application — though specific size, height and material rules apply. A Lawful Development Certificate proves PD compliance and is recommended even when not strictly required.

Question 9

What's a Larger Home Extension?

Accepted Answer

A Larger Home Extension allows single-storey rear extensions up to 8m on a detached house or 6m on a semi/terrace under a 'prior approval' process. Faster and cheaper than full planning, but requires neighbour consultation.

Question 10

What's an Article 4 direction?

Accepted Answer

An Article 4 direction removes Permitted Development rights in a specified area — usually a conservation area. It means alterations that would normally not need permission do need a planning application. Common in parts of Harborne, Edgbaston and central Lichfield.

Question 11

What are Building Regulations?

Accepted Answer

Building Regulations set minimum standards for the structural, energy, fire, ventilation and accessibility performance of new construction work. They apply to most extensions, loft conversions and structural alterations regardless of planning status.

Question 12

Who signs off Building Regs?

Accepted Answer

Either the local authority Building Control or an Approved Inspector. We work with both — for most projects we use the local authority, which is included in the fixed price.

Question 13

What's a completion certificate?

Accepted Answer

Issued by Building Control once the work is signed off as compliant. You'll need it when you sell the property — buyers' solicitors always ask for it. We always obtain a completion certificate as part of our service.

Question 14

What's the difference between Building Regs and planning?

Accepted Answer

Planning controls what gets built (size, appearance, location). Building Regulations control how it's built (structure, insulation, fire safety). A project can need both, just one, or neither.

Question 15

What's the new Part L?

Accepted Answer

The 2022 update to Part L raised insulation and energy efficiency standards substantially. New extensions need significantly more insulation than older builds. We design to current Part L on every project.

Question 16

How much does an extension cost?

Accepted Answer

£2,200–£3,000 per m² for a standard finish in the West Midlands in 2025/26. Premium finishes, structural openings and bi-fold glazing push that up to £3,500/m²+.

Question 17

How long does an extension take?

Accepted Answer

Single-storey 25–35 m²: 10–14 weeks on site. Two-storey 40–80 m²: 16–22 weeks. Add 8–12 weeks for design and planning before site work starts.

Question 18

Can I live in the house during the build?

Accepted Answer

Yes for most extensions. We seal the existing house from the works area. The most disruptive period is the 'cut-through week' when we open the structural connection — usually one or two days of heavy noise.

Question 19

Will the extension match the original brickwork?

Accepted Answer

We source matching bricks. On most 1930s, 1950s and Edwardian stock the match is near-perfect. On older or unusual brick we sometimes recommend an honest contrast (zinc, render, timber) for the new build.

Question 20

Do I need a Party Wall agreement?

Accepted Answer

If you're building within 3m of a neighbour's foundations or directly on a party wall, yes. We help through the Party Wall Act process. Most agreements are settled in 4–6 weeks.

Question 21

Do I have enough headroom for a loft conversion?

Accepted Answer

We measure floor-to-apex on the survey. As a rule, you want 2.3m minimum at the highest point of the existing loft. Below that, a dormer or hip-to-gable can usually solve it.

Question 22

What's the difference between dormer and Velux conversions?

Accepted Answer

Velux: rooflights only, no change to the roofline, fastest and cheapest, headroom-limited. Dormer: a box extension out of the rear roof slope adding usable floor area, more expensive, more useful.

Question 23

What's a hip-to-gable conversion?

Accepted Answer

Where a hipped (sloped on the side) roof is rebuilt with a vertical gable wall, freeing up significant additional space inside the loft. Typical on 1930s semis.

Question 24

Can the loft conversion include a bathroom?

Accepted Answer

Yes — almost always. A small en-suite or shower room is the most common arrangement. The waste pipe runs into the existing soil stack, often through a stud wall on the floor below.

Question 25

Does a loft conversion add value?

Accepted Answer

Typically 20–25% to the value of a 3-bed semi when adding a 4th bedroom and en-suite. The exact figure varies by area but loft conversions almost always pay for themselves at resale.

Question 26

What does a builder charge per m²?

Accepted Answer

West Midlands 2025/26: £2,200–£3,000/m² for standard extensions, £2,500–£3,500/m² for premium spec, £35,000+ for loft conversions, £6,500+ for bathrooms, £12,000+ for kitchens.

Question 27

Will a builder ask for a deposit?

Accepted Answer

We ask for a small mobilisation payment (typically 5–10%) on contract signing to cover materials ordering. After that we invoice in stages against agreed milestones. We don't ask for large up-front deposits.

Question 28

Why are quotes so different from different builders?

Accepted Answer

Different scope, different specs and different overheads. Cheap quotes often skip the boring-but-essential parts — proper foundations, current Part L insulation, structural calculations. Always compare like-for-like specs.

Question 29

What's a fixed-price contract?

Accepted Answer

A single agreed price for a defined scope. Doesn't change unless you make a deliberate change via a written change order. Compare with 'estimates', which can drift upwards mid-project.

Question 30

Are your quotes itemised?

Accepted Answer

Yes — you receive a category-by-category breakdown (structure, services, finishes, professional fees) so you can see where the money's going.

Question 31

How quickly can you start?

Accepted Answer

From contract signing, typically 4–8 weeks for projects with planning permission, 1–3 weeks for projects without. We never overload — when we say a start date, we mean it.

Question 32

What's the typical project timeline?

Accepted Answer

Single-storey extension: 10–14 weeks on site. Two-storey: 16–22 weeks. Loft conversion: 6–12 weeks. Kitchen renovation: 3–5 weeks. Bathroom: 2–3 weeks. Whole-house renovation: 12–24 weeks.

Question 33

What happens if the project takes longer than planned?

Accepted Answer

Material delays, weather, hidden defects — these happen. Our contract includes liquidated damages provisions for unjustified delays, but we proactively flag any timeline risk early in writing.

Question 34

Will you be on site every day?

Accepted Answer

Yes during active phases. There may be 'idle days' between trades (waiting for plaster to dry, materials to arrive) that we plan for in advance. The site is always tidied at end of day.

Question 35

Can the project be split into phases?

Accepted Answer

Yes — sometimes useful for budget reasons or to stage works around family commitments. We can plan a project in phases provided each phase is a coherent stopping point.

Question 36

What guarantee do you provide?

Accepted Answer

12-month workmanship guarantee on every project. Plus manufacturer warranties on all installed products (typically 5–25 years). Plus 10-year structural warranty on new builds.

Question 37

What if there's a defect after handover?

Accepted Answer

Call us. We come back. We don't make it complicated — defects within the workmanship guarantee period are fixed at our cost, no questions asked.

Question 38

Is the guarantee transferable?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if you sell the property within the guarantee period the new owner inherits the remainder of the workmanship guarantee.

Question 39

What about the structural warranty on new builds?

Accepted Answer

New builds are registered with NHBC Buildmark or Premier Guarantee at the start of the project. The 10-year structural warranty covers major defects and is fully transferable.

Question 40

Do you carry insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes — £5m public liability, £10m employer's liability, and contract works cover for the value of the project. Certificates available on request.

Frequently asked questions

Planning & building

General

Planning Permission

Building Regulations

Extensions

Loft Conversions

Costs, timelines & guarantees

Costs

Timelines

Warranty & Guarantees

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