Single Storey House Extensions in Manchester

A single storey house extension is essentially the most cost effective way to create new space with your property by expanding. Extending rooms that you already have is the cheapest way to go about it, but creating more rooms altogether is still a more than achievable goal that can help you make more of your space. Some of the most common goals are:

• A bigger kitchen extension with bi-folding doors, leading into the garden or a utility room, for example, could transform your home.
• You may be dreaming of a lovely eye-catching feature room or extending your living room for relaxing or entertaining.
• More modest sized extensions can enhance the rooms you already have and work well with internal alterations as well, as is often seen with side extensions.

It all works towards creating a more comfortable, economical, modern and generally more valuable home, in every possible sense.

There are many things to consider when designing a project, like budget, functionality, practicality and in our onsite survey we’ll be looking at issues such as shared boundaries, party walls, sewers, listed building status, or if are you in a conservation area too, but we will address every single detail during our design to help create a clear picture of what is necessary for you and who you choose to carry out the build.

Once the size and layout of your single storey extension have been determined, based on the practical requirements, we’ll discuss access, integration and impact on existing spaces. Add all that together with preferences materials, roof-style, finished, and you’ll be ready to move forward with your perfect extension designs.

We keep up to date with trends and new material finishes, plus cheaper alternatives that have similar effects to maximise your project budget at all times to create that all important wow factor.

Here at CK Architectural Manchester, we know exactly what is legally required to be in place before you begin building your single storey extension plans in Manchester. Although often Permitted Development rights mean planning is not required, our clear planning application drawings present your extension design with the necessary scales, site maps and other aspects required to validate the application as efficiently as possible, whichever route is needed.

We will check the design of your single storey extension plans against the planning guidance, which cover over development, impact on the street scene, right of light, overshadowing, loss of amenity and outlook, massing/dominance and loss of privacy etc. Many of these will also be affected by your single storey extension being located in different parts of the building. Front extensions may be more externally demanding than rear or side extensions for example.

After all of this, is done, we’ll submit your planning drawings to the local planning authority on your behalf, liaising with them at every step of the way to move your project through the approval process.

Take a look at our planning permission guide here for more.

Most alterations to your home will require a building certificate from a building control body – either a local authority or a private building inspector. Once the design and planning have been approved you will then need a detailed set of drawings to help you achieve this, and this is the next phase of our service.

Our detailed building regulations plans and specification drawings will include any necessary detail such as structure, the passage of sound, access, drainage, impact, heat loss, ventilation, light, emergency escape and much more. Our specification demonstrates the new single storey extension can and will be built in accordance with the building regulations approved documents.

These will then be submitted for a full plan check and amended if necessary.  Once approved they will set the standard that your single storey house extension is built to and inspected against. You can then use these drawings for gaining quotations from builders.

After all else is done, the only remaining step to undertake is the building of the extension itself. This is where external builders are required.

Our suggestions in this instance would be:

• Make sure your builder has the relevant experience, references, and availability to build your single storey extensions.
• Choose someone you would feel comfortable working with and talking to about concerns.
• Be clear about your timescale expectations and specific finishes
• Extension plans for building regulations will not complete the items in the work contract.
• Quotations should be clear and easy to read, referencing our detailed approved building regulations drawings.
• Ask who will be doing the work, will they be subcontracting and who is responsible.
• Make sure you know when you need to paycheck their payment structure and be comfortable with it.
• Don’t always go with the references they give you, it’s not hard to find out where else they may have been working.

Alternatively, our complete project management service does apply here too. We’ll be dealing with the builders first-hand so that you don’t have to, dealing with all progress, issues and concerns on your behalf as approved by yourself, taking the stress of building management away.

We try to add as many construction details as possible at the building regulations stage, but some assumptions have to be made and certain areas investigated before moving forward. Make sure to remedy them pre-building to avoid any costly surprises (unless we’re managing your project for you). We offer help throughout, for both you and your builder, we will come to the site if help is required.

In our calls, you’ll chat with a friendly member of our design team. We’ll cover everything about your project, like the project brief, budget, design limitations, and advice on planning and building regulations, and much more.