In the world of construction and renovation, preparation and foresight are everything. Understanding the timeline for exploring design options, securing statutory consent, and lining up building contractors is crucial. Allow us to walk you through this process and explain why it’s imperative to start your journey sooner rather than later.

Often, clients underestimate the length of time it takes to move from the idea of a project to the beginning of construction. Truthfully, this process can take anywhere between 6 to 12 months if planning/LBC and warrant are required. However, this reduces to just 3-5 months if only a warrant is required. And remember, this is before even before the first foundation is dug. There are many elements to consider, from choosing a design to obtaining all necessary permissions and consents.

The journey starts with exploring design options. Working closely with an architectural technologist, your dreams can be transformed into feasible plans that consider practicalities such as space availability, budget constraints, and Scottish building regulations. This stage alone can span several months, involving consultations, plan revisions, and finalisations.

Securing statutory consents in Scotland is an integral part of the process. These include planning permissions, listed building consents (LBCs), and building warrants. These are official permissions from the local council, which ensure that your proposed project complies with Scottish building regulations, conserves the character of any listed buildings, and is in line with all planning policies. These processes can be complex and lengthy, often taking several weeks or even months to complete.

Next, you’ll need to secure a building contractor to carry out the construction work. This involves obtaining and comparing quotes, scrutinising portfolios, and checking references. Getting the contractor you prefer can be competitive, especially in a busy market. By obtaining your statutory consent ahead of time, you’ll be ahead of the game when it comes to securing the contractor of your choice.

If you’re considering a project within the next couple of years, it’s important to start this process now. By being proactive, you eliminate time pressure and increase your options. With your statutory consents in place, you gain a head-start in securing a contractor, allowing you to engage their services before others.

It’s also important to note that consents in Scotland are valid for three years and can easily be extended beyond this. By obtaining consent early, you not only ensure a smoother planning process but also gain flexibility to adjust your timelines if needed.

In conclusion, the journey from project conception to construction commencement is a marathon, not a sprint. The timeline may seem daunting, but the benefits of early planning are invaluable. By being proactive, you have the chance to design your dream project, secure the necessary consent, and hire your preferred contractor without unnecessary stress or pressure.

Don’t let the timeframes catch you off guard – be proactive, and take the first step towards bringing your dream project to life today.

There are several reasons why homeowners may decide to add an extension to their residential property. An extension can offer extra living space, add value to your property, and enhance your quality of life. Here are the top ten reasons why a homeowner may choose to build an extension:

The most common reason for homeowners to build an extension is to add more living space. With a growing family, it can be challenging to accommodate everyone in the existing living quarters. An extension can provide the extra space that is needed to create more bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas.

Home Office: With the rise of remote work, many homeowners are opting to build a home office in their extension. An extension can provide the quiet, dedicated space that is required to work from home effectively.

Another option here is to turn an existing garage into an office, more info on this article : build a home office in your garage.

An extension can provide the perfect space for hosting parties and events. It can be designed to include a bar, pool table, or cinema room, making it a great spot for entertaining friends and family.

If you’re a homeowner in the UK, you know how important it is to make the most out of the space you have. Whether you’re looking for an extra bedroom, additional storage, or a larger living area, a loft conversion is an ideal solution to turn your home into the perfect place for you and your family. In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 reasons why a loft conversion is a perfect addition to your UK home.

The most obvious reason for hiring an expert in anything is that they are an expert. They’ve trained for years, learning a broad selection of skills. If you use an established firm like ABC they have years of real-world experience backing up that training. An expert has seen the bumps in the road before that your project will come across, an expert will see them coming before the project hits them.

By employing the services of an architectural designer you’ll get a solid idea of what you’re finished project will look like. You won’t get a sample image of a similar build. You won’t get a rough sketch. You’ll get a computer-aided design that is used as a plan for the final build. An accurate initial design will allow you to fix miscommunications and details before a foundation is dug or brick laid.

An architectural designer has a strong base of knowledge regarding building structure. By using proven mathematical models you can be sure that work will be done to prevent beams from being overloaded and floors sinking. There is more to building an extension than pure aesthetics and a lack of respect for sound structures could end in disaster.

Architectural designers have a strongly developed idea of what will simply “look good”. Their training has given them a rich base of architectural concepts, history, and visions of the modern and futuristic. If you want a certain look they are there to work with you to develop that into something that will work.

If your time is valuable to you you may not want to get stuck into the quagmire of planning requirements and permits. You may have some idea of the sort of applications you will have to make. Building height, window placement, and distance from boundaries may be relevant to name but a few. If you’d rather not have to deal with the above, and probably the other ones you might miss, then you’ve hit upon another reason to employ the services of a business like ABC Architecture. Our experience and expertise mean that we have an idea of the requirements you’ll have to satisfy right from the off. We will be there to answer questions and help unravel those forms.

An architectural designer with experience will have seen and dealt with spaces of all shapes and sizes. If you want to get the most out of the limited area you have using a professional service like ABC Architecture is of utmost importance. Details like the positioning of a door, window, or the orientation of a staircase could make all the difference. Having a long-term view of your project is key. The extra time and money spent finding a great architectural designer will pay dividends in the future. Your build will be more efficient, more coherent, and more pleasing to the eye.

As with many trends that spring up and become popular, the very definition of a garden room extension isn’t an agreed-upon concept. There is a consensus that a garden room extension is a room that is built to the same standards as the house itself and usually involves a lot of glass. However, there are some that would classify it as something always attached to the house, and others who suggest that it’s a separate building in its own right. Also, there is the manner in which the extension can be attached to the house. It could be created by knocking through part of a wall, extending the length of a space, or it could be joined by an external quality door for a stronger separation.

Before we head into the aspects that are true of all garden room extensions let’s better define what these types are:

Type 1 and 2 share a lot of similarities so in this article we’ll be dealing with those in particular. Type 3, the detached garden room, has some stark differences that make it a different beast altogether to deal with. We’ll side-line the detached garden room for the moment but will return to it in a later article.

There’s a lot of interest in garden room extensions at the moment due to a number of factors. Due to recent worldwide events people are looking at ways to improve their home and make better use of the space they have. Also, with the future of travel looking blurry having nice ways to spend a summers’ day or night close to home is attractive. If you’re lucky enough to have a sizable garden it’s a good way to use a part that really doesn’t serve a purpose other than to be added to your list of maintenance activities!

Climate change is affecting the world in a myriad of negative ways. But the evidence is seen that the UK will probably see rising summer temperature in the years to come. Adaptation Scotland ( funded by the Scottish Government ) say climate change has brought us to the point where a Summer as hot as 2018 will occur every 4 or 5 years. If things continue as they are, hot summers like that might occur upto 50% of the time by 2050. Predictions like that lead people to wanting to improve the outdoor aspect of their home, including ways to better enjoy it. A garden room extension is a great way to achieve that goal.

It was always an idea, a plan to build a home office in the garage. But I certainly didn’t foresee the reason I would start working from home quite so often. For years this sort of working life was more of a distant dream. I certainly imagined a future workplace with virtual reality meetings and huge video walls for conferencing. But after the rapidly evolving situation that started early last year a large percentage of the workforce had to settle with a new reality, less virtual, more laptop-on-the-kitchen-table.

What started out as a temporary stop-gap measure turned into a few months. Now, a year after the start of the global pandemic the future of the workplace is still more than a little blurry. While nothing is certain in this ever-changing landscape, we think a dedicated station for home working is going to be a desirable element in any residential property. Mid term certainly, but likely long term too. Imagining a path back to “how it was before” is a stretch by any count.

The number one, and most obvious benefit, is a quiet(er) place away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Be it a barking dog, an earnestly practising musician or even just the TV; to get the most from home working the thinking brain’s environment needs to be distraction free.

Replacing face-to-face communication with today’s technology is fine. But you only get the full benefit if discussions can be had without the effort to move to another room, go outside or close a door. We should not lose our ability to efficiently collaborate as part of the bargain to WFH ( Work From Home ).

A great added benefit of the project to build a home office in your garage is to simply give you another warm and comfortable room. If you’ve been toying with the idea of an extension this could be the cheaper way to gain that extra habitable room. With the addition of a futon or sofa bed you’ve gained a guest room if needed. Room for a couple of sofas and you’ve got a second living or communal area if your house is crowded. Simply put, it’s a cost effective way to increase the living area of your property. If this is something that is of interest try to keep it in mind when planning.