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Rear Dormer Conversions
A rear dormer extension is the process by which the back slope of the roof is removed and then built up into a box shape from the rear elevation. Rear dormers are usually built off the back wall and up off both the sides.
They are normally finished in either tiles or slates, depending on the style and characteristics of your property.
Loft Conversions
Space. We all need it. Have you ever considered a loft conversion?
Loft conversions are easily built and can have a huge effect on your house. The space that can be achieved by a loft conversion is quite considerable. Perhaps you could do with a new bedroom or guest room in your house? Many of our previous customers who have had loft conversions built said that the reason for it was because of that extra space required, such as an extra bedroom or even a study area.
The possibilities for a loft conversion are endless, and you can decide what you want the space to become. Loft conversions can sometimes become the best looking room in the house. The fitting of several Velux roof windows can transform the room into a light calm area.
At Marble Construction we specialise in Loft Conversions so why not consider one? Call us now for a free quotation on 0844 813 1111 or alternatively call Stuart on 07525 650011
The Permitted Development Laws
Planning permission was, and indeed still is, a slight bother in some of the councils within the London, Hampshire and Surrey areas. Thanks to new permitted development laws that were introduced in October 2008, home-owners can now extend their house in more than one way, without having to obtain planning permission.
Before October 2008 every house had a certain allowance by which it could be extended without needing planning permission. The allowance on a mid terrace was 50 metres cubed whereas for a detached or semi-detached house the allowance was 70 metres cubed. This became an issue for people who already had an extension because the law on planning permission restricted loft conversions in an unfair way to stop people from maximising the amount of space and their investment.
However, as of October 2008, permitted development laws have doubled the amount of space by which home-owners can extend, allowing them to maximise the potential of their property by converting their loft as well as extending their kitchen or lounge area for example to create more space. This means that you can now still have a loft extension without applying for planning permission even if you already have a side or rear extension! If you read the last post on hip-to-gable extensions this law also helps you out.
One thing that should be said though is that this law does not apply to flats or listed buildings as well as some buildings in conservation areas. However, if your property does not fall into any of those three categories you’re in luck.
There are many projects which you can now have done without needing planning permission, such as having alterations to the inside of your house or other extensions built. There are of course strict rules for each individual extension which must be followed.
The rules themselves, however, are quite simple, usually regarding the size of the extension and so forth. For instance, some rules governing side extensions state “Side extensions must not exceed 4 metres in height, have more than one storey or be greater than half the width of the original house”. As you can see the rules are very straightforward and they also give you many options to extend your house without applying for planning permission.
For a free quotation and to check whether or not your particular extension would need planning permission please phone Marble Construction on 0844 813 1111 or alternatively phone Stuart on 07525 650011.
Hip-To-Gable Conversions
What’s it about?
A hip-to-gable loft conversion involves replacing an existing roof hip with a gable end wall. The hip in question is the sloping side of the roof, thus called the “hipped” side. By changing the hip to a gable, it allows you to achieve a considerable amount of extra space in your loft compared to converting your loft with the hip still in place. If you can imagine your roof with three slopes, the hip is the slope which falls to the side of your property. Hip-to-gables are found on most semi-detached properties and many end of terrace properties. The photo below shows a converted hip to gable.
How is it done?
The building process is often found to be the most difficult of all the loft conversion processes. As the conversion requires altering a major part of the roof it is likely that you will have to apply for planning permission to achieve the full hip-to-gable effect. However, in October 2008 the law changed regarding the permissible area by which you are allowed to extend the roof. Please click here for more details.
Although a hip-to-gable conversion is very complex you can rest assured that Marble Construction are complete specialists and will build a hip-to-gable in approximately 6-8 weeks. The time will vary depending on the width of your property and the complexity of the roof structure.
A hip-to-gable can be finished in a few different ways to suit the property. A hip-to-gable can be finished in either facing brickwork, blockwork and render, blockwork and pebble dash, hanging tiles, slates or cedar cladding. You will not have to make this decision until your plans are drawn. Our customer Mrs Davies who has recently had a hip-to-gable conversion said “Marble Construction have done a wonderful job. Everything was very straightforward and before I knew it the conversion was completed within 5 weeks”.
Are there any eco upgrades?
There are many different eco upgrades that you can choose which will benefit your home. One of Marble Construction’s suppliers, Jewsons, offer a wide range of eco products, some of which can be used in hip-to-gable constructions. One of these is called Smartroof®. Smartroof specialise in roofing panels and they are generally quicker to connect, which in turn speeds up the build process.
There are many benefits with using Smartroof panels.
- thermal efficiency – as the panels work very well as heat insulators your left will be kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter
- time – working in partnership with Smartroof, we can build your roof from their factory and convert your loft within a couple of days rather than weeks which is the normal time frame for a loft conversion.
- money – comparing Smartroof with a traditional roofing method there is not a great deal of difference in price
How much will it cost?
A hip-to-gable conversion is often built with a rear dormer attached which maximizes the total space when converting your loft. Hip-to-gable rear dormers would usually cost in the region of around £35,000 to £38,000 but this is subject to the fixtures and final finishes required for every individual customer.
Marble Construction offer a second package which allows customers to get involved with converting their loft. This package offers all of the structual work to be completed as well as the outside work, such as windows, veluxes, tiling, fascias and soffits. In fact everything from the outside will be completed allowing you to finish the inside of your loft at your own speed. Internal finishes that will need to be completed by yourself are the insulation and plasterboard, electrics and plumbing (1st and 2nd fix), plastering and flooring. This package can often save up to 20% – 35% of the full package price. This allows the practically minded homeowner to benefit from converting their loft to a hip-to-gable, whatever their individual budget. We at Marble Construction feel that customer satisfaction is very important and will explain the different loft options available at our free design survey.
For more information on lofts, please see our main page on loft conversions.
If you would like a free quotation please do not hesitate to call us now on 0844 813 1111 or alternatively call Stuart on 07525 650011.
Installing Underfloor Heating
When undertaking building works, whether it is a big double storey extension or a simple bathroom conversion, underfloor heating is a great option to consider.
Underfloor heating comes in two different types. There’s a hot water pipe system and an electric system.
Both options can be installed in any room of the house, from a family bathroom, lounge or utility room.
Underfloor heating works by giving a steady radiation heat over the whole floor area whether carpet or floor tiles. The temperature you require can be set by using controls so the whole house has a constant level of comfort to suit your family whilst also freeing up wall space from radiators.
Marble Construction's top tips on home developments
We’re Your Specialists in Home Developments and Improvements, not Just Your “General Builder”!
In today’s economic climate, with property prices continuing on a downward slide, more and more home owners are choosing to make the most of their family home by extending and improving. This prevents the need to move, not only making your home a more pleasant place to live in but, if designed and built properly, adding value to the property even in a downturn.
Here are Marble Construction’s top 5 tips to help beat the need to move and still add value to your home:
- Installing an en suite, Shower Room or Bathroom
- Converting the loft Space
- Extending the kitchen
- Converting the Garage
- Adding a Utility Room
If your house has three or more existing bedrooms, a good option is to install an en-suite shower room off the master bedroom. This can be done by building up a stud wall or, if the space allows, stealing some of the existing landing space on the first floor. You could look at using a quadrant shower tray to fit into a corner of the room or another option is to use small toilets and sinks to save valuable floor space. We would carry out a feasibility survey to come up with some creative design solutions, working around even the tightest of spaces.
The Cost: A new en-suite shower room will cost approximately £2,500 to £3,500 including VAT, depending on how involved you are willing to get. If you are a competent DIYer costs can be kept down by doing the flooring, tiling and/or painting yourself. 1st and 2nd fix plumbing and electrics in en-suites are better off left to Marble Construction. This way you are provided with the adequate paper work (Part P Certification) which you would need when selling the property in the future.
If you have a carefully planned budget, which Marble Construction will provide you with, an en-suite can add up to 5% to the value of your home.
Loft Conversions are one of the most cost effective ways to add space to a home, especially if you can convert this space into a master bedroom and an en-suite shower room or bathroom. You will need to have at least 2.2 metres of headroom in your loft to make the space comply with building regulations. However, our surveyor at Marble Construction has the ability to make some of the tighter spaces evolve into bright new rooms, using clever designs and complex floor structures to maximise the finished floor head height.
Many big loft companies promote a minimum head height of 2.2 metres because of their factory run systems and plans. Most of the big companies’ contractors are restricted to building in one standard way so that hey can complete a job as quickly and as simply as possible . This often means customers lose more head height than necessary and do not get the unique and individualised design that Marble Construction can offer. Marble Construction will take care of all your plans and designs and will listen to your thoughts and ideas to deliver you a superb, high quality space that is built to a timeframe that suits you.
The Cost: A loft conversion which combines an additional bedroom with an en-suite shower room can add between £45,000* and £85,000* to the value of your property.
(*Dependent on the property’s location)
Open plan Kitchen/Diners or Family Rooms remain in vogue and the more space to entertain friends, the better. Changes in Council regulations introduced in October 2008 mean building an extension is now much easier. The new regulations state that every property (with the exception of flats, conservation areas and 2nd grade listed buildings) is allowed to be extended, although the extent of which depends on the type of property.
Without planning permission, terraced and semi detached properties are now allowed to be extended by the full width of the property and up to 3 metres outwards, with detached properties being allowed to be extended by up to 4 metres outwards. All properties are allowed to be built up to 3 metres high with a flat roof and up to 4 metres high with a vaulted roof or pitched roof.
This gives you a great opportunity to design and create a huge extended area that doesn’t lack space or height.
The Cost: Prices start at around £25,000 to £50,000 including VAT.
Marble Construction has completed double storey side extensions worth well over £100,000. The cost will depend on the design, usability and impression you are trying to achieve from your extension.
Social, spacious Kitchen and Dining areas are in big demand so converting a small kitchen space in to a large socialising area will be of benefit to you and your family.
To help with your extension decisions, you could ask for some advice from your local estate agent who should be able to help you; alternatively please contact us as we have local knowledge in the London and Surrey areas and can give you practical advice on what you could potentially be allowed by your local council.
Turning your unused Garage into a Playroom, Study, Utility Room, extra Bedroom or Games Room is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to improve your house.
For example, if you have a double garage you can convert half of it, the benefit being that the structure is already there. Then all that is needed is some heating, insulation, a window to match the property, some plastering and decoration.
The Cost: Marble Construction have completed many garage conversions and they usually cost between £3000 – £7000 including VAT depending on the specification and the design.
PLEASE NOTE: If you decide to take on such a project yourself to save some money, please be careful when commissioning a bricklayer to brick up the old garage entrance. If the new bricks and pointing do not match up with the original bricks and pointing, it will haunt you for the rest of your time living in the property. As garages are often on the front elevation, the blend with the bricks and the new window style that is chosen to match should be seamless. If it is done cheaply or incorrectly, it will stick out like a sore thumb and may even decrease the value of the property.
If done correctly, the garage conversion could easily add up to 10% to the value of your home.
Adding a Utility Room allows extra cupboard and work space in your kitchen. This is important as kitchens are now considered as the main entertaining space of the house.
Creating and designing a utility room is best done if you are considering having a kitchen extension. Another option without disrupting the current kitchen design is to utilise some space at the back of the garage if you have one. Another possible option is to turn a downstairs cloakroom space into a small utility space. Even if the old cloakroom is only big enough to fit one appliance inside, it is still an area where you can put your ironing board and iron, mops and cleaning products etc.
Adding a utility area will also allow you to reclaim your kitchen by removing all the laundry clutter and bulky and/or noisy appliances.
The Cost: To fit a utility room under the stairs would cost around £2,200 including VAT. To fit a utility room in the back of a garage with 5+ cupboards and working space would cost approximately £3,400 including
Decking area in Farnborough
We have recently finished a small garden improvement for Mr and Mrs Hopkins.
With spring just round the corner, gardens are the place most families choose to spend their time together. Here at Marble Construction, we love to help in all areas of home improvement.
When Mr and Mrs Hopkins were referred to us by their neighbours, they wanted to do something in their garden that did not take up too much lawn space. With two young boys who were really into their football, lawn area was a very important factor. We came up with a simple design that gave them a proportionate amount of entertaining space whilst retaining the garden for the children.
Mrs Hopkins said ” It is a fantastic area that’s been created. We are really looking forward to spending as much time as we can out here during the summer months with the kids”
Decking is a simple way to create an external platform away from the house for all sorts of social events, whether it’s for BBQs, entertaining family and friends or simply relaxing on your own on a late summer afternoon.
Decking is relatively inexpensive and there are hundreds of different designs and finishes to choose from. Some husbands choose to do it themselves, others wish they had a little more time to take on this and other small projects around the house but whatever your situation, Marble Construction are here to help… If you would like some advice on a particular design you have thought about or you would like to see how economical it is to have a professional tradesman come in and build your decking area, please call us as we are more than happy to get involved with even the smallest home improvements.
A decking area offers
- Value for money
- Cost effective way of gaining space
- Fixed price per meter squared
- 100′s of designs to choose from
- Fantastic local suppliers
- Different wood samples available
- Marble Construction join the companies at Nimbus, Farnborough. http://t.co/ZjBizN1B #
- How to lay the perfect slate roof... http://t.co/y1VKK56f #
- End of an era :( http://t.co/OWih3JTN #
- An interesting door mat concept going on at the new office... http://t.co/iv2YkKgv #
- Stuart having a creative morning in the new office. http://t.co/8vuDzJg3 #