9 common questions homeowners ask about their building project…

Each building project is unique. However, there are common questions that get asked by homeowners who are often doing a building project for the first time. These are questions about design, about money and about the process. Here are a few of those questions answered by Build Budget Expert.

1. The builder is asking for a deposit. Is that right?

A building company is a business and each one will have it’s own way of working. Plenty of builders do not ask for a deposit, but plenty do. There is no right or wrong answer to this question.

I’ve seen people answer this question by saying that they shouldn’t ask for a deposit and you shouldn’t pay one. However, I don’t think there can be many other industries where a customer will be advised to dictate payment terms to the business.

The way to get the best answer to this question is to do your research. If you have gone through a proper tender process and are happy and confident with the builder they’ve chosen, then how they structure their payments should be fine. Check with their previous clients though and if you have any concerns, speak to your builder.

2. How much should my extension cost?

The ultimate question. With no simple answer. There are steps you can take however, to get a reasonable idea of the expected cost:

• Online calculators – try a few and take an average. This will give you a reasonable idea of the cost of the building work to any m2 you are adding to your existing floorplan.

• Are you renovating existing areas? Do not overlook the cost of this. It can be quite costly, depending on what areas you are opening up and any rooms you may want to change the use of. Plumbing moving? Electrics moving? Make a list.

• Will work need doing outside? Think about what might need reinstating or any new landscaping you’re doing. Make a list.

• Finishing – take a walk around and think about every area of every room. Kitchens/bathrooms/radiators/flooring just to name a few. Try and think of everything. Make a list.

• What professionals will you need? Designer to do the plans, structural engineer, building control. Make a list.

Can you see where I’m going with this?! Make a list, make it complete, do your research, be honest with yourself, don’t have a starting number you’re trying to make work. Once you have a complete list and do the work forecasting the cost of each item then you will see where you are against an amount you were hoping to spend and then you can start making compromises.

3. What layout should I go for?

Design questions are always difficult to answer. What works for me and my family may not work for you and yours. Think about how you are living currently, what is working about your existing layout and what isn’t. If you think you may want to change a layout further down the line, if possible, make any internal walls non load bearing so they can be taken down more easily. Get inspiration from people you know and online.

If you’re planning to sell the house then it’s worth speaking to estate agents about the sort of layouts that get the best return in your area. If you aren’t selling, my tip would be to put yourselves first and choose a layout that works for you.

4. What can I do to increase curb appeal?

Improving the front of your house can have many benefits, including making your return home feel so much more welcoming. There are different considerations when it comes external improvements and the budget will lead this. Stand and look at the front of your property, there are many different things you could probably do – re-roof, new glazing, render/cladding, new driveway, landscaping, hedges or walls. The list will go on and on.

Look at the different areas of the outside of your property and work out where your priorities are. If you’re selling the house, doing cosmetic work to the outside may not make much of a difference to sale price, but could attract more views. So consider what options you have that are low cost, but will make a visual impact such as cleaning, painting or some simple gardening/landscaping.

If you’re staying and you want to improve your experience in the house, what are the issues currently? Do you need to improve access or renovate tired/broken areas? Or are you just wanting to modernise.

Inspiration is everywhere, but with most design questions, the answer lies mainly in what your preferences are.

5. Do I need building regs or planning permission for what I’m looking to do?

This is where a design professional is absolutely necessary. There are varying degrees of difficulty when it comes to planning and you will need an expert to guide you through the process. It is also important to understand your local authority. A local expert who has experience dealing with their planning department will be up to date with the sort of projects that are getting through planning and the sort of projects that aren’t.

6. Should we use private or council building control?

I would lean toward using a private building control company. They can often offer more flexibility when it comes to how they deal with the builders and also with communication and availability.

Do your homework though – speak to people who’ve used your local council building control and get their thoughts. With private companies there should be plenty of reviews available online. As for the cost, private may be a little bit more expensive.

7. What questions to ask builders who are quoting?

The process of choosing your builder is probably the most important part of the whole journey. And it’s also probably the most stressful given what is at stake. There’s a lot to do before you get to the point where you ask questions. But once you’ve gone through that stage and now have a shortlist you need to make a choice and face to face discussions will help massively. As for questions to ask, here are a few to get things started:

• What projects have they done similar to yours?

• What do they think of the plans, do they have any suggestions/recommendations?

• How do they run their site – eg how often will have meetings? Who is the point of contact? What happens to site waste?

• What paperwork do they provide – contract, payment schedule, timetable?

I’ve written a separate blog post to help with this question and my Tender Process Support service will take you through this process.

8. Do I let my builder be alone in the house when I’m at work?

Yes, this will almost certainly need to be the case if the existing areas of your house is being worked on. I understand that there could be some apprehension about this, but if you have done a thorough job when choosing your builder, you should have full confidence in letting them work in your home. Still worried? Talk to them about it.

9. I have a silly question…

No you don’t! Undertaking a building project in your home is a stressful and difficult thing to do. Most people will be doing it for the first time, having no experience with the construction industry and probably having read lots of scary stories about building gone wrong. It is fully understandable that you will have a lot of questions and anyone in the construction industry should understand and be more than willing to listen to your concerns and questions and give you all the information you need.

With Build Budget Expert, there are no silly questions, I am here to help. Book a free consultation with me today and let’s get your questions answered.