Get an idea of what you want from your extension. An extra family room, office or bedroom? Or are your thinking of starting to work from home? Whatever your reason, consider your budget and the time frame the extension will take.

 

Newman Construction will be happy to discuss with you and advise how long the job may take and an appropriate price range.

 

• We can all get carried away with the excitement, so make sure you have your finances in place and a rough idea of how much you are willing to spend. If you don't quite have enough funds, you could always speak to your mortgage company about a re-mortgage to support the new project.

 

• Architectural plans; get in touch with an architect to discuss having plans drawn up. With architectural plans, everyone knows what the finished project is going to look like and can make sure they are happy with it before building commences. 

 

• Have at least three estimates from different contractors. Meet the contractor(s) in person so you get a feel for them as a person. Whether they are interested in the work, and you the customer, and how comfortable you feel with them.           A reputable builder will never charge for an estimate, so there is no need to part with any money.

 

• Choosing a builder; The only real indication of a builder's credibility is work that he has already carried out. So ask for references and most importantly follow them up to ensure they are genuine.  Ask the referees questions about the work they had done, workmanship quality? Was it completed on time? Was the builder reliable?

 

• Choose a builder from a friend's recommendation or a professional association, such as Checkatrade. If you know the builder has completed quality work in the past, then that's a good sign.

 

• Money tree; we don't all have one in our garden. Quality work and materials don't come at a low price. Competitive rates are important so get a few estimates so you can compare, and again check references.

 

• Builders who are good at their trade are usually in high demand so be patient it's worth the wait for someone skilled and competent and ensures utmost care and attention to your extension.

 

• You have chosen your builder: You can start work as soon as planning has been granted.   Pay for all work by cheque or BACS and get an invoice for work completed and paid. You could even set up a payment schedule. Ask for updates on the extension progress and ask questions if you have any. If you decide to have extra work carried out that was not originally agreed, ask for a seperate estimate/quote before you agree for the extra work to commence.