How We Do It

How We Do It – Step by Step;

1. First Contact

The first step is to contact The Home Shop. We will guide you through the process of obtaining the necessary approvals and compiling the package that a builder requires to successfully build your building extension.

2. Free Onsite Consultation

The first step on your journey to a building extension, loft conversion or new home is to understand the planning rules that will be applied to your property. The rules that will be applied will depend on three main factors.

  1. Location e.g. Winchester, Southampton, surrounding areas in Hampshire
  2. Building Classification
  3. The Proposal

We offer a FREE Online Assessment. Email photographs of your property to andy@thehomeshopltd.co.uk along with the property address and we can advise you how you can develop your property. We require front and rear photos and a street scene taken from both directions. This is to help us understand how your proposal will affect the character of the road which is one of the Planners main concerns.

Also we will require a brief description of your requirements and how this will affect the outside of your property. For example. Single storey rear extension to create a larger Kitchen/Breakfast room. Keep it simple. We don’t need to know what colour your curtains will be at this stage, that will come later!!

3. Quotation

After our assessment and discussion The Home Shop will provide you with a fixed price quotation for each of the following stages.

4. Site Survey

Once instructed The Home Shop will visit the dwelling to perform a measured survey. Using laser technology we will measure the existing building accurately to scale and produce an ‘As Build’ drawing using Computer Aided Design (CAD).

5. Sketch Scheme Building Design & Development

Based on your verbal brief given at the quotation stage The Home Shop will then produce a initial sketch scheme based on our interpretation of your requirements. We will then undertake meetings with you to develop the building design to meet and, we hope, exceed your expectations.

6. Permitted Development

Not all building work requires planning permission. Your proposal may fall under ‘Permitted Development’. However before you start work it is advisable to obtain written confirmation of this from the Local Authority. The Home Shop will undertake this task on your behalf.

7. Planning Permissions and Application

If required, on the completion of the design The Home Shop will develop your plans into a format suitable for submission to the Local Authorities Planning Department. The application will consist of a set of ‘As Existing’ plans and elevations at a scale of 1:100 and also the ‘Proposed’ plans and elevations so that the planners can compare and make a clear distinction between what exists and what is proposed. A site plan showing the detailed relationship between your dwelling and the surrounding dwellings is also provided so that the planners may assess the impact the proposal has on the neighbouring properties. Finally a large scale ‘Location Plan’ with north point is provided with at least 2 roads clearly identified so that the location and extent of the site is easily identifiable.

8. Building Regulation Application

Generally all projects will require Building Control Approval from the Local Authority. The Home Shop will prepare a set of Building Control Plans which will include Floor Plans, Elevations, Sections, Site Plan a Basis Specification relating directly to Building Control issues.

The plans which contain technical information will be submitted to the Local Authority for checking (Plan Check). Once Building Control are satisfied with the basic design they will issue a ‘Plan Check Approval’. This approval often contains conditions such as ‘Pending Structural Design’. In essence this allows the process to continue whilst a Structural Engineering Design is prepare in parallel with the development of the scheme. Any condition must usually be satisfied prior to the commencement of works.

9. Building & Structural Design

The majority of projects contain an element of Structural Design such as specialist foundation design, retaining walls, structural steelwork or timber designs. The Home Shop has its own in house Structural Engineer to perform this task. Using the project drawings our Engineer will calculated the stresses and loads applied on the building and size any structural elements that are required. These calculations are then sent to the Local Authority for Approval.

10. Schedule of Work

The Building Control Drawings are expressly for the purpose of obtaining ‘Plan Check Approval’. They therefore do not show the full extent of the proposed building works that are required. A ‘Schedule of Works’ is therefore usually necessary in order to present a full and clear picture of the proposed building works.

A Demolition Plan and Electrical Layout will also be produced as part Schedule of Work.

11. Tender

The Home Shop will then undertake a competitive tender for you using the drawings and scope of work. We recommend tendering to 3 contractors. The Home Shop will either tender to builders from our approved list or to parties that you wish to introduce.

12. Contract Administration & Construction

Once a Contractor has been selected and a price agreed The Home Shop can set up a Building Contract and Administer this through the course of the works to ensure smooth running and quality assurance.