How do I start an L-shape house extension project?

Starting any building project - whether that's a home renovation, a house extension, a garage conversion or even a new house - is always difficult. As an architect who often starts projects all the time it can still be tricky to know what to approach and tackle first.

With L-shape extensions the key items I've picked up over the years are as follows, this is something we carried out here on this project in the initial stages for the client:

1. Determine whether an L-shape suits you garden - this is the biggest question you need answered, the shape of your extension will only work if it suits how it relates to the rest of your land.

2. Determine the key rooms - some rooms will be better suited to an L-shape, such as snug rooms or dining spaces facing out into the garden. Rooms such as bathrooms, bedrooms and even kitchens can be difficult to accommodate in a good L-shape house extension design.

3. Determine your budget - L-shape buildings are typically a bit more complex than standard box shape buildings. While they can still be the best cost effective option depending on your final goal, it's important to note that a slightly increased cost per square metre is likely.

Diagram showing the existing house and proposed L shape extension approved in Salford

In the case with this Salford house extension, the L-shape extension was a great choice as it created a surround for the garden. Allowing a lot of inside to outside connection between the garden and the house.

Who should I speak to about a house extension?

Given the different construction professionals typically involved in construction work. It can be difficult to know who to approach first, whether it's an architect, builder, structural engineer or even an estate agent.

In my experience every project is different so cases may vary, but 9/10 times this is who I would approach for advice and the order in which I'd approach them.

1. Estate Agent

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2. Architect

I can only speak from what I provide and my peers, but speaking to an architect on almost all other matters will give you the bigger picture of everything you can expect on a project. Whether this be budget, planning permission, building regulations, feasibility of the project, natural light and much more.

Occasionally there will be certain areas which will require a specialists input, whether that's green belt planning advice from a planning consultant or an unorthodox structural solution. But again an Architect can point you in the direction of these specialists if they're necessary.

Architects can typically give some advice at the beginning for free, we offer this as a free consultation to everybody who gets in contact.

I'd go as far as to say that - even on mid and large sized developer led projects - clients have benefitted from reaching out to us first before a property developer, as it helped them understand the potential of their site faster and cheaper.

3. Builder

In the last few years I've definitely found that the clients that speak to and find a trustworthy builder can benefit from securing them for the construction when that time comes. Typically though these will be builders that are close friends or family.

Most builders will usually request drawings and documentation before they can give any meaningful insight, in my experience they are also less likely to spend time giving advice prior to being paid for the job just due to the nature and business of being a general contractor.

Therefore having a friend in the trades can give some great insight into the project ahead of time, but typically they'll need to see what you're planning to do.

4. Structural Engineer, Planning Consultant and Other Specialist Consultants

I've put these professionals towards the bottom as the services and profession they work in is focused on provide a solutions to specific parts of a project. They do not manage or fulfill a building project as a whole.

There may be a handful of structural engineers and planning consultants that may be an exception to the rule but generally this is outside of their professional scope and you should be aware of this. It's not uncommon to have structural engineers which produce architectural drawings for small projects at a very low fee for instance but in my experience there's a reason the price is low and I'd be wary of these types of service. In many cases we've seen projects overengineered by cheap structural engineers which have added tens of thousands of pounds to the construction cost of a project.

Typically on almost all projects we approach these professionals once the project is developed and provide all the context they need so that they can do what they do best.

How do I gain planning permission for an L-shaped house extension, what do I do if there's push back?

With all of this said, how did we gain planning permission later down the line with our client?

Well there were a few key items we tend to use on projects like this, they're not exactly the same every time but even one or two of these methods can make the difference between approval and rejection of planning permission.

The first key item is checking local planning precedent.

This is invaluable for getting a feel for the local area and the council's approach on a more personal officer level toward each application.

Given that planning permission is part policy, part politics - and on the small scale - part how you communicate with the individual case officer, it's important to avoid any of the common pitfalls others have already been rejected for.

Depending on the project we can usually provide planning precedent to you when we share our fees. This usually follows the free consultation we provide. In most cases I can typically tell you during the free consultation whether there's precedent in the area just by looking at the type of construction conducted in the nearby area.

The second key item is clear and consistent application information.

Many people would associate architects with the drawings they create. But I'd say more of their profession and their personality comes from their ability to present information consistently and clearly.

Much like a spelling error can raise an eyebrow on printed material, drawings which miss key information, notation or simply do not convey the same information across projections can quickly leave room for interpretation and more commonly, a reason for refusal.

The third key item is communication with all stakeholders

In this case it was primarily the case officer at Salford council, but it could be a local parish council and very likely your neighbour.

Making sure to communicate effectively to people with the decision making power will typically provide opportunities to clarify anything that may result in refusal or even gain their support for the application.

I personally reached out to our case officer at Salford council planning before the decision deadline multiple times and it was lucky that I did as we did receive push back on the materials that were proposed on the design.

Luckily I was able to refer directly to local precedent we'd prepared ahead of time, meaning approval was given for the design as originally proposed.

Whats the next stage?

Since the planning application was approved we have produced the building regulations documentation and construction drawings. The structural engineer was also appointed to produced their information, meaning the project is now ready to be built!

The project's building contract has already been signed between the builder and the client and is scheduled to start during the summer this year. We'll likely be getting photos of the progress and the finished result so be sure to look out for more!

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Salford Council Approves L-shape Modern House Extension

As part of our ongoing services to a client in Swinton, Greater Manchester. We have secured planning permission for a large modern L-shape house extension. Find out how we did it and what you can expect when applying for planning permission here.

How do I start an L-shape house extension project?

Who should I speak to about a house extension?

1. Estate Agent

2. Architect

3. Builder

4. Structural Engineer, Planning Consultant and Other Specialist Consultants

How do I gain planning permission for an L-shaped house extension, what do I do if there's push back?

The first key item is checking local planning precedent.

The second key item is clear and consistent application information.

The third key item is communication with all stakeholders

Whats the next stage?

Written By...

Sean Payne

Director & Architect

RIBA, ARB, DipArch, MArch, BA, PassivHaus Cert

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