There are plenty of good reasons to get home extensions in Essex. Things change, and while your living space requirements may evolve, the house you own isn’t getting any bigger. One option is to simply move to a bigger house. However, relocating to a new house can be pretty challenging with all the real estate agent and legal fees, and the cost of moving.  

The smarter alternative here is to simply get a house extension if you need the extra bit of space. It’s a cheaper alternative, and depending on the type of extension you get, it allows you to reshape your house just the way you want it. It’s a practical way to transform the unused space in your property.

At Academy Concepts, we deliver cost-effective house extension services to help you shape your dream house exactly as you want it.

Single Storey Extensions:

Single story extension is where simplicity meets functionality. It’s a cost efficient way to increase the space in your house. Single story extension is typically used to extend the kitchen, ground floor lounge or bathroom, get a bit more storage space, or to make the workplace or study room bigger.

With the cost of buying a new home or selling your old one being as volatile as it is, this is an excellent alternative for people who need a bit of extra space.  When done by the professionals at Academy Concepts, this cost-effective house extension service will add value and functionality to your home.

Double Story Extensions: 

While a single story extension has minimal impact, a double story extension is what you’ll get if you want to make a big change. In addition to gaining extra space in your existing rooms, this extension type also increases the number of rooms you have available. 

Our double story extension service can be done from outside your property to minimise disruptions to your daily routine. We offer a fully detailed plan and pricing before we start this type of house extension project to make sure you know exactly what you’ll get for your money.

Side return extension

Side return extension is another extension project that gives you extra space in existing rooms. But what makes it different from single storey extensions is that you also get the opportunity to rearrange your interior floor plan. 

You can also combine this with rear extensions to form a wrap-around extension giving you greater flexibility in changing up your house’s layout. It’s a time consuming and disruptive process, but when done right, can yield massive value for your investment.

You can rely on Academy Concept to cover all your needs, whether you’re going for a side return, rear, or wrap-around extension for your home. We pay extra attention to keeping daily disruption at a minimum for those living in the house.

Conservatory extension

A conservatory extension allows you to add an extra room to your house that blends seamlessly with the existing property. It’s one of the best ways to add value to your property. 

The best thing about this type of extension is that the extra space can be used any way you want. You can transform it into a kitchen, a library, or even a game room; the possibilities are truly endless.

What is planning permission & is it required?

Before we can start working on your home extensions in Essex, you usually need to have an approved application for planning permission. This is an essential document that you’ll need if any of the following apply to your extension project:

• The extension goes higher than the original roof’s peak height.
• The extension or any part of it is higher than four metres or within two metres of your boundary.
• The total volume of the building has increased by more than 115 cubic metres.
• Excluding the ground property, the extension takes up half of the total ground area.
• You’re making a major change that increases the total volume of your building by 10% or more.

Planning permission lets your local count plan for future projects and gives them an idea of how the land is being modified. 

What is the planning process?

• Your plans are submitted to the local council
• The council places your plans on the Planning Register for public viewing
• Your neighbours are notified about the proposed plans
• A council committee is appointed to review and decide on your application. This decision can take up to 8 weeks
• If granted permission, you must complete the proposed work within 5 years
• If denied permission, you can make amendments and resubmit within 12 months without additional charges. You can appeal the decision within 3 months

Don’t worry; Academy Concepts will make sure all the building regulations that apply to your property are thoroughly met.

How do I comply with building extension regulations?

To comply with building extension guidelines, you need to submit a complete, detailed plan on the extension project to your local planning committee. You need to submit it along with the planning permission application and the relevant fees.

The Preparation Stage:

• After you contact us, we provide you with a free quote.
• Once you agree to the pricing, we arrange for an architect to visit your property and get a site survey.
• We draw up a plan and structural calculation and submit it to you for approval.
• If approved, we forward it to the Planning and Building Control for approval.

The Construction Stage:

• We start by creating the foundations, including the drainage system.
• We start building the skins of the wall and setting up the insulation.
• The roof construction comes next, followed by windows and external doors.
• We construct internal partitions at this step.
• We first fix the electrical, plumbing, and telephone lines, respectively.
• Finish up the walls and plaster and install heating.
• Second fix the electrical, plumbing, and telephone lines
• We set up the internal carpentry.
• Finally, we complete the internal decorations.

The completion Stage

• After the work is done, we clear the site,
• We carry out a customer review and obtain the certifications for the project.

No two projects are the same, and our pricing can vary accordingly. Don’t worry; before we proceed, we submit a written, personalised quote for your approval. The quotation will highlight the key costs of the projects that you can review before we get started with the project.