Pricing it up

It’s important to work out an early estimate of the cost of building your home. You can use a free online building cost estimator or research local builders whose work resembles the size and quality of your ideal home. Most builders can give you an approximate idea of what your budget should be. Don’t forget to let them know from the get-go about any must-have features or additions, because the unknowns are what end up busting the budget in the end.

Evaluate the lot you are choosing to build upon. Maybe the lot is comparably cheaper to other property you are considering, but that may be a result of expensive building obstacles: trees that need to be cleared, drainage systems needing to be built, or layers of rock that must be destroyed. As a note, a remote lot may be cheaper than one more centrally located, however in the end, the most budget-friendly lots are those with access to public water lines, electricity and gas.

Simplicity equals cost effective

Opting for simplicity in the shape of your home is another way to cut costs. Square and rectangular floor plans are easier on the budget than building complex shapes with involved roof-lines. Consider how much simpler a dome home is to build in comparison to a triangle shape with numerous vaulted ceilings.

You will generally get more bang for your buck if you build tall rather than wide, meaning a single story house spread out over a property is less cost-effective than building a taller, more compact multi-story home. For one, the tall home has equivalent living space but with less roof and foundation. Also, plumbing and heating/cooling systems are more efficient in a more compact space.

Choosing Materials

Major budget-savers come when choosing the building materials for your home. Nowadays, there are many high-quality imitations of the pricier traditional material. You can still create the look you want without draining your entire budget on one room. For example, real hardwood floors are beautiful but you may consider less expensive alternatives like engineered wood, prefabricated floors or bamboo flooring. Instead of solid wood cabinets, consider that open shelves use less material and can make your kitchen, bathroom or home office feel more spacious.

(photo of engineered wood flooring)

Using recycled and re-purposed construction and decorating materials is not only an environmentally-friendly way to build on a budget, but the items you find may become some of your favorite finishing touches. Ask your local hardware store for recycled materials like steel or sawdust composites and browse architectural salvage warehouses for various architectural details like doors, windows, light and plumbing fixtures, ironwork, etc. Scout your area for a flooring outlet that may have great deals for bulk materials. Search eBay for specific items and take advantage of discounts and promotions from your local building-supply stores.

Keep in mind the difference between details that you are willing to economize on now which can easily be upgraded in the future, as opposed to features that cannot easily be changed. Invest in the latter as they will be the foundation of your home.

The Red Tape

Finally, part of building on a budget is taking care of the legal aspects so you don’t end up with penalties and major fees later. Get the right site insurance and any building warranties necessary before you launch into production.

Building on a budget means planning ahead; know the steps you need to take and the materials you will require so you can get resourceful about maintaining that budget. Then, you will walk through the front doors of your dream home!

This fascinating case study of a project in a listed historical building shows a great work around and solution for not being able to get planning permission.

This staircase is a true carpenter’s masterpiece.

Here you can see one of the best work-around for building in a historical building. All internal modifications were done as a single piece of “furniture” which conforms with all laws relating to building and modifying a historical, listed building.

The fire surround and cornice, by law, has to remain but this was not a problem. Due to the flexibility of building custom pieces which makes up the entire home interior, all “protected” sections of the property were left intact.

As structural changes or even damage to the ceilings and walls was not permitted, the existing space was split into three separate rooms with a false ceiling while the new interior design was aimed to restore the space back to its original proportions, which would have been as one room.

Other beautiful bedroom design can be found here:

Amazing Black and White Room Refurbishments

Pink Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Bedroom with tub

A view from the same bedroom (but from the other side)

Cream coloured bedroom

Artistic, with Wall Art

Modern Bedroom

Very Modern, check out how the lighting shows up the details on the wall surface at the back.

Purple Bedroom

Distinctly Feminine, Purple (Unusual?)

Abstract painting

The focus is the painting here. Very overpowering.

White Bedrooms

Soft, Fresh & Classic.

Modern, but still with an oriental flavour.

An ordinary room, brought to life by huge wall prints.

A surreal bedroom with great view.

Getting planning permission on a piece of land, or for a renovation opportunity, not only transforms the value of that plot, but also gives you the chance to create development opportunities.

Unfortunately, the planning process can be drawn out, confusing and riddled with doubt and problems — but what you stand to gain should make it all worthwhile.

It is quite possible to buy a building plot that already has planning permission, as many on the market do. However, this is not always as good an idea as it may at first seem, as the most desirable plots rarely get beyond the estate agent’s door before being snapped up by developers. Another factor to watch out for is that the planning permission in place may not be all it seems; for example, there may be no details about the size of the house.

The rules of planning are unpredictable, open to interpretation and often easily bent — and this is something that can work both for and against you. It is vital to have an understanding of the planning process because, put simply, ending up with the right permission is the only way you will end up being able to build the house of your dreams. Whatever your circumstances, there is often a way to negotiate and come up with a satisfactory solution, as the case studies that are linked below demonstrate.

Planning Permission Education

Probably the easiest way to understand planning is to hear it from the horses mouth. The UK Planning Portal provide an interesting 3D demonstration of a home, its’ parts and a clear statement of what does or doesn’t need planning – or what may need looking into.

INTERACTIVE HOUSE

If your property is Semi Detached please click on the link below to open the interactive model and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission requirements:

Launch the guide »

INTERACTIVE TERRACE

If your property is a Terrace please click on the link below and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission and Building Regulation requirements:

Launch the guide »

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• You don’t have to own a piece of land in order to make a planning application on it.
• It should take no longer than eight weeks from the point of application until you get a decision.
• The objections of neighbours and local residents will not necessarily have any impact on the decision.
• It is possible to withdraw an application — if you suspect you might get a refusal, you can withdraw at any time you wish and resubmit free of charge.
• You can submit however many applications you like for any one site — and then choose which one you want to use most. As long as it is current, you don’t have to use the most recent.

Planning: Our Top Tips for Success

UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM

Planning permission has a particularly unpredictable set of rules — open to interpretation and often capable of being bent. Unlike the Building Regulations, planning regulations differ from one area of the country to the next, while the scope for inconsistencies between planners – even within one authority – is huge. So if you want to self-build, renovate or extend, a flexible and pragmatic approach to achieving what you want is vital.

BUY LAND SUBJECT TO PLANNING

It is perfectly legal to make a planning application on land you do not own — you don’t even need permission from the landowner, as permission goes with the land rather than the applicant. It is common practice to make a purchase subject to satisfactory planning permission — which is then legally secured by exchanging contracts with completion conditional upon getting the permission you want, or by entering into an ‘optional agreement’, whereby you have the legal option to buy if you’re successful or to walk away if you’re not.

GET PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE

First find your local planning department. Your local planning department and its website is a free source of information that can help you to exploit opportunities. But you need to know how to use it and this is where it is extremely helpful to talk to a planning officer from your local authority. Try to achieve a good rapport rather than approaching them as an enemy, and aim to gain an understanding of the key issues you will have to deal with in order to get permission.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE ENEMY

Most objections from neighbours etc stem from a fear that their own properties will be devalued — and also often from a worry about the change that a new house will mean for them. Perhaps the best way to avoid objections, therefore, is to talk to neighbours and the parish council prior to making your application and try to accommodate in your design any specific concerns they have. If you can accommodate what might be trivial issues it could make the difference between a delegated approval and a planning committee refusal.

UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS

If and when you do get permission, it will be subject to certain conditions. This will include a time limit during which the application has to be started — now three years. Any conditions on your application are extremely important and a failure to comply with them can result in a ‘breach of condition notice’ (BCN) to which there is no right of appeal and which can be enforced through the courts by prosecution.

TRADE UP

If you come across a piece of land that comes complete with planning permission, don’t be put off if the nature of the approved house design does not quite meet your requirements. Just because permission already exists for, say, a bungalow, this does not mean that this is what you will have to build.

KNOW THE RULES

The rules of the planning game are not simple. They are produced by local authorities and referred to as ‘development plan policies’. They are supposed to be a guide as to where new housing is located and what kind of developments are built in that area.

These rules are not hard and fast, and it is really all about how well you can sell what it is you are applying for to the local planning authorities in relation to the policies in their particular development plan.

The development plan policies set out – often not particularly clearly – criteria for what will and won’t be acceptable. Villages and towns will normally have been given a development boundary – also known as a settlement boundary – and it is within this boundary that the principle of new development is allowed. Outside of these boundaries, land is usually grouped together as countryside and is extremely difficult to gain planning permission on.

Trying to comply with any of these vaguely worded policies can be very difficult — particularly if you are aiming to do so without the help of a good designer or planning consultant who is able to interpret exactly what the local authorities are trying to say.

TRY AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH

By submitting parts of a controversial scheme incrementally, planners are less likely to countenance refusal because they are always duty bound to compare it to what has already been approved — meaning that big leaps forward can prove too controversial for consumption, but incremental amendments to approved schemes are difficult to resist.

PRESENT YOUR IDEAS CLEARLY

Finally, spend money on presentation drawings of your development — planning authorities grant permissions for what is really only a picture at that stage.

HAS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ALREADY BEEN REJECTED?

Check the planning office for records relating to the site you have in mind and investigate whether the plot has suffered any rejections or other forms of adverse planning history. What has gone on in the past will be the starting point that planning officers will base their new decisions on.

Planning Jargon: The Terms Explained

• Outline Planning Permission: A general approval to enable construction. This may simply be for one dwelling; it might also specify whether the new house is to be a bungalow, but will give little more detail. On plan, it merely constitutes a red line around a plot.
• Detailed Planning Permission: Specific approval for an individual design to be built, based on a set of drawings indicating details on elevations and even facing materials.
• Full Planning Permission: Another term for detailed planning permission. Some plot developers bypass general outline approval and go straight for ‘full’ permission.
• Permitted Development Rights: Developments that can be carried out without planning approval. They relate to existing houses and cover small-scale improvements, such as modest extensions, loft conversions and so on.

Creating house plans that incorporate a variety of different factors including the actual land restrictions, the homeowners living considerations and individual style, the cost of the construction materials and work needed, can be a nightmare.

There are a number of different steps a person can take to make home building a much smoother and more enjoyable process.

How many entertaining rooms will you need?

Households often place extra emphasis on the number of family rooms required as a lot of time is spent in these areas. A separate entertaining room can be handy for both young children and teenagers or as a formal lounge for adults. The location and style of these rooms in relation to the rest of the house is important for families, couples and individuals alike.

How many bedrooms will you need?

Regarding the purpose of your new house planning, additional bedrooms may be useful for family members or guests. Depending on the style of home you plan on building, consideration will also need to be given to where the bedrooms will be placed, for instance you may design a two story home with all the bedrooms upstairs or perhaps just the master bedroom.

Do you need an office room?

A common feature in many new house plans includes an office room. This is a great inclusion for those people who work from home, or whom prefer a separate room for their computer, desk and filing cabinets etc.

How many bathrooms do you need?

Have you considered how many bathrooms your new house plans will need to allow for? Do you want to have a separate toilet and basin for guests to access? If you have a big family or guests that stay often, having an en-suite off the master bedroom or guestroom can be useful in freeing up another bathroom for the rest of the household to use.

How many garage compartments will you need?

If your household has many vehicles then a two plus garage may be necessary. Do you have other vehicles such as boats and bikes that will benefit from garage storage? Is it important for you to have internal access from the garage?

Having answers to these questions will help you find or create an online house plan yourself or with an architectural design firm who can accommodate all your requirements.

Online Resources for House planning:

House Extension Inspiration

If you are planning on extending your home to make more space. Read our article House Extension Inspiration and Planning Guides for exact guidlines on how to go about your house extension planning. See also, a wide range of inspirational galleries and posts on house extensions.

floorplanner.com

With a free registration you can start to create a 3D and a 2D plan for your house.

http://www.homeplanner3d.com/

Free web based 3D house creator. You create the image in 2D and then send the 3D image to your email address

sweethome3d.eu

Sweet Home 3D is a free interior design application that helps you place your furniture on a house 2D plan, with a 3D preview. Has to be download but work either in Windows and Mac OS.

Good luck on your house extension project!

HOUSE EXTENSION IDEAS – CASE STUDIES & GALLERIES

channel4.com

Modern Extension Designs. Looking to extend your home but want to add style to your home? Here are just some looks to inspire you. All you need now is a building company to make it real…

Archinspire.com

Provide home design ideas, including house extension, contemporary room space design, such as living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom design, and garden landscape ideas. Also provide home improvement tips and tricks.

Blogcatalog.com – House Extension section

House extension blog post collection from around the web including house extension ideas, lofts and more.

Shomera.ie

A House extension gallery. Creative inspiration

freshome.com

Interior Design & Architecture wesite with a lot of Home Extension posts and images to give you some ideas for your own extension.

chriswarrenconstruction.co.uk

Chris Warren and his team are well known in the Great Missenden and surrounding area for quality building including house extension.

coolboom.net

CoolBoom is a blog launched in January 2007 to collect and share a “personal taste” in architecture and interior design ideas. All the house extension you find in CoolBoom have gone through a selection process to create a nice, and functional blog.

busyboo.com

Their motto is “Rediscovering the power of simple design”. This site has a good home extension gallery.

conservatoryinfo.co.uk

Take a tour of conservatories, a beautiful type of house extension, and view a small sample of quality bespoke hand crafted hardwood conservatories by various hardwood conservatory specialists from England and Scotland.

redbrookconservatories.com

This is a conservatory gallery which is continually updated with new photographs as and when we acquire them.

You can use the filter selection within the site to view your preferred styles and click on each conservatory picture to view a larger version of the image.

PLANNING YOUR EXTENSION AT HOME

Let’s start from the beginning with the subject of house extensions.

1. Your house extension should look similar to your original home: Use the Brick Visualization Tool for help in select the correct brick to use.

2. Decide where is the correct place for the extension, take a look to this interactive house extension page for all the law about it.

3. Work out your maximum and minimum budget, this article can help you out: Building and Renovation Costs UK.

4. Create the plans for your extension.If you don’t know how to do it look at this article for more information: House Extension – Designing, Drawing and Submiting your own Planning Application.

5. Run the plans past your neighbours, read why in this article: Keeping in With The Neighbours.

6. Apply for planning permission and building regulations approval. Do you feel confused over what everyone means by plans? Take a look at this article: Planning permission for house extension?

7. The next steps are common sense logistics, fine-tuning and anything else which comes up including:

• Make any required changes to the plans.
• Appoint contractors or sub-contractors.
• Agree with neighbours any times during the day you can start and finish the build.
• Organise your current space to provide easy access for builders and less disruption for yourself (for example, if you have a spare bedroom, consider making it a temporary sitting room away from the mess).

USEFUL PAGES FROM THE PLANNING PORTAL UK

What is planning permission?

Planning Permission, in simple terms, is like asking if you can do a certain piece of building work. It will be granted or refused. Certain types of work are ‘permitted development’. This means that they can be carried out without any planning permission, so long as they comply with the rules and restrictions explained in the laws. Read more

Permitted Development

You can make certain types of minor changes to your home without needing to apply for planning permission. These are called “permitted development rights“. Certain development is granted an automatic planning permission by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, as amended, i.e. is classed as ‘permitted development’.

Planning application

If your building work does not qualify as permitted development your remaining option is to apply for planning permission. Keep in mind that while a proposal may not meet permitted development criteria that does not mean it cannot be done. An application for planning permission allows the local planning authority to assess your proposal against a range of criteria and decide whether or not to approve it. You will have to pay a fee. Read more

How do I apply for planning permission?

The Planning Portal is the Government’s official planning website. Every local authority in England and Wales accepts planning applications via the Planning Portal.

There are many benefits to creating and submitting applications online. It can be used to complete applications for consents including:

• planning permission
• lawful development certificates
• listed building consent
• conservation area consent

How do I contact my local planning authority?

To view information for a Local Planning Authority (LPA), go on the page and fill the form.

Download Building Regulations an explanatory booklet

PARTY WALL ACT

What is a party wall?

If you live in a semi-detached or terraced building, you share a wall or walls with your neighbour.  Such walls are known as party walls.  Party walls separate buildings belonging to different owners.

Where a wall separates two different sized buildings, only the part that is used by both properties is considered to be a party wall.  The rest of the wall belongs to the person on whose land it stands.

Your neighbours agreement must be gotten before starting any building works such as extensions, damp proofing works, structural alterations and some internal refurbishment.

In many cases, excavation or constructing foundations for a new building within 3 or 6 metres of neighbouring properties also needs written agreement. Read the full article at walthamforest.gov.uk

Read this article for a full explanation: The Party Wall Act 1996 explained

FINDING AN ARCHITECT

Selecting an architect is one of the most important decisions you will make when you have to start a project. You may use this selection methods:

Qualifications-based selection (QBS) (sometimes called “quality-based selection”) is one of the most common methods of selecting the best architect for the project. In particular, institutions, corporations or public agencies (sometimes represented by a committee) use this method. QBS is a system that chooses an architect on the basis of professional qualifications and proven competence. This procedure will provide your project with the best-qualified architect with whom you can develop a professional relationship. Such a relationship is very important for the kind of in-depth discussion which allows the architect and the engineers to deal effectively with issues on your behalf.

To achieve an objective comparison, QBS uses predetermined, value-based criteria that may include such factors as:

• the architect’s history and ability to perform required services;
• related experience such as past performance on similar projects;
• familiarity with local geography and facilities;
• experience and skills in project management; and
• design approach/methodology.

You can find al lot of architect to choose from at this links: List of UK Architect and Architects index

FINDING A BUILDER

Of course, a good way to start to find a good bilder is to get a recommendation from friends and family. But one good way is to check them out with Registry Trust, where all county court judgments (CCJs) against businesses and individuals are recorded. A CCJ is a judgment issued by a court when someone has failed to pay money they owe. This can be done online at its new website – www.trustonline.org.uk. You can find out whether the tradesman has ever been sued by unhappy customers or has CCJs, High Court judgments, fines or court orders taken out against them. Records are kept for six years.

You can use this websites to find builders: findabuilder.co.uk, mybuilder.com, findagoodone.com

Ask your friendly Core Architect Admin :)

This website is fueled by experience project managers and architects. Why not drop us an email and we will find you the best architect or builder in your area.

Here are some images of loft conversion design ideas we found on the net of late which may assist in your planning for a new loft. Take the time to browse through our many articles and inspirational loft conversion galleries to fully understand what you want before calling in an architect or builder.

There is a pre-conceived idea that lofts can only be this way or that way, and conform with the general loft design styles: Mansard Loft, Dormer Loft, Velux Loft and Terrace House Loft Conversions.

Keeping in mind that the most scrutinized part of getting planning permission for a loft is simply the exterior rendition of it from the street and making it look like the other lofts in your area, there are many ways you can smartly avoid having a boring addition. This includes focus on the internal structuring, interior design for your loft and and usage of windows and terraces.

If you want to enhance the beauty and functionality of your bathroom then it is good idea to install a modern shower. Modern bathroom showers are available in various sizes, shapes and styles. A shower should be selected according to the needs of a family. Most common showers which are being used are walk in shower and a combination of a shower and bath tub. A bath tub and shower combination is used in small bathrooms.

Modern showers and creative shower head designs from all over the world.

Pocket Shower

This tiny gizmo unfolds to reveal a high performance waterproof reservoir that holds a mighty ten litres of water. The black fabric will (given a sunny day) warm the water up in no time.

Tosca Oasis Shower Panels

Modern European luxury shower panels from Tosca line by Visentin.

Ishi Shower by Lockie von Moger

Besides looking good on the wall, Ishi shower features a slider that allows you to control the flow of water. Convenient pause button allows you to pause the flow mid-way so that you can lather-up the soap and then resume for the rinse.

WaterTile Rain Shower Panel

To further heighten your custom showering experience, WaterTile Rain shower panel provides targeted water delivery where you need it most with four 54-nozzle fully adjustable spray-heads.

The Aquavolo Shower

Creative waterfall shower becomes rain shower in one flip.

Hansgrohe Raindance Rainmaker

Rainmaker shower system enriches the water with drawn-in AIR to create voluminous raindrops from a conventional shower spray. Unlike with a conventional continuous “spaghetti” shower spray, the subjective perception of the water coming into contact with the skin is more gentle.

Elemental Spa Shower

Part plumbing fixture, part architecture, the SATI and SANGHA shower heads are part of the new Elemental Spa collection by Dornbracht.

Pipe Shower

Floor mounted industrial style shower design from Boffi.

Vola 50 Shower Head

Designed by Teit Weylandt, Vola 50 shower head features 5 parallel bars arranged horizontally, each comprising of 15 nozzles.

Euridice Glass Shower Heads

Modern glass shower heads designed by Ritmonio.

Eco Drop Shower

After showering for a long time, the concentric circles will rise to force you to stop showering and save water.

Charade Orchidea Trio Shower Head

This shower head uses three shallow domes to form one giant shower head. Each head features three rings of anti-scale transparent silicon nozzles that rain sensuous streams of water. Combined, the three heads are then set into a larger circular body.

Drops Lighted Shower

Imagine standing under a beam of light that highlights each shimmering droplet of water as a shower of refreshing water cascades down upon you. Sound nice? Then the illuminating showering experience of the Drops Lighted Shower from Cisal is definitely for you.

Jet Shower Head

The X-Touch head is a jet shower head from Newform that juts down from the ceiling like a shiny pipe.

Geo180 Shower

Modern tub by Kos of Italy combines a whirlpool option with a cascading ceiling mounted shower head that doubles as a soothing mood light.

DF50 Shower Heads

Totally stripped-down forms of pure steel, the DF50 shower designs are striking industrial style shower heads from Balance.

Viteo Outdoors Inverted Shower

Designed by Danny Venlet, the shower sits on the ground and shoots water up 4 meters in the air. It’s like a super-bidet! You activate the water stream by stepping on a little button in the middle of the unit.

The main thing in building it is the design. With an optimal design, the construction will go efficiently and you will get the maximal function of it. In this case, the most effective design of a pool is square. This is because this design will support the convenience in using it. In addition, this needs small space to build it with this design. This simple design can be improved with the overflow system. You will have a beautiful pool.

In colder countries such as the UK, many homeowners are opting to building swimming pools inside a house extension. See this case study of a swimming pool Installation in London, England.

Furthermore, the design of the swimming pool must be fitted with the design of the house. This is done to have a balance concept between the pool and the main building that is your house. In addition, make sure that the floor around the it is not slippery. So, you will not be slipped. You have to do the maintenance to it in order to keep it clean so that you will be able to use it every time. For children, make sure that the depth of the pool will not drown them. Thus, you have to make sure everything.

UK PLANNING PERMISSION FOR SWIMMING POOLS

The first thing to know for swimming pool planning permission in the UK is the rules governing swimming pools apply equally to outbuildings, sheds, greenhouses and garages as well as ponds, sauna cabins, kennels and many other structures incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house.

You will need planning permission if;

• The swimming pool is located beyond the side elevation of the property and faces the highway.
• Is within 2m of a boundary, the maximum height of any structure is greater than 2.5m.
• The structure has a veranda, balcony or raised platform.
• No more than 50% of the land around the “original house”* is covered by additions or other buildings.

* The term “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so. In national parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites, the maximum area covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20m from the house is limited to 10 square metres.

Where to get more information on UK swimming pool planning laws:

UK Planning Portal – Out Buildings

US PLANNING PERMISSION FOR SWIMMING POOLS

In the US, planning for a swimming pool is much easier than in the UK. As the US is generally hotter most US homeowners will tend to place their swimming pool in their garden. This requires much less complexity than building an internal pool or a pool with a structure around it. Local planning authorities, however, do expect to be notified on any additions such as a swimming pool in your home’s garden.

General Pool Security requirements where children are near

5′ high fence measures from the outside of the yard and is non climbable. I.e. we want to prevent children climbing into your yard, not climbing out of the yard. All gates leading to the pool area must have the following characteristics:

1. 5′ high
2. Self closing. That means there must be a spring that returns the gate to the closed position once the gate has been opened more than about 12″.
3. Self latching. That means the gate must latch automatically when it returns to the closed position.
4. The gate must open “away” from the pool area. The thinking is that a toddler is more likely to push on the gate before he/she pulls on the gate.
5. All wrought iron gates and fences must not let a 4″ diameter ball pass through between the vertical pickets.
6. The man door on the garage that leads to the pool area must be self-closing and self-latching the same as the gates.

State of California Pools Safety Code

10 Reasons to Buy a Pool

One of problems in building a swimming pool is the breaking of the floor tiles that cover the wall of the pool. In a big size pool, after it is filled with water, it is not recommended to deflate the pool. This is done to keep the pressure of the pool. Thus, the structure of the pool will be always in good condition. The breaking floor tile will be hard to be fixed. But if it is not fixed, it can danger the users of it. Therefore, you have to take care of the pool that you have built.

Anyone interested in buying a pool is often caught between the benefits and the expense. If they were to sit down, however, and write a list of pros and cons, they would find the advantages of having their own are many. The following are ten reasons that one should buy one:

Cooling Off In the heat of a hot, summer day, nothing can feel as good as knowing that a dip in the backyard is waiting. Many people find this to be the main benefit of owning one and discover that it helps them to stay cool, even in the worst heat of the day.

Vacation at Home Others find the main advantage is that instead of spending hundreds of dollars to vacation at a resort, they can spend their vacation at home and enjoy it just as much. Anyone can make their own paradise right in their own backyard.

Making Memories A pool can also help build great memories for any family. All one has to do is imagine their weekends at home with their family in the pool and they have found a great reason to have one installed.

More Relaxation Relaxing by it is often just what the doctor ordered. In today’s world, where so many people are working more than 40 hours a week, coming home to relax with a swim is what allows them to forget about their troubles.

Value of Home The installation of a pool can actually increase property value. With the market of today, it is important that homeowners have that something extra that buyers want.

Exercising Those who have a pool on their property will be able to get the daily exercise they need to stay in shape. Children of all ages will also find more time playing than watching television, which can help them to stay in shape, as well.

Great Entertainment Homeowners will also find there are a wide variety of water toys available to them that will provide some great entertainment. From slides to floats, both adults and children can enjoy their own theme park they helped to create.

Family Gatherings Families that make the decision to buy a pool will always have a great place to hold a social gathering. In fact, they may even find that their home is now the preferred place.

Romantic Evenings The single individual will find that along with entertainment, the pool allows for more romantic evenings. A nice patio table beside it is often the best location for a candlelit dinner.

Life of Luxury Anyone who buys one will find themselves with the life they always wanted. Regardless of someone’s current financial status, pools allow one to lead a more luxurious lifestyle.

Choosing the Best Place For Your New Swimming Pool

A swimming pool at home will be a good idea, health-wise, pleasure-wise, and appearance-wise. It is good to be able to do a few laps whenever you feel like, instead of having to walk or drive to a pool carrying swimming gear, and having to submit to their timings. You will be able to entertain your guests also well by having a swimming pool at home.

An outdoor swimming pool can be made pretty grand, with a diving board, water features, and slide. And if there is good landscaping around it as well, it will be perfect. Or you can opt for an indoor heated pool, which can provide its own cozy comfort of a different type.
Your choice will have to depend on various considerations like the climate of the place, the budget you have set, and your lifestyle in general.

Climate considerations

A pool in the backyard will be an ideal choice for those who live in places that are not too cold. If severe winter is restricted to just about four months, the remainder is enough to use the outdoor swimming pool well.

Plus you will be free of the expenses and problems associated with maintaining an indoor one. But the option will not work for people living in colder climes with longer winter months. For them it will be best to have a heated pool inside where they can take their laps even if there is a feet of snow outside.
Then there will be privacy concerns for some who may not like to swim in places visible to others. There will be security concerns or health concerns for others who may prefer to swim within their home in warm waters, rather than lock the home and go outside to swim.

According to their function, they are categorized as follows:
Main stairs
Service stairs
Portable stairs

According to their construction, stairs are categorized as follows:
Stone stairs
Timber stairs
Concrete stairs
Iron and steel stairs
Stairs from modern materials

Stairs are classified according to their plan form as follows:
Straight stairs: they stretch from a lower to an upper level in one straight run
Return (U) stairs: with two flights of steps parallel to each other with a landing between
Circular stairs: they sweep in a broad curve from one level to another
L stairs, double L stairs: they make a 90-degree turn at a landing
Winder stairs: they have “pie-shaped” steps which substitute a landing
Spiral stairs: they generally have winder steps and they twist around a centre pole

Prime considerations in stair design should be easy use and safety. The available space will make us determine the stair’s shape.

Straight stairs are easy and not expensive to construct, but they require plenty of space.

That’s why stairs with a landing (L-shaped or U-shaped stairs) are often preferred if there’s enough space for them. Winder stairs are used when the space is not sufficient for the L stairs.

Spiral stairs

are used where little space is available. They are not very safe and they are also hard to climb.

The wider and gradual the stair, the more space it will consume.

Stair Terminology

Tread: the horizontal surface for the foot to ascend from one level to another

Riser: the vertical distance between the upper surfaces of two consecutive treads

Flight: a series of steps between floors or landings

Landing:  a platform between two flights that either acts as a resting place, a change of direction or is the end of the stair

Nosing: the front edge of the tread that hangs over the riser

Going:  the horizontal distance between nosings

Stringer: the angled beam or member at each side of the stair that supports the treads

Balustrade: A railing system which provides protection on the open sides of a stair

Total Rise: the total vertical distance from floor to floor

Total run: the length of all of the treads combined

Pitch: the angle that the flight of stairs is built at

Headroom: the distance from the leading edge of a tread to the header directly above

Constructing to Current Building Regulations

All new staircases designed and installed in the UK must meet the standards and guidelines set by the ‘Approved Document K – Protection from falling, collision and impact’ Sub-sections K1 to K5. Part ‘K’ has been developed to make sure staircases are designed safely and covers additional items such as guides to riser heights, tread widths, handrail heights, workmanship, health and safety, head heights limits.

An apartment renovation can be costly. Unoccupied rental property is something no owner wants. Planning before the renovation begins will keep the time lost to a minimum. Planning your apartment renovation strategies beforehand will also help to alert you to potential problems and help you to consider all your options before the renovation begins.

Once the apartment is empty, begin by inspecting all aspects of the property. You’re renovating, so now’s the time to make sure to repair and replace everything that needs it. This is a good time to inspect the less visual aspects as well. Things like electrical systems, plumbing and heating and cooling systems should all be evaluated for efficiency and wear.

Apartments can go through a lot of abuse through the years. Tenants don’t always respect your property. Your apartment renovation strategy should consider this abuse. No matter what you’re replacing or changing think durability. You may have to pay a bit more upfront, but over time you”ll save on repairs.

Apartment Renovation

The other main consideration during an apartment renovation is to make the unit attractive and unique to potential renters. Look for ways to make the apartment space seem roomy and livable. Sometimes removing a wall or making a few cabinet additions can make all the difference.
The more attractive and efficient the space, the easier it should be to keep the apartment occupied. This is even more reason to take your time and personally plan and oversee details. As you’re in the planning stage make sure to take notes, make lists and even rough sketches of what you think will improve the apartment.

The new trends of “think green” are always good options to keep in mind for an apartment renovation. These are energy efficient ways to save money both for you, the owner, and the potential tenant. The use of solar energy is a good choice if possible. This is an area well worth investigating if you’re not familiar with its use and benefits.

The planning stage may take more time than you’ve anticipated. Just remember, using good strategies during the planning stage will save you both time and money in labor and materials for your apartment renovation.

Thanks to Casting in Rome for the help.

In the article, “Can I build a swimming pool in my house?” I covered many points to consider in installing a swimming pool in your home including how to get planning permission for a swimming pool, pool safety & inspiration.

The fitting of a swimming pool into a home is a the dream of many homeowners. In the US and other hotter continents a swimming pool in the garden is a common sight for middle classed homes in the suburbs. But what about the colder continents? Don’t they get the fruits of such luxury?

The main problems to be considered for a swimming pool inside your home are:

• Humidity, the condensation of a pool inside your home will be vast. Without proper precaution and foresight in your pool planning you will find paint peeling and your windows blurred with condensation.
• Damp throughout your floors with tiles popping up and water creeping towards your walls, causing expensive damage
• With a pool in your home you are basically allotting for a good portion of your home room space to be taken up which can make the rest of the house feel small (even a 4-5 bed home)

Sterling Home Improvements, a building company in London worked out a great solution for the installation of inside swimming pools.

The House Extension / Pool Project:

What you are seeing here is a the construction of a new single story horseshoe shaped rear extension (approx 90m sq), creating two new bedrooms, new bathroom with sunken bath, dining area and large pool/spa room.

In the image below you will see the design provided by Sterling Home Improvements London.This is the finished render of the pool and home extension

Swimming Pool Cover Down

Swimming Pool cover up

The pool cover is mechanically operated and doubles as a floor when lowered, new wet sauna and central patio area with wet/dry tiled pond.

This patented design by Sterling Home Improvements has become the all new craze in London and other large cities in the UK. The pool cover, weighing almost a ton, has a laminate design by tile photography. The room tiles were photographed and this was then printed in high resolution on a non-slip laminate which is also soft under the feet, thus creating the apparency of a seamless floor.

Powered by custom-built German winch motors hidden in the ceiling – the operator has only to flick a switch and down come 4 magnetized hooks which connect themselves to the rings, secretly placed under 4 flaps in the cover.

The winch motor is weight sensitive and will not move even if there is 5 ounces of extra weight on the pool cover. Additionally, once the cover has reached the ceiling, it slots in to a illuminated area, creating a soft ambiance of light – perfect for a nice swim.

Fitting the swimming pool:

Here you can see the pool coming in. It required a 100 ft crane to lift it over the building, due to restricted access from the rear.

Once the pool went in, so did the remainder of the extension around it. heavy duty, automatic ventilation systems were fitted into the pool room which detect when the condensation in the room becomes too high for internal sustainability. This allows for a fresh, swimming area, without damage to the home.

Contact Sterling Home Improvements London for further information.

Now, the popular press would have you believe that they do not add value or have limited appeal. However, that blanket broad brush, slightly disrespectful opinion does not ring true for most of our clients. So what is going on? As always, the devil is in the detail – the detail in this respect is mainly focussed on two primary areas:

1. DESIGN and 2. DESIGN.

It’s just like the location, location location slogan for house values & desirability. Fortunately, the planners have got to grips with a lot of loft conversions these days & they now have a great more control of schemes that a few years ago could have been built under Permitted Development. This means that they have encompassed ‘good design guides’ in an attempt to stamp out the ugly full width box dormer that turned a beautiful victorian semi into a something that looks like a car sized packing crate trying to escape from a neighbours roof.

Conversely, many people have argued that the ‘chocolate box’ cottage type pointy roofed dormers (as suggested by the planners) are quite simply impractical & do not provide enough space for a fully functional room which in many cases is a very valid & true point. HOWEVER, life is all about compromises & choices have to be made. Fortunately, most members of the public are now becoming far more ‘design aware’ than they ever used to be & slowly by slowly they are beginning to accept that the formation of more space must not be at the expense of a poor external visual impact that simply jars with the whole look of the locality. This type of poor dormer design can not only decrease the value of your own home but that of the neighbours as well.

But yet again there are exceptions. Some suburbs of London for example have a plethora of these types of loft extensions & the ones that have not yet been converted look out of place. These types of areas pay more attention to the internal design of the living space than the grotty externals – goes with the environment I suppose. Also, some areas are 70’s & 80’s built estates where the whole so called ‘architect design’ was for this style of flat roofed box dormer which is a commonly accepted fact for the area & enjoyed by many.

So, back to my original question – Does a loft conversion or extension add value? In my opinion YES in practically all cases baring a few exceptions. Should it be my first choice of residential development if my site has surrounding ground that allows alternative solutions? Well no in my opinion unless your property is a bungalow. A loft conversion for the standard 2 storey dwelling house (detached, semi or terrace) should perhaps be on the ‘last option’ list rather than your first choice – more to do with peoples perceptions rather than anything scientific I could quote.

Below is some of our assessment criteria relating to loft conversions that you may find useful:

1. Does it need Planning Permission – If so utilising the councils design guides is a must. Some front or side facing dormers may still be resisted even if they are small. Velux windows often overcome these objections. In most cases, big bulky box dormers will not be allowed.

2. What area of new space does the client require – Many clients have overambitious floor space targets & visualise 3 bedrooms for example (all with ensuite of course). They fail to appreciate the loss of floor space caused by the extensive sloping soffits, & the new stairs.

3. Where can the new stair set go – Many clients fail to realise that their preferred location for the stairs does not achieve the required head room within the new floor for example. In most cases some existing floor space of the bedrooms for example will need to be sacrificed.

4. Number of Rooms – It is better to achieve one or two good sized functional rooms to compensate for the lack of head room in some areas of the new rooms rather than trying to cram in the bedroom numbers for the sake of it where the new rooms can become nothing more than single bed sleeping podules with very little inbuilt amenity value.

5. If flat roofed dormers can only be achieved due to the low ridge height then split the dormers into 2 or three smaller ones with no more than 1200mm (4′) wide windows to break up its bulk. Always, always always recess the dormer into the roof slope to reduce the dormers bulk – DO NOT BUILD THE EXTERNAL FACE OF THE DORMER WALL OFF THE EXISTING EXTERNAL WALL OF THE HOUSE.

6. If a client wants a conversion with only Velux type roof lights then all well & good (much cheaper as well). However an exercise should be completed to explore the possibilities of a strategically located dormer or two that often frees up an extra 30% floor area that the client may not have realised for very little extra money.

7. Dormers are not the only design solution to more light & space – consideration could also be given to a hip to gable conversion of the side roof for example that wont look out of keeping (unless your a semi of course).

8. As a rule of thumb to the practicality of your new room in the roof – if you can already touch the ridge board when standing in the loft (about 2.3M or less), then its normally too small to form useful functioning bedrooms unless a bulky box dormer is constructed (which is what we are trying to avoid) If it is an area just for a play room or a study then all well & good but beware, many people have embarked on tight loft conversions only to realise too late that that they have no where to place the bed or locate a wardrobe.

There are a great many other issues to consider as well when completing loft conversions such as overheating, fire regs, weather protection during the works etc. & these are major discussion topics in themselves that I will leave for another day. However, the points listed above are the main ones relative to the external design & appearance of loft conversions.

When looking at residential home designs, whether designing yourself or choosing one, two important parts of you home are the entrance and the living room. Both should be carefully planned.

Entrance

Did you ever drive up in a car and wonder where the front door is? The entrance to a house deserves special consideration. It should be set off with some very attractive feature: a bright color, a different material, a wrought iron railing, or other special fea­ture to identify it definitely as the front door.

Some kind of door bell or chime is often desir­able. Or if you want to go all out, a telephone by the front door is a good thing. When people ring the doorbell you can ask them through the phone who it is and what is wanted. Then you can make up your mind whether or not you want to open the door. When a woman and her children are often alone in the evening, this is a good safety measure, which aids in keeping out undesirables.

Many good housekeepers feel that an entrance hall is of vital importance to a complete house. If people come right into the living room with their muddy feet, with no preliminary place in which to get ready to make their entrance, a happy result is difficult.

The entrance hall should have a good durable floor that can take a beating without a murmur. A floor of quarry tile, ceramic tile, slate, stone, or mar­ble will be found very durable and can be a beautiful part of the entrance hall. Snow, mud, water, and hard usage can’t harm it.

Carpet is hardly the best material for the entrance hall floor, unless you have a special piece, different from the living room car­pet, that can be changed every two or three years, or as necessary. But to have it a part of the living room carpet can be to invite disaster.

The entrance hall should be warm and cheerful, to give the guests the proper welcome to your house. It need not be large, but should be at least 5′ wide, and perhaps 1‘ long, and of course, a larger size will be more useful. Planning a house is largely a matter of finding the best use for the space. What­ever you use for the entrance, beyond the bare minimum, is just so much space taken from some other part of the house that may need it worse.

The Living Room

Another question to ask when looking at home designs is the following: when you pass from the hall into the living room, what kind of room do you like to be in? There are almost as many types of ideas as to the size, shape, colors, and uses of the living room as there are people. Some have the idea that a living room is similar to the old-fashioned parlor that was shut up all week and was opened only on Sunday, was usually musty, and generally unused and uncomfortable.

Others go to the other extreme and think of the living room as a place where the children study, where people lounge and read the paper or the latest magazine. A living room is to be lived in, isn’t it?

If a quiet corner can be found for a writing desk or if a well-lighted alcove with an easy chair and a bookcase can be managed, the livability of the house will be greatly enhanced.

The living room must not be the principal hall­way through the house, although careless planners often make it just that. Every living room should have a point of interest aside from the television set: a fireplace, a picture window, a mural, an interest­ing grouping of elegant furniture, a music center, or something that reflects the tastes, personality, or interests of the owner.

The living room should be spacious, well-light­ed, well ventilated, with durable floors and walls that can stand hard usage and still look presentable. This fact should be kept in mind at all times in se­lecting carpets, furniture, drapes, and wall finishes.

Proper consideration to the entrance and living room will make your home stand out from other home designs.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Home-Designs—Entrance-Hall-And-Living-Room-Choices&id=1071085

What could possibly be more exciting for your children then for them to have their own loft playroom?

Every journey up the stairs to the loft conversion would be an adventure – their own private kingdom to play, create and have fun.

Safety is paramount of course and will be mostly addressed in your building regulations application but it goes without saying that the area at the top of the loft stairs is of primary concern.

The loft room itself can be anything your, and your child’s, imagination can come up with.

A central theme or colour scheme can be adapted and with loads of quality children’s furniture and accessories available the sky really is the limit.

Vivid colours and bold design along with strong natural light through large loft windows will create an ideal environment for your child.

You will probably want to divide the loft playroom into zones so that one area is suitable for play with a desk for creative tasks (and later homework) in another.

Other ‘must have’ accessories for a loft playroom will probably include a Television and DVD player ( I know it was different when we were kids but your children won’t be impressed with, or amused by, a bag of marbles and a copy of Janet and Johns latest adventure).

For older children, i.e., teenagers, a chill-out room will be a huge hit. Painted in ‘cool’ colours a chill-out room with a desk and PC for Internet surfing and, grudgingly, homework together with TV, sound system and soft furnishings such as bean-bags will be somewhere your teenager loves to be.

Include a sofa bed for sleep-overs and you have a teenagers paradise.

Tip – make sure you sound-proof the floor or buy a stereo system without a ‘mega-bass’ control. In fact, you would probably be better off doing both. Or buy a large stock of aspirin.

Be prepared to see very little of your child.

When we completed my daughters chill-out room the only time we ever saw her was immediately after school, meal-times and bed-time.

The rest of the time was spent in the chill-out room and even homework got done – sometimes.

Source: loft-conversion-uk.com