| The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) | | | | If you have a listed building then you will need listed |
| April survey shows a growing increase in movement | | | | building consent to make any changes. For all other |
| in the housing market. The picture is still mixed with | | | | buildings you are looking at a combination of planning |
| London and the South East showing the highest | | | | permission and building regulations. Planning permission |
| growth in prices whilst elsewhere in the country | | | | is needed when the extension will add more than a |
| places such as Yorkshire and Humberside are still | | | | set percentage to your property or when the |
| recording falls. | | | | extension will result in one of a number of conditions |
| Despite this encouraging sign, many people remain | | | | being met. Otherwise you can get away with only |
| locked in negative equity whilst others lucky enough | | | | needing building regulations. The best thing to do is to |
| to have equity face strict financial reviews when | | | | check with your local council before you start to plan. |
| looking for new mortgages. With apologies to Mr | | | | Our next top tip relates to the importance of thinking |
| Shakespeare, to move or not to move has to be the | | | | before you act. Once you have made the decision to |
| question. | | | | extend your home it is too easy to go for the quick |
| Whilst some house removals are unavoidable, for the | | | | breeze block option. Careful thought could save you |
| rest of us, a home extension is worth considering. | | | | costs in the long run and really enhance your home. |
| Whilst you may lose a small patch of garden, the gain | | | | Home extensions give you the option to bring in |
| in usable space in your home can be immense. So | | | | green measures such as water recycling and energy |
| what top tips do we have for people considering | | | | generation. |
| extending their home? | | | | Finally, more and more people include folding sliding |
| Let us start with the rules. Like it or not, there are | | | | doors in their extensions. Modern sliding doors are |
| rules governing what we can or can't do when we | | | | designed to retain warmth whilst keeping out noise. |
| want to extend our homes. Whilst it is tempting to | | | | In the winter they add light and in the summer you |
| ignore these, if you go ahead without the right | | | | can open them to bring the garden into your house. |
| permissions, you could find yourself being told to | | | | A larger brighter home with cheaper water and |
| take the extension down, or not being able to sell | | | | electricity bills, now that is a win, win situation. |
| your house when you do want to move. | | | | |