We’ve spoken before about how there are certain changes you can make to your home without needing planning permission. These renovations fall under what is called permitted development, which allows homeowners to carry out smaller projects.
There are several ways you can add value to your property without having to go through your local authority for approval, here are our top three ideas.
Convert your basement or loft
A great way to add value to your home and create more living space is to convert your existing basement or loft. Converting these spaces could mean adding an additional bedroom, playroom, or home office to your property.
A basement conversion falls under permitted development if it is an existing lower-ground room, such as a coal store or service void. It is important to note that creating a new space underneath your home would require planning permission as this is a much larger project that would involve excavating.
There are limits to converting your loft under permitted development, generally, up to 40m³ is allowed for terraced houses and up to 50m³ for semi-detached or detached properties. Permitted development does allow for the construction of dormer windows, which can add additional headroom to the space, but they should not sit higher than the highest part of the existing roof to be permissible.
Add a small structure
While larger projects such as adding a two-storey extension to your home would generally require planning permission from your local authority, there are smaller additions that you can carry out under permitted development.
For example, you could add a porch to the front of your home, as long as it is not higher than three metres and has an external footprint no greater than three square metres.
Small structures also include a tool or garden shed (if it doesn’t exceed 10 m² in size), a cycle shed or playhouse (no larger than 5 m²) or even a greenhouse (smaller than 15 m²). These are all worthwhile projects that add value to your home.
Open up your space
Interestingly, if it does not affect the building’s structural safety and it is not a load bearing wall, permitted development allows you to break down walls or extend existing walls inside your home.
Knocking down walls can help you create a more flowing, open living space. You can also add additional bathrooms, cloakrooms, or hidden storage by doing this. If these renovations include electrical work to be done, you will need building regulations approval.
It is always important to check that the renovations you are planning do indeed fall under permitted development to ensure your work complies with regulations. If you need expert advice about home improvement projects that don’t require planning permission, contact us.