Finding your Bespoke Home Builder

Building a bespoke home is quite possibly the most exciting (and expensive) experience in ones lifetime, and selecting the perfect bespoke home builder is crucial to the project's success. The role of a bespoke home builder is not only to build you an exceptional home but also to advice and guide you through the tricky procedures of design, planning and building regulation requirements. General builders are not so clued up on these points. Since home building can be a very long process, sometimes feeling endless, it’s essential that you feel there's trust and clear communication between you and your builder.

Consider Your Resources

If you have already employed an architect their knowledge and expertise will be at your disposal as a starting point in your search for the right builder for project. Architects generally have firsthand experience of builders and can often guide you on finding a reputable builder, as well as communicating with your builder about your design requirements. In addition to your architect, your estate agent or the National Association of Home Builders (amongst others) could also be a good resource in finding good local builders. As always, the Internet is an excellent hub of information and searches will locate numerous builders in your area, use sites that show ratings and feedback from previous customers. Not forgetting the most favourable mode of finding a good builder, friends and family! There’s a lot to be said about word of mouth referrals, the builder has been tried and tested by a person you trust so you have a much better chance of not running into problems with them latter.

Shop Around for Suitable Builders

Shopping for a qualified home builder is a lot easier once you have your plans drafted by the architect. You can forward your plans to the builder to get a more accurate quote for the work. If you are looking to build a bespoke home you need to focus on building companies who are primarily centered on building custom homes, they will understand your needs better and have delivered on similar projects to yours previously. Once you have a short list of builders it is essential to examine their abilities in more detail, their website and testimonials are a good reference point. You need to know that the builder you're considering has completed work like yours before.

Work on the Schedule

When you speak to your prospective builder, raise the question about what their estimated schedule to complete the work would be. You must appreciate that building a custom home typically takes a minimum of 12 months, depending on the size, and can go off schedule as building work is weather-dependent. You could ask for a breakdown of the schedule, ie...when do you estimate the house will be at first fix stage (plumbing and electrics installation). A builder who PROMISES a timeframe for completion, eg weeks or months, ought to be a red flag for you, however tempting it may appear to have your work completed quickly go with the builder providing an estimated timeframe, they are more accurate. With bespoke home building your priority should be that your project is completed properly rather then quickly.

Communication is Vital

You need to be comfortable with how a builder communicates with you. You should not feel pressured or talked down to at any time. You are trusting a professional to build your home and they need to take the time to clarify their method in layman's terms. Any queries you have should be answered in a timely and respectful manner. You should not be waiting for weeks for a quote, this would be another red flag, maybe the builder is simply too busy to fully concentrate on your project. If you find yourself unsure or uncomfortable with your builder at the beginning move on! There are plenty of professional building companies out there who will be happy for your business and will address any concerns you have. For your peace of mind, make sure you receive written quotes and have a contract with your builder in place before starting the work.

A couple of additional things to consider with your bespoke home build, If you have a location in mind take into account the project you are looking to undertake, in particular access to the property for you're builder and material deliveries, can those big lorries get to your property? What style of home do you want? Browse the internet for ideas on styles, you may also pick up details of the home building company used to build the house. It may seem like a bit of a minefield but making the right choices in the beginning means you won’t be losing your mind latter!

Remember, you are the client and spending possibly your life savings on this project, you need a cooperative and reliable building partner for your bespoke home. Take your time, be specific in what you want, raise queries and get your quotes and contract in writing.

Get Appointment Contact @ Local builders in Dartford Kent

Official Requirements and Design, Planning Permission and Building Regulations

Official Requirements and Design, Planning Permission and Building Regulations - Local builders in Dartford Kent

Most building projects require Planning Permission and Building Regulations; extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings etc., however, when it comes to New Build homes it is essential to obtain planning consent before any building work starts, it is a legal requirement.

To draft your plans, you will require the services of an architect, who will also be able to advise you if planning permission will be required for your project. An experienced architect not only prepares your drawings but can be very helpful when it comes to planning official requirements and design or layout of your new space. For a small fee, many can also help with the application process itself, submitting your plans to your local council and dealing with any pre-application issues so you are not caught out!

In addition to this, your builder may also be able to advice you when it comes to planning requirements, they can also keep you up to date regarding the necessary Building Regulation checks during your build, allowing for you to make arrangements for the inspections in good time.

Remember, it is ultimately the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that all legal requirements and paper work involving the planning rules (and building regulations) are fulfilled.

When it comes to planning, make sure you have all the necessary legal paperwork in place before starting work and follow the very useful guidance and support of your architect and builder. If you prefer to take the stress-free root, ask your architect to deal with your planning application on your behalf, in our experience, this root is well worth the few extra pounds!

More Updates Click Here @ Local builders in Dartford Kent

Design and Architectural Services, making it all that much easier…

The average person may have some difficulty in knowing where to start with their residential building project. It can be a mine field of bodies and red tape, Architects, Builders, Planning Permissions, Building Regulations etc. People usually start with an idea in their mind about what they want to build / extend but don’t really know how to fully go about it.

Our company, Bishop Ltd, started as local builders in Aylesford Kent but have recently expanded the company to also cater for the south Essex area, Chigwell in Essex and Loughton in Essex being the main hubs of our activity. In all areas, we found that clients were too busy to spend time going out looking for ideas but had an image in mind as to what they wanted as an end result for their homes. For this reason, we at Bishop Ltd decided to include a further service to our list to help support our clients a little more than the average builder, Design Consultants. Our Design Consultant service is a stand-alone package that encompasses all the early stages of a project. These early stages relate mainly to the design, drawings and Planning Permission aspect of a project. If you are setting out as a ‘first time builder’ we would strongly advice that you consider using this service.

The aim is to help you achieve not only the best results for your project, but to also gain a clear vision of how you would like your property to serve you, and your family. For example, it may be that you work from home so need to divide the internal space in such a way as to include a study, or would it be best to add that new office with a garage conversion. All design work for a new home, or extension, must be thoroughly considered to make sure you get the optimum use out of your new space.

With our design service, after confirming your likes and dislikes, we will start by helping you to focus on an actual design layout that works for your new property, or new space in the case of extensions. This could include helping you to decide what style or look you want to achieve, both internally and externally, what you will be using the new space(s) for, or it could be help with choosing the right doors, windows, kitchens or bathrooms.

Once we are clear on the design part of the build we can then provide you with the support of our architect. He will complete all your plans and drawings in preparation for submission to your local Planning Permissions Authority. For a small fee, we can make the submission for planning permission for you.

Whatever design and planning support you need we at Bishop Ltd are here to help you. Why not give us a call and put us to the test!

Website - Local builders in Aylesford Kent

Few Basic Points to Consider When Building Your New Home

Before jumping in to the exciting prospect of building your new home you should think long and hard if this is really the path you want to take, or would it be more suitable and cost effective to simply buy a new property. Don’t get me wrong, if you do decide to build your home, and if you use the services of a reputable building company, the joy will definitely outweigh the headaches but you must approach your project with your eyes wide open.

I failed to do this on my first project in Chigwell Essex. I did get advice from a friend, who was also a local builders in Gravesend Kent, and although his advice on the build was invaluable he was not accustom to the Chigwell area (I obviously should have contacted a local builder in Chigwell Essex instead!). Therefore, I did not fully comprehend the pitfalls I could face when building my own home. If I was to give one piece of advice on this subject it would be this… it is essential you gather as much knowledge and advice about the property and its location from as many people in the local area as possible before making your final decision to proceed with a new build house!

Before instructing an architect to draft pre-application plans to your local council, speak to the council about your intentions and other projects in the area to get an indication as to what you will or will not be allowed to build in that location. I did not do this! Once you have this information it will be much easier to decide if what you want to proceed with the new build home or not, and for your architect to draft plans that are more likely to be accepted. Also, do not be scared to speak to a couple of ‘local’ builders and your architect for guidance on points you are unsure about before speaking to the council. They are pretty knowledgeable when it comes to local councils and their requirements. If your builder is providing you with an estimated quote make sure you make notes of everything they are including in the quote, and make sure they provide you with a detailed quote in writing before they start work!

Cost is always going to be the cornerstone of your decision to proceed so you should look at costs not only pertaining to the build but also to things like; storage of furniture, regular ongoing bills like council tax and water rates, rental property or hotel bills, these all need to be factored into your budget. Additional things to consider would include; the time it will take to complete the works, the impact it will have on your family (pets) and your lives - for example the school run could be a lot further everyday if you rented a house in a different area. Make sure you have a clear vision of all the ups and downs before moving forward to the next step.

So, if you have a realistic budget, are clued up about your local building requirements, and employ a reputable building company and architect to do the work you have more chance of a healthy and exciting building experience.

Happy New Home Building! @ Local builders in Gravesend Kent

Find the Best Local Builders to construct your Dream House

We all have totally different expectations from our dream house. Some dream of getting a casual rumpus room within the basement whilst others al desire is to have a sun nook where they can relax. In my opinion, a dream house is a home that satisfies and justifies the needs of each member living in the property.

Nowadays with the abundant information available on the internet it makes it far easier to search out a local builders in Dartford Kent than ever before, however, it’s still valuable to state some basic rules which can enable you to employ the right builder for you whilst avoiding some of the hassles or issues. For example, use a trustworthy website. Like everything else on the net, the square measure of a company’s website must be trustworthy or you could be entering dangerous grounds for you and your computer, scam artists often portray themselves as different people to get to your stored financial details on your computer, be careful when using these untrustworthy sites. Finding, and steering toward, a reliable and counselled web site with better load times can also help make transactions easier and bother free.

When your square measure is to shop for a brand new property it's necessary to think about any work that needs to be undertaken on the property before you consider it to be a contender as a new family home. Only a few people are lucky enough to move into a new property and make only a minimum of changes, like just aesthetic changes, however, the majority prefer to make their own mark on the house with major works, like extensions.

Another person’s square measure of a property could be focused on the garden. If they are retired or have loads of free time, then growing plants, flowers and vegetables may be on their agenda, and space for a large greenhouse in your garden may be at the top of their list of priorities. Some individuals’ square measure may be linked to requiring space to work from home, the need to add a sensible and user-friendly home office would be their major requirement.

Home restoration or improvement has always been very popular with both old and new home owners, within any economic climate, to maximise the use of all the space in a home. All new home owners want to keep the purchase price of the property to a minimum so will buy a house now with the intention to create the space they need later. So keep your fenestra cochleae open and listen to good advice from web sites you have the square measure of before moving forward with your plans for that dream house!

www.bishopltd.com | info@bishopltd.com | 0208 926 2010