building real estate

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 (possibly subject to certain conditions) or refused. It should also be noted that it is the client’s responsibility for seeking, or not seeking, planning permission. If required, planning permission should be granted before any work begins. 

Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 an extension or addition to your home is considered to be ‘permitted development’, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the some limits and conditions.How high can I build a home extension without Planning Permission?Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 an extension or addition to your home is considered to be ‘permitted development’, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:No more than half the area of land around the “original home”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.No home extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.No home extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres beyond the rear wall for an attached home and four metres beyond the rear wall for a detached home.Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres beyond the rear wall including ground floor.Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing home.Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original home.Two-storey extensions no closer than seven metres to rear boundary.Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing home.Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing home.No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.Upper-floor, side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.On designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey.On designated land no cladding of the exterior.On designated land no side extensions.* The term “original home” means the home 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 home, a previous owner may have done so. Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.

What’s Involved?The difference between the two is that while planning guides the way our local environment develops, building regulation ensures the health and safety of people who actually use buildings. Your builder or architect will be able to advise, or take a look at www.planningportal.gov.uk for more information. Before sending off any plans it’s also a good idea to get your neighbours involved, so they are aware of exactly what is planned.Planning PermissionChances are you’ll need this. It depends on many factors, including whether the house has been extended before and how much the exterior of the property is going to change. Either you or your builder/architect must contact the planning department of your local planning authority, complete the form and return it with a fee. You should hear back within eight weeks. If your proposal is refused, you can either modify it and resubmit, or lodge an appeal. If you decide to go ahead without permission (and you’d be very ill-advised to do this), you will be asked to make a retrospective planning application. If this is turned down, you will have to return everything to the way it was before, regardless of expense.Some of the reasons you’ll need planning permission to major works done on your home include, if you live in a flat or maisonette; if the extension is going to be self-contained for use as a separate home or for commercial use; if additions and other buildings would cover more than half the land around the ‘original house’; if any part of the planned extension is higher than the highest part of the existing roof; if you live in listed building or Conservation Area; if you live in a terraced house or house in a Conservation Area where the extension is greater than 50 cubic metres or 10 per cent of the original house volume, whichever is greater; if you live in another type of house (detached or semi-detached) where the extension is greater than 70 cubic metres or 15 per cent of the original house volume, whichever is the greater, or if the extension would increase the volume of the ‘original house’ by more than 115 cubic metres.Building RegulationsThese are comprised of ‘Parts’ lettered from A to P, each setting the standards for different aspects of a building’s design and construction. These include its structure, fire safety, sound insulation, drainage, ventilation, electrical safety and energy efficiency.Confirm with your builder at the outset that they are taking responsibility for compliance. If not, it will be up to you to get works approved by a Building Control Body – either from your local authority or an approved inspector. Some specific types of work, such as certain types of drain, fuel-burning appliances and replacement windows, can be self-certified provided the installer is registered with a relevant scheme. You’ll need to submit an application, and arrange for an inspector to make a series of inspections. Failure to comply can result in a fine of thousands of pounds and may come to light via a local land search enquiry when you come to sell, and will probably deter your potential buyer.

Having a new own home is everyone’s dream. No one can deny this fact since buying a home is most likely everyone’s most precious property investment they will provide for themselves and for their family. So once you have the chance to buy your own, it’s important that planning should be done properly so that you would get your desired house design at reasonable price.

Basically, when planning to build a new home, there are a lot of necessary things to take into consideration. Of course the first thing to care about is your financial status. It’s really important to ask yourself if you are capable of buying a new house. To start with this, you need to prepare and analyze your budget or expenses. If you can also afford to seek advice for a financial adviser then go for it. Your chosen adviser will help you budget your money to be spent for your new house.

The next thing to do is to determine the needs of your family. This is also important so that your expenses for building your home will not exceed to your allotted budget. If ever there will be excess on your money, then that’s the only time you can make a secondary list for your wants. Once you are already decided on those details, then you may now proceed to determine where your house will be built. When considering for the location of your house, it’s necessary to think for what kind of lifestyle your family has. If you are working on the city, it’s recommended that your house should be built near on your office or at least be accessible to public transportation. As much as possible, it should also be near on markets, schools and other public establishments so that you would not get a hard time going to these places. You also need to assure that the surroundings of your house must be clean and peace.

Once you have your own parcel of land, then it’s time to conduct a house plan. For better planning of your house that meets your budget and needs of your family, it’s best to ask assistance from a Reliable and Affordable Home Builder in your local to prepare your house architectural design. Once your house plan is finished, you need to provide a copy of it to your local government so that you can be authorized to get your building permit. When these things are done, don’t forget to hire a building inspector to secure that your home complies with all of the laws and regulations in your country.

Brazil is an emerging market and has become one of the best destinations for buying property. Here, we will take a quick look at 10 reasons to buy Brazil property.Firstly, the Brazilian currency is extremely favorable at present for overseas buyers who can pick up large amounts of property at reasonable rates. The currency is also strengthening year after year and the economy is strong even in these recession-hit times and economists say that Brazil will become one of the top economic leaders along with India and China in the near future. In fact, it is predicted that Brazil will become the 5th largest economy in the world by 2050.Secondly, Brazil is very foreign-investment friendly. Foreigners can own 100% of the property (a few exceptions may be there) and in property dealings the law of the land puts them on par with native Brazilians. Thirdly, the climate of the country is not only conducive to one’s personal well-being but because it is warm almost through the year, Brazil attracts millions of tourists. The rental market offers splendid opportunities through the year because of Brazil’s perfect climate.Fourthly, though the south of Brazil has traditionally been the hotspot for tourists, the exodus is now towards the North East of Brazil and there is a lucrative property market in Natal and Bahia. Massive investments have already been made in resorts and golf courses along the coast line of Natal and the rental market is only expected to grow. Natal is also Brazil’s sunniest city and also it’s safest. Bahia’s beaches and tropical climate also attract a huge number of tourists and the region has already seen massive foreign investment. Fifthly, the cost of living is amazingly low when compared to other international destinations, especially that of UK and Europe. Shopping, eating out, entertainment is all exceptional value for money. Sixthly, the infrastructure in Brazil is very good. There are excellent medical facilities, the roads are good and Brazil is soon to boast of the world’s 5th largest airport. Seventhly, with the energy crisis looming large in most countries around the world, Brazil is self-sufficient in oil and more and more oil fields are being discovered. Eighthly, building costs are less than what they are in the United States and Europe. One can also develop the property as and when time or money permits, after buying the property. Ninthly, Brazil is a beautiful country with diverse landscape and its beaches are world-famous.And the last but not the least reason is that Brazilians are fun-loving and friendly people. The cities are vibrant and throbbing with music and carnivals and the world-famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival is enough reason by itself to snap up property in Brazil!

Home builders are increasingly propagating the usage of manufactured homes in the country. The high land prices, construction costs and subsequent maintenance costs have made it difficult for the middle-income groups to afford a house early in their career. People no longer have to wait till their retirement to own a decent house. Manufactured homes are custom built at the designated factories, and are transported to the site on completion. Home builder keep these protected against environmentally degrading situations in the safe confines, while ensuring that they remain in pristine state at the time of delivery.

The manufactured homes have in-built chassis, which are connected to removable wheels for transportation. These do not require any foundation to be built before installation, and thus save money that would otherwise be spent in hiring on-site builders. Moreover, these houses come along with proper installation guides, which are provided by the home builders. These homes help in curtailing the expenditure on energy and fuel based on their efficient design. The buildings are environment friendly and can withstand diverse kinds of weather conditions. Moreover, these can be easily moved from one location to another as per the needs of home owner.

The portability of these homes makes them an attractive proposition for young people, who might be frequently moving in accordance to their job requirements. Besides, rural areas have started accepting these as a cheaper and convenient alternative to calling in professional builders, who prove to be expensive. The most unique aspect of a manufactured home is its mobility. Being mobile, these homes can be moved to any desired place by tractor-trailers. Once the house is moved, the wheels can be removed, but the chassis stays in place. As local building codes are not applicable, these homes are built according to Federal HUD regulations in the United States.

Banks usually do not offer loans for manufactured homes, as buyers can escape from paying mortgages and save the same money for a bigger and better future home.