Our Blog
Expert advice, inspiration and insights from our team of residential property specialists.
20 Aug 2026
Case Study: A £100,000 Refurbishment With No Written Contract
A £100,000 Earls Court refurbishment with an agent-recommended builder — no written contract, cash payments, no receipts. What it cost, and six mistakes to avoid on your project.
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18 Aug 2026
Green Belt Extension Rules in Surrey: What You Can Actually Build
Living in the Surrey green belt doesn't mean you can't extend. What the policy actually restricts, how the proportionality test works, and why a certificate of lawfulness matters.
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17 Aug 2026
How to Prepare for Building Work: The Pre-Start Review That Pays
The week before the builders arrive is your last week of real leverage. How a pre-start review works, why late changes cost at least 15% more, and how to ready your home.
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14 Aug 2026
Loft Conversion Budget Breakdown: Where the Money Actually Goes
A realistic loft conversion budget has five lines, not one: build cost per m², professional fees at 10–12%, party wall, building control and contingency.
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13 Aug 2026
Case Study: The £5,000 Redesign That Added £25,000 of Value
A South London flat refurbishment was scoped, priced and valued — and still the wrong plan. A redesign brought £25,000 more value for £5,000 more spend: a £20,000 net gain.
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11 Aug 2026
Do I Need an Architect for an Extension? An Honest Answer
There's no legal requirement to hire an architect for an extension. Who else can do the design, drawings and approvals — and the projects where an architect truly earns their fee.
Read More →10 Aug 2026
Do You Need a Building Contract for a Home Extension?
Verbal agreements aren't worth the paper they're written on. What a proper building contract contains, why the contract sum never changes, and the paperwork that prevents disputes.
Read More →10 Aug 2026
Extension Quote Example: What Should a Builder's Quote Include?
What a proper extension quote looks like line by line — inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, provisional sums, payment stages and the red flags that tell you a number is a guess.
Read More →10 Aug 2026
New Build Design and Planning in Oxted: What to Settle First
Thinking about a new build on a plot in Oxted? Feasibility, Tandridge planning, Green Belt and site constraints, design, building control — and the information a builder needs before anyone can price it.
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31 Jul 2026
Does a Loft Conversion with an En-Suite Add Value? (And How Much)
A master bedroom with an en-suite is the loft conversion buyers pay for. Why the en-suite matters more than the extra bedroom alone, the value uplift you can realistically expect, and the design choices that protect it.
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28 Jul 2026
Loft Conversions in Oxted: What Local Homeowners Need to Know
Thinking about converting your loft in Oxted? Which conversion types suit local homes, what Tandridge planning means for your project, and the real costs per square metre in this part of Surrey.
Read More →27 Jul 2026
How to Find a Good Builder — and Spot a Cowboy Before They Spot You
Most builders are good at their job. The trick is telling the difference between busy-good, overstretched-good and the small minority who never intend to finish. A surveyor's field guide to builders — and the checks that actually work.
Read More →24 Jul 2026
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Loft Conversion?
Most loft conversions don't need a full planning application — permitted development covers a surprising amount. What the volume limits actually are, when you do need permission, and why you should get the certificate anyway.
Read More →21 Jul 2026
Extension Cost Per m² in Surrey (2026): What the Rate Includes — and What It Doesn't
£2,500–£3,500/m² is the honest 2026 range for Surrey extensions — but the per-metre rate is only useful if you know what sits inside it. What moves you up or down the band, and the costs that never appear in it.
Read More →20 Jul 2026
How to Plan a Home Extension (So You Don't Learn the Expensive Way)
Without a plan you're completely in the builder's hands. Why 'learn as you go' costs 25–100% overspend, why delayed design is a builder's profit margin, and what a realistic programme looks like.
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20 Jul 2026
Case Study: From a Single Garage to a One-Bedroom House — Mitcham Lane, London
A tiny plot, a refused planning application, and a client who'd been told it couldn't be done. How a single garage became a one-bedroom house — £150,000 build, 6 months, 158% return on investment.
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20 Jul 2026
Case Study: A House into a 6-Bed HMO in 12 Weeks — Pemdevon Road, Thornton Heath
How a Thornton Heath house became six luxury bedsits — with a rear extension and loft conversion — in a 12-week build. £140,000 plus VAT, on budget, and described in the project record as the best HMO in Croydon.
Read More →17 Jul 2026
Velux, Dormer, Hip-to-Gable or Mansard? Choosing the Right Loft Conversion
The four main types of loft conversion explained — what each one is, which Surrey house types they suit, and how to choose if you want a bedroom with an en-suite.
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16 Jul 2026
Case Study: Converting a House into 3 Flats — Hook Road, Surbiton
How we converted a Surbiton house into three flats in 6 months: planning permission with no objections from a difficult council, a £350,000 build managed weekly, and what the client said about it.
Read More →14 Jul 2026
Planning Permission in Tandridge: What Homeowners Actually Need to Know
Extending in Godstone, Oxted or Caterham? How Tandridge District Council handles householder applications, when you don't need permission at all, and how the district's 94% green belt really affects your project.
Read More →13 Jul 2026
Planning an Extension? Why the Builder Shouldn't Be Your First Phone Call
Most homeowners call a builder first — and that's exactly what cowboy builders rely on. Who to actually call first, why speed always sacrifices quality or cost, and the scope-creep trap even the professionals fall into.
Read More →10 Jul 2026
How Much Does a Loft Conversion Cost in Surrey? Real 2026 Figures, VAT Included
Real Surrey loft conversion costs from our design & build projects: Velux from ~£60k, dormer ~£72k, hip-to-gable + dormer up to ~£110k — all including VAT, with the extra costs most guides leave out.
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7 Jul 2026
How Much Does a House Extension Cost in Godstone and Tandridge? (2026 Guide)
Planning an extension in Godstone, Oxted or elsewhere in Tandridge? Realistic 2026 cost bands (£2,500–£3,500/m²), what pushes prices up or down locally, and how green belt affects what you can build.
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28 Nov 2025
The Shell & Core Strategy: A Smart Two-Stage Renovation Approach for Budget-Conscious Homeowners
Discover the Shell & Core strategy - a two-stage renovation approach that lets you complete essential structural work now while leaving internal fit-out for later, giving you flexibility and budget control.
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18 Nov 2025
How Much Will My Extension Cost? Understanding Builder's Estimates and the Path to Accuracy
Planning a 3x7m extension? Learn why builder estimates vary from Google searches, what drives costs from £2,500-£3,500/m², and how to get accurate quotes with proper specifications.
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13 Dec 2018
Non-Material VS Minor Material Amendment Applications
It is sometimes necessary to amend development proposals after planning permission has been granted. There are two types of amendment applications you...
Read More →2 Nov 2018
To Pre-Procure or Not… Stick to the Plan!
They say learning is remembering and boy, oh boy have I been learning a lot over the holiday season! In my book, 'Your 7-Step Home Extension Plan', I ...
Read More →20 Jun 2018
10 things you need to know before planning your home extension
With a slow housing market, we have noticed a rise in homeowners extending and renovating their current properties rather than selling up and buying a...
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23 Apr 2018
Top tips on how to add value to your property!
If you are planning on selling your property or if your property is currently on the market and hasn't had much interest or is taking a while to sell,...
Read More →20 Apr 2018
Do you need help budgeting for an extension?
So, you're thinking about extending your home. But not quite sure on how much it is going to cost you. Well, guess what you are in the right place. Ou...
Read More →13 Apr 2018
How to avoid disruptions during your home extension
Over the last several months, we have seen a rise in homeowners extending their properties rather than selling up and buying a new property. We can on...
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6 Apr 2018
Party Wall Act 1996
The Party Wall Act was put into action on 1st July 1997 and applies throughout England and Wales. The Act provides an outline for preventing or resolv...
Read More →5 Dec 2017
Designing Your Home – Part 3.1: Planning and Building Control
In my previous blogs I wrote about the creative process, the client-architect relationship and design stages. This next _mini-series blog_ is a bit mo...
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16 Nov 2017
Property & Brexit
When the results of the EU referendum came in, investors panicked about what would become of the UK's property market. A year later an analysis has sh...
Read More →7 Nov 2017
The Design&Build Method - Part 1
Introduction For the last seven years I have been consumed by a single thought – 'how can I improve the home extension and renovation process in a way...
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24 Oct 2017
Designing Your Home – Part 2: The Design
Now that you've figured out a budget and started an idea book, you can contact a professional. They will be able to help you get the desired design in...
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17 Oct 2017
Ideas on How to Save Money on Your Project
Extensions continue to be a current way of increasing living space especially given the high cost of moving to a bigger property. There are lots of wa...
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6 Oct 2017
The Grand Designs Factor
I received a call from a client who wanted a rear extension and kitchen refurbishment. I offered him our services for Project management but he declin...
Read More →2 Oct 2017
Designing Your Home - Part 1: Introduction
I've said it before and I'll say it again; we're all similar to a bee hive: each individual minds their own business, but we all work together for eve...
Read More →25 Sept 2017
Advantages of Extending Your Home
Building an extension, loft conversion or internal alterations continues to be a current way of increasing living space or to add another room. There ...
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14 Sept 2017
Building Regulations – the bits homeowners need to know
The new Building Regulations dated 31st October 2012 are statutory requirement by which you need to comply with for your home extension or renovation ...
Read More →14 Sept 2017
Home extensions, save time & money!
Want to save money on your home extensions and loft conversions. Save time and money, then we seriously recommend that you design within the planning guidelines.
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4 Feb 2016
Food for thought - Should you feed your builder?
As nice people, i am sure that you would like to be good hosts and offer your builders a cup of tea and maybe a biscuit. While this is fine, you need ...
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