Frequently Asked Questions
If you're thinking about a house extension or loft conversion in SW London we would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.
Our speciality is designing and building house extensions and loft conversions so we're on hand to provide you with the right information.
Contact us today or read our FAQ’s below.
Planning
How long does it take to get planning?
It takes a maximum of 8 weeks from time of submission to get and answer for full planning or permitted development from validation.
Permitted development (PD) has a 99% guaranteed acceptance as we submit plans that work closely with the guideline protocol for PD. If we feel the proposal is too far outside the rules for PD we will look to full planning.
Full Planning takes things like neighbours opinion and suitability of design into consideration. There are many more factors that are too long to explain here, suffice to say we aim to achieve planning permission on the first attempt and if this is not granted only minor changes are normally required to achieve planning. If we feel the proposal is not feasible we wont waste your time or money at the meeting stage. We are able to give a very good idea from the outset if your proposal will be accepted by planning.
Insurance
Do you have insurance and what type?
Yes we have Public Liability and Employer Liability insurance. You are provided with a copy of our insurance along with your fully itemised schedule.
It is important that you inform your Building/Contents insurance company that you are about to have building works, as you may not be personally covered if you do not inform them. In keeping with your insurance policy, we make sure the site is hoarded so that if you were burgled the perpetrator must ‘break & enter’.
Please also inform your building insurance that you are having building work undertaken.
Deposit & Payment Terms
How much deposit do I need to pay and how do I pay for the project?
We do not take a deposit, even if we are obtaining planning.
We invoice every two weeks in arrears against work that has been completed or partially completed. Even then we never ask for the full payment, we always leave you in debit until the final snagging has been resolved.
It is also easy to invoice against the works because you have a fully itemised and individually priced schedule, so you are never unsure if your over paying. It is a very simple to understand invoice system.
Guarantees
Is the work guaranteed?
All the work is guaranteed.
All structural work is carried out strictly to structural calculations and overseen and passed by Building Control.
Electrical is carried out and certified with an NICEIC qualified electrician.
Plumbing is performed and certified by a certified Gas Safe engineer.
All other work is guaranteed with a certificate from Simply Extensions & Lofts.
Appliances (Boiler’s, ovens, Velux etc.) also have their own warranties.
You are not left high and dry, you have a comprehensive guarantee.
Estimates & Project Management
Do you charge for estimates?
No, all of our paperwork is free.
We provide a fully written, individually priced schedule and you can make as many revisions as required.
What is project management?
We offer two options.
1. We can supply everything required to complete your project. Planning, labour, material and manage the project from start to finish.
2. We can manage your project if you want to supply all the different trades or already have a builder that you do not want to manage. We can make sure payments are made only for work completed to the correct standard and make sure you get all the certificates and Building Control sign off. We also do all the invoicing and approve payments.
Labour
Do the teams work solely for SEL?
Yes.
How long have you worked with your teams?
The newest team have been with us for 2 years (at time of writing 2015).
New teams are not something we actively seek. Our growth has been a very natural and generally if we are fully booked, we ask you to wait or we decline the project, rather than sub-contracting to an unknown team.