Robert Barham on the legal perks and quirks of home improvement

As social media is flooded with inspirational homes and ambitious renovations, focussing on paint colours rather than paperwork, it’s important to consider the legislation surrounding your home and improvements to avoid any costly delays.
Robert Barham, Partner in Residential Property, spoke to i-Build on the perks and quirks when it comes to the legalities of home improvements, and the different considerations you must take into account.
While it is a case-by-case basis on which homes are suitable for extensions, as this depends on your grand designs and the space available, the Labour government are encouraging upwards home extensions through proposals which make it harder for the local councils to reject. Home expansions are a great way of improving the value of your property, but also for accommodating growing space requirements without having to move elsewhere. If you live in a terraced or semi-detached property, extensions upwards or outwards if incorporating a shared wall or encroaching on boundaries may be subject to the Party Wall Act 1996. Detached properties have more flexibility with space, however any home extension more than 50% of the original size of the house or more than 4m in height, requires planning permission. With the additional quirks of historical properties, or areas of outstanding natural beauty, you’ll be better protected against unexpected costs or unsuccessful outcomes if you look into any extenuating factors before beginning work.
This is even more of a factor if your home is on ‘The List’. Listed buildings bring charm to a home through period features, however these are the reasons why they are also protected by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. It’s important to receive planning permission before any work begins, to avoid facing a hefty fine, having to reverse the work, or even a visit to prison. Specialist legal advice should also be sought before purchasing a listed building, to confirm if all previously carried out works on the property have been completed with consent.
Extensions are an excellent way of adding some value to your property, typically resulting in a 5% increase in value with some cases up to 20%! Although with this comes potentially increased property taxes and changes to your tax liabilities, as well as greater insurance premiums.
Another caveat to the excitement of home renovations are the increasing environmental regulations by local authorities. This scrutiny of construction sites applies to both developers and individual homeowners, so your waste management and use of materials is something to keep in mind.
Read the full article in I-Build here, to learn more about the complexities of legally extending your home.
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