Adding an extension may be a viable solution to expand your living area without moving to another house. However, each type of extension – whether one or two storeys; front, side, or rear, or a simple addition to the roof – always needs planning permission.

Planning permission is a local authority’s approval for a planned building that is in place to discourage unwanted modifications. It’s typically required whilst constructing a brand new property or making considerable modifications to the existing one.

Planning regulations frequently require extensions to fit in with the character of the existing house rather than dominate or overshadow it. Side expansions that are not seen from the street should be set back from the front façade and placed lower than the current ridge height.

However, you have more options with rear extensions. Policies often favour extensions that blend in with the original house in terms of design, materials, and finishes. However, contrasting styles, such as a modern … Continue reading →

Hardwood floors are a wonderful aesthetic addition to any property, but they require timely maintenance. Even though hardwood floors are known for their robustness and endurance, the appearance of dents and scratches is inevitable after some time.

Depending on the severity of the scratch, sanding and refinishing is not your only option to remove them. Minor hardwood floor scratch repair is fairly easy but more significant damage will require using a combination of techniques such as screening and polishing, or even floor replacement. When it comes to comprehensive repair solutions, it is vital to know what type of flooring you have. First of all, you need to find out whether you have solid or engineered wood flooring.

The main distinction between these two types of flooring is that solid hardwood has one solid layer, usually made of a hardwood species, whereas engineered wood can contain a top-quality plywood layer coated with a thin layer of hardwood. Determine which kind … Continue reading →

Flat roofs are common for both commercial and residential buildings, as they usually cover a large area and are relatively easy to install. However, flat roofs are known to leak more often because water does not roll off due to the absence of slope, and just pools until it evaporates.

Small water droplets or leaks don’t seem to harm anyone, but prolonged exposure to water and snow can cause the roof to become moldy and rot. This can considerably weaken the framing and cause the roof to collapse, posing a serious threat to your personal safety and the structural integrity of your house. Therefore, you must detect the area of the leaking and fix it quickly to avoid further damage to your property.

How to Spot a Leak on a Flat Roof

If you suspect that your roof is leaking, start looking for any external penetrations, holes, or other visible damage to the roof, as these are the … Continue reading →

Sometimes small house annoyances reveal a major structural concern. Natural calamities, accidents, or just old age can cause structural damage. Over the years, London Building Contractors repair team has helped homeowners fix a wide range of structural issues. Here are some recommendations that will help you to identify structural damage to your property.

Wall and Ceiling Cracks

Wall and ceiling cracks in both new and older houses are quite common and are generally caused by seasonal temperature changes that can be easily fixed by sealing the seams where drywall panels meet. Cracks accompanied by a sagging ceiling or uneven floors, however, indicate a bigger structural problem that needs to be dealt with before you try to fix them.

Stuck Windows and Doors

If your doors are stuck or hard to latch, or your windows are difficult to open and close, it can be either a sign that you have an issue with basement waterproofing, or it may indicate a serious … Continue reading →

At London Building Contractors, we treat every client individually based on their specific requirements, ensuring that the quote contains a thorough description of the scheduled works and is accurate. As a result, we provide free, no-obligation quotes to all of our potential customers.

Free quotes have clear advantages because they cost nothing at all for our consumers to merely acquire information about our construction materials and costs of labour.

Secondly, with there being no obligation, customers are given the freedom to decide, whether or not our construction services are right for them. Furthermore, the quotes are personalised for each customer.

How do we devise our personalized no-obligation quotes?

Our construction experts first prepare an estimate, which is a current approximation of how much works would cost, not a fixed price, so it is open to revision.

After we have verbally agreed on an estimate, we plan an onsite visit to ascertain accurate pricing for the job being offered to … Continue reading →