marchitects home alterations

 So no news appears to be good news. The City of Edinburgh planning dept will now only respond if they want changes made or the application is likely to be refused. No dialoge. No response to emails. So hire an Architect with experience from the outset, as he will be able to guide you on the liklihood of approval from an early stage in the process. This application in Willowbrae Edinburgh had absolutely zero feedback from planning and then approved out of the blue! https://marchitectsltd.com

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Bi fold doors are now commonly asked for when altering homes. Clients specify upvc to save costs but the resultant frame width and restricted sight lines can create a clumsy appearance. Always consider the remaining  visible glass as a upvc frame can diminish this considerably especially on narrower openings.

We are delighted to be a sponsor for the Musselburgh Marlins  - Musselburgh Amateur Swimming Club Summer and Sprint meets being held on the 16th and 17th of June 2018. Good luck to the swimmers! Swim hard swim fast!

Many clients remain unconvinced about the extra up front costs and maintenance of good quality timber or aluminium windows against pvc. But given concerns over end of life recycling of plastics and the use of environmentally polluting plastic material in their manufacture we are trying to move to plastic free approach in our specification of these elements.

Future proofing your home through the the addition of a ground floor shower room can be easily achieved by re-planning dead areas of space such as hallways/ pantry / closets commonly found in properties older than 40 years. Minor structural alterations can open the areas up allowing the re-planning to take place and often results in the creation of adjacent open plan living spaces. We never like to think about getting older but having an accessible shower room really helps with independent living when we reach that time of our lives.

We have project which started in September, and despite all efforts it was not possible to get it wind and watertight before the winter storms hit.  It's always worth considering postponing construction to the period between Easter to Autumn especially if you are still staying in the property whilst work is underway. No one is living in the property we are extending. But it's still demoralising fighting the weather as well as trying to make progress.

Busy managing the construction of a large house extension near Inveresk on the Carberry Road. Timber frames all up but waiting on the bad weather to subside before cracking on with the roof finish work making it wind/ weathertight. This will allow us to forge ahead with the internal finishes. Hopefully this week.  before  present keep you posted Mark Anderson www.marchitectsltd.com

Chasing for information, progress of warrant and planning applications, window subcontractors, builders, roofers, stair fabricators, acceptance of completion, water authorities, and on and on.....thank goodness you employed an Architect. Didn't see the value in one? Let an Architect manage your project from start to finish. You not only get quality control but a professional dedicated to the successful delivery of your project. From the smallest alteration to a house extension or new house. Mark Anderson RIBA RIAS ARB www.marchitectsltd.com

Are you thinking of extending or altering your house to improve the layout and facilities for a disabled relative? Both planning and building warrant applications may be determined for free by your Council if you meet their eligibility criteria. In Scotland building warrant "f ee regulations state that no fee shall be payable where the purpose of the work to which the application relates is to alter or extend a dwelling to improve its suitability for use by a disabled occupant." This can help reduce the cost burden of getting a project designed. We also offer discounts. Mark Anderson www.marchitectsltd.com

Had a number 2 all over yesterday at Paul Smith barbers in support of the MOVEMBER charity supporting awareness for men's health, specifically prostrate and testicular cancer. In need of a hat but its all in a good cause. http://uk.movember.com/about/ www.marchitectsltd.com

I recently attended a seminar on Fabric First approach to the design of houses. In brief, the house-builder improves the energy and air leakage performance of the built elements by front end investment in the quality of the built fabric to exceed current building standards rather than relying on technology such as renewable generation which is often plugged in at the end. It provides considerable benefits in performance. This would seem like common sense, but the built fabric rarely meets the specified performance. The quality of site works is the main culprit. (Ill fitting/missing insulation, following trades puncturing vapour control layers etc etc.) Mark Anderson www.marchitectsltd.com

I was recently called out to give some advice to a couple looking at buying their next door neighbours house in order to extend their own. The viability of the project hinged on the purchase price of the property against what it would cost to extend the footprint of the existing house to match the resulting floor area. However if you don't have a garden large enough to accommodate this extension then this is largely irrelevant. Then it comes down to whether the value of the enlarged house covers the expenditure on purchasing the current and next door properties. If the equation works out then there is no doubt that its is appealing. You don't have to move house to gain the space, the alterations next door need not be significant, and the building work can be contained. www.marchitectsltd.com

Modern housing developers lay out their overall street and house pattern to maximise the number of units on the land. As land plots are irregular by their very nature you find that house plots to the extremities, at the end of streets and cul de sacs provide opportunities to extend to the side towards the development boundary. If you are contemplating a side extension factors to consider at the outset are: -Can you get access to the neighbouring land to erect scaffolding? -Does you house plan permit circulation to the side. Where is your front door and stair in relation to the extension? -Do you want to retain a link between your front and rear gardens? -Consider designing foundations for an upper floor if you plan to erect single storey. Attic roof trusses can provide similar opportunities. -Determine where the drainage runs from the back of the house. -Are there any gas and water services under the ground. Mark Anderson www.marchitectsltd.com

Often I am asked about the feasibility of altering an existing extension to provide a more rational floor plan and facilities. In some cases I have to advise that the demolition and rebuilding of an extension is the most cost effective route to achieve the client's goals. Key factors that may have a bearing are: Age of the existing extension and the method of construction. This may make it unsuitable or structurally expensive to alter. The existing fabric will not meet today's need to conserve energy in the home and therefore would require upgrading.  The position of the extension in relation to the house may have been designed poorly resulting in a floor plan which does not provide the opportunity to  improve the linkage with the existing house and/ or improve the layout of the facilities. Glazing. It may be because the client wishes to change the nature of the extension to a family room for instance with improved visibility to a garden that larger windows are necessary....

We've joined Architect in the House 2012.  We give a free consultation to a homeowner in exchange for a donation to Shelter. Architect in the House is the annual charitable scheme that sees RIAS and RIBA architects giving homeowners an hour's free consultation in exchange for a donation to Shelter. Over the past 15 years, RIAS and RIBA architects have raised more than £1.2million for Shelter.  Please get behind the scheme again and support Shelter's vital work with families in housing need. www.marchitectsltd.com

Garages built in the past can be a bit on the small side for modern cars with the result that they are used as store rooms. If the garage is attached to the house and you need the extra space it can be relatively straightforward to extend into and convert the garage to a playroom, office, bedroom or a downstairs toilet. I've also converted garages into self contained studio accommodation for elderly relatives or grown up children. The external walls and/or roof will require to be upgraded to meet current thermal resistance standards and a new floor installed. The garage door would be altered to accommodate a window. Hey presto a fairly redundant space is inexpensively transformed. www.marchitectsltd.com

In older properties it can often make sense to create one larger room for modern family living. The most efficient way of doing this is to knock the wall down between two rooms, called forming a slapping. A structural engineer should always be consulted to ensure the correct lintels specification is used to support the wall and floors above. You will also need to ensure that any steel beams are protected from fire. The builder will needle the wall above the opening and support these on temporary props before removing the wall where the opening is being formed. The lintel will then be positioned on padstones set into the wall on each side and shims put in above to make up the space between the top of the lintel and the remaining wall. As with all structural alterations there will be evidence of settlement in the finishes around the affected area.

Here are some brief guidance notes on the new permittted development rules for rear extensions in Scotland. These do not apply within conservations areas or to  listed buildings. Any extensions to the rear should be no closer than one metre to a boundary. Extensions to a terraced house should be no more than three metres in depth or four metres in any other case.  The eaves height of the extension cannot be higher than three metres. No part of the extension should be more than four metres in height. The extension cannot cover more than 50% of the curtlage of the rear area of the property. This area does not include any existing hardstanding or the original house. If any all of these parameters can be met then planning consent may not be required. We can ascertain this for you from the relevant local authority. www.marchitectsltd.com

New rights for householders have come into force this month setting out new rules for planning permission for alterations and extensions to houses and flats: The principal elevation will be used to judge whether planning permission is needed There are more generous permitted development rights for extensions There is a one metre bubble around the house which means you will not need consent for satellite dishes and solar panels. There will be more control within conservation areas. Check out the guidance at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/householderdevelopment