Whether you’re having work done to your own house or a commercial property, there are certain things you need to know and do before any work can commence. Read through our five key points and get prepared for any future building work you might be planning.
1. Check the legalities
As the owner of the property, it is your responsibility to comply with all the relevant planning rules and building regulations when undertaking any building work. You may also need to check land boundaries and apply for planning permission. Additionally, you may want to consider extra insurance, depending on the work that is being done.
2. Make a plan & set a budget
When it comes to building work, a plan is essential. Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a builder, you will need to set a budget. If you are going to be working with builders or contractors, ensure you get a written quote; be clear about exactly what you want doing, and research all companies or workers thoroughly before agreeing anything.
3. Find an alternative home or workplace
If work on your home or business property is going to highly inconvenience you with noise and dust or access issues, it could be essential for you to find somewhere else to live or work until the building work is completed – whether that is a friend’s house, a hotel, or rented office space. Getting this organised early on will cut your stress levels significantly.
4. Hire a skip
Building work produces a lot of messy waste, and the best way to deal with that is by hiring a skip. If you’re not sure what size you’ll need, ask the skip hire company for their opinion. If you’re torn between two sizes, opt for the larger of the two, as if you overfill your skip you’ll be charged accordingly for the removal of the extra waste.
5. Tell your neighbours
This may not seem as important as the other points, but actually it is equally so: if you don’t warn neighbouring properties about your building work, you are bound to run into problems. After all, building work involves extra people milling about, noise, disruption, skips, and more. Be a good neighbour and keep surrounding properties informed about exactly what is happening, and how long it will go on for.