House extension question

[dayday]

I live next door to my dad and our house is a semi detached, I want to extend my kitchen, but what I want to know is  can I build the extension flush with the boundary wall, or does there have to be a gap between the houses?

 

My dad has gave me consent to go ahead, but I need to find out first 

 

I did phone Harborough Council, but was no help, and basically told me I needed to find out this myself.

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Edited 24 March 2021 by dayday

[Izzy]

@Strokes

[davieG]

23 minutes ago, dayday said:

I live next door to my dad and our house is a semi detached, I want to extend my kitchen, but what I want to know is  can I build the extension flush with the boundary wall, or does there have to be a gap between the houses?

 

My dad has gave me consent to go ahead, but I need to find out first 

 

I did phone Harborough Council, but was no help, and basically told me I needed to find out this myself.

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

I don't know what the planning rules are but there's plenty of houses out there with building on the boundary line

 

Random example

 

[CosbehFox]

Two areas here

 

1) Party Wall - if your neighbour was unknown to you, you'd have to serve a party wall notice, hire a surveyor and complete the paperwork related to this. You'd be subject to paying all the fees in relation. This is likely to be brought up by solicitors during the searches when you sell the premises. 

 

2) Building Regs - is the wall in question just a solid brickwork wall for purpose of boundary or is it living space behind it? 

 

3) Where do you intend to run the rainwater drainage from the roof of the extension too? Shouldn't be discharge on neighbouring land. 

 

Subject to the size, I think 3m x 3m is the max you can get away - you'll require planning but they will not even provide an ounce of info on these matters - just a few caveated lines. 

[kenny]

2 hours ago, dayday said:

I live next door to my dad and our house is a semi detached, I want to extend my kitchen, but what I want to know is  can I build the extension flush with the boundary wall, or does there have to be a gap between the houses?

 

My dad has gave me consent to go ahead, but I need to find out first 

 

I did phone Harborough Council, but was no help, and basically told me I needed to find out this myself.

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

As you have an agreement with your neighbour, you can build on the party wall line. In effect you are extending the original party wall between the houses.

 

The reason it is rarely done like this is due to ownership issues, you often see each neighbour building their own cavity wall within their own boundary which is wasteful.

 

If your father ever sold his property, then the purchaser could extend and 'use the wall' as their own as they would effectively own the leaf on their side of the red line boundary.

 

Its a sensible way to go as you are in a position to do it, so crack on. As others have said, regular planning rules will apply depending on the size of extension you are planning and the area you are building in.

[Spudulike]

Talking of extensions, I've had some plans for a kitchen/diner extension drawn up by an architect. I'm still waiting for planning approval but in the meantime I've started approaching local builders all of which, so far, have said they have no availability until 2022. Except for one that seems keen to visit and quote. His website looks OK (not that means he's a decent builder) but I can only find one review (positive). 

 

I'd obviously do some visits to see previous work if I was to consider going ahead but has anyone in the know got any tips that might give me a clue if he's legit or a cowboy? Expensive business this building work and I don't want to get caught out and make an appearance with a sob story on Rogue Traders. 

 

Cheers. 

[kenny]

8 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Talking of extensions, I've had some plans for a kitchen/diner extension drawn up by an architect. I'm still waiting for planning approval but in the meantime I've started approaching local builders all of which, so far, have said they have no availability until 2022. Except for one that seems keen to visit and quote. His website looks OK (not that means he's a decent builder) but I can only find one review (positive). 

 

I'd obviously do some visits to see previous work if I was to consider going ahead but has anyone in the know got any tips that might give me a clue if he's legit or a cowboy? Expensive business this building work and I don't want to get caught out and make an appearance with a sob story on Rogue Traders. 

 

Cheers. 

All you can do is speak to previous customers or speak to your Architect. They will know the good ones in the area.

 

The only other advice is that you can expect to wait your turn and the cheapest is rarely the best. If a builder is available quickly in the current market, it means they are either no good, or you are very very fortunate and another project has fallen through.