Getting onsite
Here is a brief guide to the formal permissions required to get your project ready to take onsite. We refer to this stage as ‘preworks’ for which we have a separate contract which does not commit you to the build phase of the project. Please refer to the ‘design and build’ link for more information on designing your basement, or call us for further details.
Planning permission
Planning permission is usually required for large structural alterations or additions to existing buildings, and the erection of new buildings. Planning permission is not required for all types of works, as some works are classed as ‘permitted development’. In the first instance, your council planning officer will be able to advise you as to which controls your work will be subject to.
If we are contracted to undertake all pre-works arrangements for you, we will look after these issues and obtain all relevant permissions on your behalf.
Listed Buildings
If your house is more than 170 years old, or of special architectural or historical significance, it may be Listed which means you will also require Listed Building Consent in order to carry out works. Such buildings are described as being either Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II in significance. This Listing potentially covers both the external and internal aspects of the structure. We will be able to advise you and seek the relevant permissions on your behalf. OLBC has expertise in these areas and we are a particularly good choice for your project if you have any specific concerns with regard to the safeguarding of any material of your property, or require any advice on sensitive restoration or conservation work.
Party Wall Awards
Party Wall Awards are usually required for major works to terraced or semi-detached houses and sometimes for detached houses too. You are required to arrange for a Party Wall Surveyor to agree an Award for the work before work begins on site. A Party Wall Surveyor is an independent professional who will draw up a condition report detailing the structure and condition of all properties concerned, and will include plans and engineering for the proposed project, and details of any specific clauses or precautions which must be taken during the work. Your neighbour is entitled to allow your Party Wall Surveyor to act on their behalf, or they may appoint their own Surveyor, a cost which would be passed on to you, as the proposer of the work.
If we are contracted to undertake all pre-works arrangements for you, we will look after these issues and obtain all relevant permissions on your behalf.
Building Control
Approved Private Building Inspectors or Council-run Building Control Officers ensure the Building Regulations are adhered to. The regulations provide the standard and certain specifications that any building work must follow. They apply in principal to all works, and most works involving any structural alteration or addition will require a Completion Certificate. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure quality and safety of building work, which can sometimes require aspects of an older building to be updated to meet modern requirements for fire and sound proofing, insulation and electrical circuitry, particularly where a house is being converted either into flats or back to a single dwelling. Inspectors will visit at intervals to ensure these specifications are being met, and will issue a certificate at the completion of the work.
Our policy is that we will not agree to carry out work that will not satisfy building regulations and that work will only be carried out by suitably trained professionals.
Basement project management
We will arrange a start slot at the point we draw up the contract. You will then be contacted nearer the time to confirm a specific start date. In all likelihood we will be in discussion over elements of fit-out during this period, and you are always welcome to speak to us to discus any queries.
At the point we arrive onsite, your project will be in the hands of a manager, whose contact details you will be given. He will meet with you on a regular, programmed basis to discus progress any issues or outstanding information.
The team working onsite may change depending on the type of work being undertaken. They will all be uniformed, polite and respectful. Where clients remain in residence, staff will have their own facilities from WC to tea-making apparatus, so you will not be required to share or give over any facilities in your current living area.
Our standard site working hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, and 8:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday, subject to contract. Regular review meetings are pre-programmed to allow the client and management to discus progress. For more urgent matters, the management can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm by telephone.
You will receive a report showing what percentage of the works have been completed at each billing point, so you will know exactly what work you are currently paying for.
We will liaise with you in advance regarding the provision of any client-supply items so you know when these are expected onsite. We are able to provide most items on behalf of the client for competitive prices. The main advantage of putting us in control is that we will take over control of their arrival, completeness, condition and suitability.
Insurance
We carry insurance covering:
- £10,000,000 Employers Liability
- £2,000,000 Public Liability
- £1,000,000 Professional Indemnity
- £1,000,000 Contract Works in Progress, per project
Our insurance specifically covers basement excavation work. This is a special condition that would not be included in a general policy for building work. If you are comparing a number of basement contractors we strongly advise that you check each contractor is fully covered for the work.
A statement of our insurance will be provided before works commence. If you require additional or alternative insurance, this can be arranged at cost, subject to availability.
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