Estimating construction costs early – while you’re still developing and making amends to your designs – is crucial. Afterall, if you are organising a building project, it’s important that you make sure that you and your architect design something you can actually afford to build! In this blog, we explain why getting a professional RICS…
How do I get the best builders quotes and how can I continue to control my build costs during the construction phase of my building project? In this blog, we’ll share our top tips and explain how taking a methodical, step by step approach will get you more accurate quotations and so will prevent your…
Searching for home extension advice? Want to know how to get the lowest builders’ quotes? In this blog, the second in our series outlining how best to organise your building project, we’ll pass on experience when it comes to finding and selecting the best builders and then getting the most competitive quotes from them. Although…
Want to understand how to reclaim VAT on your new build project? Here at CLPM we work with dozens of self-build clients every year – and although most VAT refunds for DIY housebuilders go smoothly, this is sadly not always the case. In this guest blog Gerry Myton, Partner and Head of Indirect Tax at…
My name is Alison Maddison, and I am an experienced Chartered Quantity Surveyor. Having graduated with a Maths degree, I joined a management training programme at a major contractor, and through them I gained my RICS chartership. Over my career, I have worked for both contractors and consultants, based onsite or in the office and…
Planning a major building project? Estimating build costs early – while you’re still in the design stage – is critical to make sure your plans remain affordable. In this blog we explain how getting a professional to estimate your construction costs at this early stage will help you to keep your project on track. The…
Want to understand more about house extension costs and how to budget for your construction works? In this blog James Bryden, our MD outlines what costs you should allow for when budgeting for your renovation or home extension building project. Always Set a Realistic Construction Budget Here at CLPM we meet a lot of clients…
Are you planning to extend, renovate or improve your home in the near future? There are plenty of things to do before starting your building project. The social distancing requirements of the current coronavirus situation probably mean that you have a bit more free time at home than you’re used to. Time is very precious.…
Are you renovating a house on a budget? House price growth slowed across the UK in 2019. In London and the home counties prices remained static and this trend is expected to continue into 2020. While home improvements are still a wise financial investment, market conditions mean it is now even more crucial for you…
Destroying your most precious asset in order to create your dream home is a scary and courageous thing to do, but that’s just what this Oxfordshire couple did to their dilapidated 1960’s family home. Having worked up designs with their architectural practice, Anderson Orr Architects, they had secured planning to strip the house back to…