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Lots of people embarking on a home extension project are well aware of the need to gain planning permission and to comply with Building Regulations. However, it’s not so common to find people familiar with the Party Wall Act.

You’ve decided to extend your home. Now you need to prepare yourself so you’re ready to give a decent brief so they can give you an accurate quote. So what exactly do you need to think about? Here’s a starter for 6.

If you are refurbishing your home then it’s worth taking some time to think about your interior doors because they will have a major effect on the overall appearance. There is a great deal of choice available when it comes to interior doors and lots to think about. Here’s some advice to help you make your selection.

A smart fireplace makes a natural focal point of any living space. Whether it’s a restored or refurbished period fireplace, or a brand new contemporary one, there are some clever ways to really get the most out of this feature.

It’s a really common question: do I need planning permission for my home extension? If the thought of applying for planning permission fills you with concern you are not alone. You only have to watch TV programmes like Homes Under the Hammer to learn that planning permission can cause major delays in projects, not to mention adding great costs.

When we speak to homeowners about extending their properties the main question they ask – and rightly so – is how much is all this going to cost? Of course we can provide a quote for labour, materials and fixtures and fittings. But there are other costs you need to consider too so make sure you factor these into your budget.

If you’re thinking about extending your home then unless you’ve got plenty of savings, you’ll need to consider a few financing options. When it comes down to it there are three main ways of funding a home extension, or any other major home improvement for that matter.

The question of whether you’re going to add value to your home by extending is a good one. Of course it all comes down to how much it’s going to cost. So once you’ve got your quote and plan of works then you can start to work out whether it’s going to net you some extra value on your property.

Loft conversions aren’t a light undertaking. They can cost a lot of hard-earned money, and are a huge extension on your precious home. If you’re thinking about a loft conversion, you therefore need to make sure that you plan it correctly. We have over 15 years’ worth of experience planning loft conversions, and we like to think that we’ve learnt a trick or two along the way! With this in mind, here are our top tips for planning a loft conversion:

For those considering home extensions, you may be interested to hear that you’ll gain more than just a bit of square footage of living space. There are many reasons why you may wish to extend your home, but if you’re still trying to decide if it’s for you, here are our top five reasons to take the plunge and extend.

One of the biggest worries for anyone extending their home is the idea that their outside space might be gobbled up by an extension. For a growing family, outside space is just as important as the interior living space, so it’s a shame to lose any of it. Of course, home extensions can be done in a sympathetic fashion, but wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to lose any garden? That’s where loft conversions come into their own!

The idea of improving rather than moving has been around for a while. Most homeowners will, at some point and if space allows, think about adding an extension to their home. But have you thought about just how much potential home extensions can unlock?

After a long winter it’s only natural that with the first few warm weekends of the year, our thoughts turn to our gardens. Our outside space should be an area to enjoy, somewhere to spend time in. So it’s good to treat it as an extension of the home.

One of the most sought-after results of homeowners looking to extend is the dream of open plan living. Every building expert will sing the praises of open plan living, and if you’re looking to extend your home, going open plan could have big benefits for you and your family.

If you have been dreaming of the perfect home office or study, we can tell you that success is all in the design, but before that a full understanding of the uses of the room must be discovered. To get this information the designers at Aspire Building spend a great deal of time getting to know their clients.

Janet Zelenczuk had wished for a large kitchen for her Surbiton home for some time. She made the decision to have an extension built to make the most of her plans and then she proceeded to have her kitchen designed. All she needed was someone who shared her love of attention to detail to install it. She chose Aspire, and this is what we did.

Having been through numerous property renovations, Fiona Bailey from Rowtown had a good idea of what to look for when engaging a builder to design and install her classic kitchen plus a contemporary bathroom and shower room. She chose Aspire, and here’s how we went about the project.

Have you ever really looked at your staircase in great detail? Does it make you smile? Does it do your hallway justice? Here at Aspire we believe a stunning staircase can pull a whole interior together. Get it right and your hallway will have instant wow-factor from the moment you step through the front door.

With house prices on the increase again we’re finding lots of people are choosing to extend their home, rather than move, to get the additional space they need. Rear extensions can eat into gardens but side return extensions can give a lot of additional living space by cleverly utilising the often unused or even neglected area at the side.