DIYbanter - View Single Post - advice on building a roof and employing a builder.

(Trevor) wrote in message om...
I need some advice concerning the building of a new roof/loft and
employing a builder.

Our house has a concrete flat roof with a shallow pitch roof later
built on top. We would like to remove this roof and put a higher
pitched roof on top and then convert to a new bedroom. I have
contacted the local planning department and they have said to send in
rough plans to see if all is OK before having proper plans drawn up to
avoid unnecessary expense. We spoke to a builder who says he can do
the job, and he has plans from his own house that he converted in the
same way, and it is the same layout as our. I am to receive these
plans this evening to send off for the nod from the local planning
office before they are redrawn in our name to the specification of our
house (where different).

This is what I would like to know.

Do I leave it to the builder to get the drawings re-drawn or do I
organise this myself? If I am to do it, how and who?

What insurances does the builder need, how do I know they are real?

What other agencies need to be informed of the job and when?

If we agree a fixed rate for the job how do I make sure it does not go
over this?

What % of the builder's fee do I pay up front?

Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Thanks for any help in advance.

I would raise one question: what type of roof construction do you plan
on using? A Mansard roof would be especially well suited, giving you
far more room than most other types.

Is your present house 1 or 2 habitable floors? If 2, there may be some
other work required on the other floors as well.

Regards, NT