FAQs

Do I have a choice of fittings and finishes?
Of course. As part of the design phase we will endeavour to agree a specification for all of these items. You can elect to have painted walls or wallpaper up to £50 a roll! You can choose a £300 bathroom suite from B&Q or a £5,000 suite from Germany!

What about party wall awards?
If your building is next to or close to a boundary or party wall, then one or more party wall awards may be required. Neighbours cannot stop the works from taking place but under current legislation, both you and your neighbour(s) have certain rights. The process can sometimes be lengthy and you should allow a contingency of £500-£1000 per award. Where possible, we tend to undertake the work in-house allowing for greater control.

How much stress is involved?
All building work is stressful to a point. There may be some noise and debris and things may not always go 100% to plan. Suppliers may be late and there may be snagging to complete, such as touching up paintwork or securing a loose light fittings etc. All works will be subject to closing a full listed snagging list done between DAP Constructions Engineer and the client.

Will I need planning permission?
Most conversions will require planning and building control . Most new basements, where the size of the new construction is significant and/or where there will be visual changes to the outside of the house, will require planning

Is the price fixed?
Design discussions and an investigative phase, in order to establish the nature of the existing foundations, will highlight the potential for additional works. However, all building projects, especially those with a significant groundwork element, have the potential for cost increases. If additional works are necessary, then we will explain exactly what is required and why. If a charge is to be made, then rest assured your audit prior to any works proceeding will be of paramount importance to us.

Will underpinning be required for a new Basement
This will depend on what you are hoping to create and how deep the existing foundations are. Underpinning involves excavating beneath the existing foundations, one stage at a time and then adding additional concrete.

How much does it cost up to full planning Permission
Our total fee for all jobs  is normally between  10% -14% of the construction cost ex vat.
Our fee up to tender would be 75-80% of the total fee.

 If a project costs 80K our total fee would be £11,260 and our fee up to tender would be £8,900. This includes all design development discussions with the client and normal negotiations with the planners and building control. That figure could be adjusted in the light of the nature of the project in terms of the brief and the input which you might have in the detail development

£40,000 Loft schemes can be brought to full planning for a lump sum of £3,000.00.
All projects can be a fixed price sum depending on all of the information being supplied by the client prior to a contract being signed.