Sometimes you may just need it! that larger space for work, what you have always wanted and eventually you built it! the greatest question and the cheapest question is whether you asked the right question to the right person or took advice off someone who neither:-
A) - Worked in the planning department
B) - Was not in the architectural profession
C) - or took advice from a builder (yes you don't need it according to the builder)
Also we have heard the common story, "the builder told us to do it" (from the client), so who are we to question our builders, they are part of our team, they are very good at building, just like doozers from fragile rock and yes, it is true, I have witnessed it myself there are many doozers out there and they all want to do there own thing.....the train full of doozers is another story!
So what can we do for you? We can help you get out of the mess that you got yourself into, whether it was by chance or purely accident.
Hindsight is always easy. It's cheaper to pick up the phone to planning and ask the actual question do you need planning permission? that's what we should be asking, before we start building, unless you want enforcement from planning to send you a letter? and yes it will happen, but we will deal with it?
If you have made changes to your property without planning permission then a retrospective application will need to be submitted, otherwise the Local Planning Authority can request that your structure be taken down and put back to its original state.
A retrospective application is similar to a normal planning application, however, your submitting the application after you have, or in the process of, completing the works.
Why take the risk? what happens if you have to take down the structure? after the building or extension is built there is no guarantee that planning will accept what you have built, as you have not taken any guidance from the Architect.
Clients can end up loosing out heavily on the cost of building. The planning authority can make you alter the works to suit the required current planning policies in force, so its best to give us a call and we can advise what's best for you...in the end its always cheaper...and a 5 mins conversation might just end up saving your life and the sleepless nights you don't need....We would rather you just sleep well, eat well. live well and at the same time be alert! and oh yes...I was asked a question the other day which was can you get retrospective building regulations? oh dear.....