Tutorial 3 - How to Analyse your Site or Property .

It is often important to be able to make a quick assessment of a site or a home in order to be able to make an offer. If your offer is accepted then you must make a more detailed and careful analysis before any contract of sale is exchanged. I have set out below some ideas for an initial assessment .

1. Speak to your neighbours.
2. Try and carry out some enquiries with the Local Planning Authority in relation to the site and the surrounding area.
3. Make enquiries with service providers, i.e. water, gas, electricity.
4. Try and obtain an O/S ordnance survey site plan. Use this and a compass to understand orientation.
5. Take time to walk around the site. Get an understanding of issues, such as sun, noise, potential overlooking, existing trees and vegetation (remembering that in the winter leaves go!).
6. Does the site / property meet the 'Brief' requirements? (Tutorial 2).

If all goes well at the first stage, the second stage must involve a more detailed analysis which should include professional help: there could be a lot at stake and limited professional help at this stage can often be money well spent. Professionals who will carry out site appraisals include a Planning Consultant, an Architect, a Chartered Building Surveyor. They should be able to answer key questions such as ‘Am I likely to get planning permission?'; ‘Is there enough space on site to do what I want?'; ‘What is the likely approximate cost of alteration work?'

Useful tips :

• Write down your first impressions; these may be very basic comments but they are important. See Tutorial 4 How to Design .
• If you are buying a site to build on get a proper survey. Supplement this with photographs. Record this clearly and show where the photographs are taken from. Professional advice, on a time basis, at this early stage can be very cost effective and save a lot of time and money later. Be aware of potential problems: flood; noise (aircraft, traffic, commercial uses); potential smell (this can be the proximity of a commercial operation or even a farmyard).
• If possible live in a house before you extend or alter it! Live on a site you are planning to build your new home before you start work. This is where mobile homes come into their own!
• Take time to walk the site – meet the neighbours if you can!

Suggested Reader Task:

1. Carry out initial assessments on several sites – it helps to shortlist 2 or 3 possibilities.

Contacts and references :

Go to www.homedesign-online.co.uk (note links to getting professional help) and www.homebuilding.co.uk .