The Local Ledger blog

Builder Guides & Advice

Straight answers on hiring a builder — what it costs, what to check and what your rights are — with every figure traced to its source.

Guide

Do You Need an Architect or a Structural Engineer for an Extension?

Who designs an extension: when an architect is worth it, cheaper alternatives, why you'll almost always need a structural engineer, and what each typically costs.

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Guide

No Building Regulations Certificate? What to Do

Missing a completion certificate for an extension, loft or other work? How to get a copy, when regularisation works, what indemnity insurance does and doesn't cover, and the order to do things in.

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Guide

Loft Conversion Types Compared: Rooflight, Dormer, Hip-to-Gable and Mansard

The four main types of loft conversion compared: how much space each adds, typical costs, planning permission, and the building regulations every loft must meet.

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Guide

Kitchen Extension Costs: What to Budget (2026)

What a kitchen extension costs in the UK: the build per square metre, knocking through instead, fitting the kitchen, moving services, and the extras most budgets forget.

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Guide

What to Do If a Builder Does a Bad Job: Your Rights Explained

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a builder must work with reasonable care and skill. What you're entitled to, the steps to take, and what to do if they won't put it right.

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Guide

Builder Quote vs Estimate: What a Proper Quote Should Include

A quote is a fixed price; an estimate is a guess. What a builder's quote must include, when the price is allowed to go up, and how to compare quotes fairly.

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Guide

Planning Permission vs Building Regulations: What's the Difference?

Planning permission controls what you build; building regulations control how it's built. Which projects need one, both or neither — in plain English.

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Guide

How Much Does a Builder Cost Per Day? (UK Day Rates 2026)

Typical 2026 UK day rates for general builders, labourers and bricklayers, why the published figures disagree so much, and why a fixed price usually beats a day rate.

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Guide

How Much Deposit Should a Builder Ask For? (UK Guide)

There's no legal limit, but around 10% is the usual guide and more than 25% is a warning sign. How to pay, what a deposit should cover and how to protect your money.

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Guide

How to Check a Builder Is Legitimate Before You Hire Them

Five free checks that take about 20 minutes: Companies House, trade body registers, insurance, references and the red flags that should end the conversation.

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Guide

12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Builder

The 12 questions to ask any builder before you hire them for an extension, loft conversion or renovation: experience, insurance, quotes, contracts and payment.

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Guide

Do I Need a Party Wall Agreement? The Party Wall Act Explained

When the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies to an extension or loft conversion, the notice periods, the 3 m and 6 m excavation rules and what a party wall surveyor costs.

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Guide

Do You Need Planning Permission for an Extension or Loft Conversion?

The permitted development limits for rear extensions and loft conversions in England, when you still need planning permission, and how to get it confirmed in writing.

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Guide

House Extension and Loft Conversion Costs: What to Budget (2026)

Typical UK costs for a house extension and a loft conversion in 2026, per square metre and by type, plus what pushes a quote up and what to budget on top.

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