Our Patch Summer 2017 Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush | Page 19

Our Patch summer 2017 party wall surveyor builder architect Richard Hourican, Chartered Building Consultant, Hourican & Associates [email protected] Tel: [phone] Building 3, Chiswick Park 566 Chiswick High Road W4 5YA Tel: [phone] www.houricanassociates.com Jason Briggs, Managing Director, The Kitchen & Loft Company [email protected] Tel: [phone] Old Gloucester Street WC1N 3AX Tel: [phone] www.thekitchenandloftcompany.co.uk Ivan Lazzaroni, Design Principal, Omnide [email protected] Tel: [phone] N.2 Durham Yard Teesdale Street E2 6QF Tel: [phone] www.omnide.com M ention the words ‘party’ and ‘award’ in the same sentence and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a cause for celebration. However, without a party wall award, you could be left crying into your champers when it comes to selling your home, says surveyor, Richard Hourican. Why would I need to prove I have a party wall award if I’m selling up? If you have adjoining properties or your home is within three metres of your neighbours’ and structural changes have been made eg an extension, loft or basement has been added, or a chimney has been removed, the first thing a solicitor will want to know is whether or not you have a party wall award. “we make sure everything is done legally from the start so there are no nasty surprises” What happens if I don’t? You have a problem. It can’t be done retrospectively. It will hold things up and could cost you thousands in solicitors and surveyors fees – and lose you potential buyers. How can a surveyor help? As party wall specialists we make sure everything is done legally from the start so there are no nasty surprises, unnecessary delays or unexpected costs. We also act as a mediator in any dispute and an arbitrator to agree compensation or damages. I t’s all very well living in the present, but to maximise your home’s potential, you need to think about the future too, says builder Jason Briggs. What should a client think of first when they are looking to improve their home? Whether they are single, extending their home to accommodate a larger family, or looking towards retirement, we always work with them to futureproof their home according to their individual requirements and to maximise resale value. Which rooms are best to improve? Past clients have often said that it was a special bathroom or impressive kitchen that helped close the sale on their homes. With so many affordable finishes available that were once considered an out-of-reach luxury, clients can usually achieve the look they want. What is permitted development? If well managed, PD can present opportunities for building say a higher roof or gaining more floor space than might normally be the case. What should a client bear in mind? Don’t spend more than you can expect to get back from a property. Any other advice? Always do as much work as possible in one go – it will be more cost effective. If you do have to hold off on part of an extension works, for instance, at least get approval for what you want in the future. You are adding value just by having planning approval in hand. P otential homebuyers need to also be able to see the potential your property has to offer, argues architect Ivan Lazzaroni. What can people do to make their property more attractive to buyers? Low effort measures like painting a dark wall in white or staging the space with contemporary furniture for open day viewings can show it in a new light. There are specialist companies that rent contemporary furniture for short-let periods and we can help with the arrangements. How can a homeowner increase the value of their property without a huge financial investment? Properties are often marketed with ‘potential to extend’ but we believe that the development of a design scheme showing how this can be realised, and the inclusion of planning permission for an extension, can help immensely in boosting sale values. “AN INNOVATIVE DESIGN SOLUTION REMAINS THE TOP PRIORITY FOR MOST” What is usually top of your clients’ priority list? An innovative design solution remains the top priority for most of our clients in Hammersmith and Chiswick. We provide them with design options as part of our process to fully explore their project’s potential. Balancing good design with a realistic budget that can be delivered in a realistic time frame comes a close next.