Plain-English guides on extension costs, party walls, VAT, builder quotes and the questions every UK homeowner asks before they sign a building contract.
What every type of loft conversion should cost in 2026, in London and across the UK, with the spec variables that move the number and the fees most homeowners miss.
What a kitchen extension actually costs in 2026, with the kitchen specification ranges that move the bill and the PC-sum trap most builders use.
What a house extension should cost in 2026, by type and by region, with the spec choices that move the price and the fees most quotes leave out.
What a full house refurbishment should cost in 2026, by depth of work and region, with the sequencing decisions that decide whether the budget holds.
What a basement conversion should cost in 2026, by type and depth, with the structural variables that move the price and the party wall exposure homeowners miss.
Side-return extensions are the most-quoted job in London. Here is what they actually cost in 2026, and why two builders' numbers can disagree by £40,000 on the same drawings.
If you're extending, digging a basement, or putting in steels near a shared wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 almost certainly applies. Here is what it really costs, who pays, and how to keep the bill under control.
Most domestic building work is standard-rated at 20%. But three carve-outs, new builds, qualifying conversions, and certain energy-saving installations, can save you 15–20% of the build cost if you know how to use them.
Working square-metre rates for side returns, rear, two-storey and wrap-around extensions in Greater London, with the spec variables that move the number.
Three structural reasons a builder's number rarely matches the finished cost, and the cost expert checks that close the gap before you sign.
Most overruns are written into the appointment, not the building. Here is the homeowner checklist that prevents them.
One UK working day response. Fixed-fee proposal, VAT inclusive. No retainer. No obligation.
