Guides

BUILD YOUR PROJECT: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Plans drawn up by an architect or architectural designer. For most London houses wanting a standard extension and conversion, an architectural designer will often suffice as the planners are only concerned with the change in the property’s elevations. We can quote for a full set of plans to include existing and proposed floor plans, elevations, sections and roof plan, submission to planning with all supporting documentation and management of planning process.

Once you have plans, you’ll need to engage a structural engineer for calculations and drawings. Again, we can supply a quote for this if needed.

Send planning and structural drawings over to us; we tend to offer a ball park figure initially then, if it’s within budget, we visit site and prepare a fixed, line by line quote. We need the structural drawings to send to the steel fabricator to price up the supports for your conversion.

Party Wall Awards: You will need a Party Wall Surveyor to serve your neighbours a Party Wall Notice. They have two months to respond so this should be done as soon as practical. Your Party Wall Surveyor will need your planning and structural drawings to form the Award.

Building Control: Your work will need to be signed off by a Building Control Office to ensure it’s safe and conforms to standard. We tend to work with local authority BCOs, although happy to work with private companies, too. We liaise with Building Control and book the appointments, and you pay their fee directly. This can either be done on a Plans basis (submit Building Regulations plans which will be an additional cost) or Notice which means the BCO will attend site more often. Although Notice basis is more expensive, it negates the need for Building Regulation plans.

We have around a four week lead time. If our quote’s accepted, we ask for a small holding deposit to secure your start date then prepare a Programme of Works, Payment Schedule and Contract.

Once we’re on site, you are allocated a project manager and dedicated foreman who will be on site full time for the duration of the project. We schedule in weekly meetings for a walk through to answer queries, make decisions etc.

Payment: these are staged into a deposit payment to secure your slot, a mobilisation payment due on our first day on site and interim payments. You retain 5% of the project total; 2.5% payable when we have completed and the remaining 2.5% payable when we return in six months to remedy any settlement cracks or snagging.

FAQs

How does the Bashtan process work?

The first step is to organise drawings for planning permission and for your structural engineer to use to specify the beams and supports required. We are able to offer a drawing service for planning permission via our architectural designer; we are also happy to use drawings that you supply.

From the drawings we prepare a line by line quotation, down to the cost per linear metre of skirting, to ensure everything is clear. Most of our work is quoted per fitting, square or linear metre to ensure transparency throughout the build. We then take you to meet former clients and show you the quality of our work.

Upon acceptance of the quote we ask for a small deposit to secure your slot then provide you with a programme of works outlining the timeline and build stages of your project alongside a payment schedule. The payment schedule will show that you retain 5% of the contract value until we are completely finished when 2.5% is released. The remaining 2.5% is held back until we return a few months later to undertake any snagging issues.

Once on site, we manage all trades, building control, rubbish removal and general site maintenance. We schedule weekly site meetings to discuss any design decisions and progress, with our Fulham Road office on hand to provide administration support. You are allocated a project manager and site foreman to see your project through from inception to final finish and our MD, Andy, personally oversees every job. As our labour is Bashtan only, we are able to start at relatively short notice, usually within about four weeks.

How do I get Planning Permission?

A full set of drawings along with a completed application form is submitted to your local planning department. Drawings need to include a site plan, existing and proposed elevations, sections, floor plans and roof plans. This is generally your first step in the build process. Your local council may provide a pre-planning service to give guidance on what’s permissible in the borough.

We offer a planning service which is entirely separate from our build service. We visit to discuss your plans, advise on planning rules, draw up a full set of plans and complete and manage the application process to your local planning office. From submission, the planning decision takes eight weeks.

Are there any restrictions to what I can build?

Generally, for a London Victorian terrace only a single storey side/rear extension is allowed. The maximum height of the side wall varies by borough; throughout London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, it can be no higher than 2 metres (with a pitched roof) unless your neighbour has already built an extension, in which case it’s classed as an infill and can be 3 metres high, which means you may have a flat roof. If your garden is big enough, a typical side return kitchen extension can also wrap-around, which means it includes a rear extension.

A loft conversion is generally with roof windows (such as Velux) at the front and a rear dormer, unless your neighbours have front dormers, in which case you may be allowed to replicate. You are also allowed to build a rear loft/pod. Rules differ for larger, detached houses and our architectural designer can advise on options.

What about Permitted Development?

Flats don’t generally have permitted development rights. If you have a house and there’s not an Article 4 preventing permitted development, we can advise if this is the most appropriate route.

Do I need anything else before starting my extension?

You will need calculations and drawings from a structural engineer. These specify the size and type of steels and supports we install and are important for pricing. These will also form part of your party wall award (see below) and building control sign-off. You will also need to inform Building Control, either via your local council or privately. The Building Control Officer will visit throughout the build to ensure everything is being built safely and to fire regulations. You can either submit plans prior or work on a building notice basis, which means plans aren’t submitted and the officer visits site more frequently.

What about my neighbours/party wall?

Unless your property is detached on a large plot, you will need to instruct a party wall surveyor. They will issue notices to your neighbours advising them of your intention to build. Often, it’s preferable to build astride the boundary/party wall to maximise space (if you’re in a terrace). Your neighbour is entitled to instruct their own surveyor and a condition survey of their house will be undertaken. Any damage or defects to your neighbour’s property are noted at the end of the build and you are liable to put these right. Your neighbour has two months to respond to the party wall notice, so it’s a good idea to submit these as soon as you can.

What costs do I need to consider outside of construction?

Architectural drawings
Fee to the planning department
Structural Engineer’s fees
Building control fee and drawings (if plans)
Party Wall surveyor fees and possible remedial works

Owen McDermott

We undertook a year long home renovation project with Bashtan including side return and back garden extension, pod extension and basement dig out and had a very positive experience overall. Everything was laid out extremely clearly from the get-go by Andy/Nazar/Marijus, with the initial detailing of the project including itemised cost breakdown and timetable all largely stuck to with no hidden additions. Whilst the project went on things that were found not to be needed as well as any new requirements were updated regularly so that the final cost estimate was always clear. All the guys on site were very respectful and extremely hard working and the coordination between the various teams of builders as well as their external partners was seamless, with no delay to any of the work. You would have no idea they were working on multiple projects at the same time. As with any large project there were minor issues along the way but the team were always open to frank discussions about how to correct them and at the end of it all we are extremely happy with our new home. I also have to mention the aftercare as all snagging work was done to a great standard and any small needs since then (i.e. electrician/plumber to come and take a quick look at something) have been taken care of no questions asked. I would strongly recommend using Bashtan and will certainly do so myself for any future projects.

Laura C

We had a complete renovation of our property carried out by Bashtan. This involved side return extension, back garden extension, flooring, a lot of plumbing works, extensive decoration, etc. We have been very happy with the results and with the communication with the Bashtan team through the process. The quote for the work was extremely detailed and the deadlines were perfectly met. Highly recommended.

Andy Parker

We recently completed a year long full house conversion and back-to-brick renovation in Fulham with Bashtan. We strongly recommend them as a building partner. They were consistently professional and reliable - always on time, well-organised, and delivering to plan. As with any major renovation, challenges came up along the way, but the team approached each one with a practical, can-do mindset and found effective solutions without fuss. They were calm, proactive, and genuinely easy to work with throughout. Bashtan coordinated their team of builders and craftsmen seamlessly, keeping everything moving efficiently and on schedule. They also bring a trusted network of long-standing partners (windows, glass, metalwork, etc.), which they manage directly and hold to high standards, making life significantly easier for the client. Our foreman, Marijus, was a pleasure to work with — friendly, pragmatic, and highly dependable day-to-day. We also had an independent project manager involved (BOMA Projects), and Bashtan collaborated with them very smoothly; in fact, the project manager described them as one of the best contractors he has worked with. Overall, a high-quality, well-run operation that delivers with professionalism and integrity. We would not hesitate to recommend Bashtan.

Jaime SotoM

As an architect with over 35 years of experience working with contractors across multiple countries, I can confidently say this team is a rare find. They delivered a very complex project on time, within budget, and to an exceptional standard of quality — something that is not easy to achieve in London nowadays. Their professionalism, organisation, and attention to detail were outstanding throughout. I am extremely pleased with the result and would not hesitate to recommend them.