In broad terms planning permission deals with the practical and visual impact of your proposed extension and building regulations deals with the compliance side of your extension – so does your extension have suitable drainage, is it structurally sound, is the work being carried out safely and so on.

But in recent years, government has made it much easier for us to extend our properties, encouraging us to improve our properties therefore reducing the burden on the housing stock issue.  So in many ways it’s never been such a great time to extend.

Conservatories and glazed extensions have always been incredibly popular because these types of structures have generally not required planning permission, although there are a few exceptions to this rule.  For example, your conservatory must not be higher than your existing roof, it must not extend beyond the front or side of your existing property, if you have an existing extension, your new conservatory must not cover more than half your land – it’s this final point that can be hard to figure out, so it’s always worth getting your Ultimate installer to come and give you advice first.

One of the other major factors to consider regardless of whether you’re going for a conservatory or a solid-roof extension is whether you want to knock through to your existing property and enjoy open-plan living.  If you’re using the same heat source as the rest of your house, which you probably will, you will definitely need Building Regulations approval.

The best thing to do is talk to your Ultimate installer and get their guidance.  They will be very familiar with the local planning office in your area so they will be able to give you precise guidance.