FAQs
Here are answers to some of the more frequently asked questions about our design and build services, and common questions about home extensions.
For more help and advice, please book a free consultation.
About Our Services
-
We offer a complete design and build package. By getting us involved in the very early stages of planning your building project we can help advise you on design, layout and materials choices that can affect your build viability and project costs.
We work with a number of trusted and proven partners including Architects, Engineers and Planning advisors to deliver your project on budget, on time and on point!
Read more about our design and build services.
-
We would like to speak with you at the very early stage of your planning process. We offer a free no-obligation telephone consultation with lots of advice and then arrange a site visit to provide you with topline budget figures for your extension. We’ll be able to understand your current property and its limitations, and then explore ideas on how to best use your space.
Interacting with us before any plans have been drawn up will ensure you have the benefit of our skills and experience when making decisions that could affect your project viability.
-
We find working close to our home is great for maintaining proactive project management on your development and so offer our design and build services to home owners in the areas in and around the following locations:
Eastleigh, Totton, Nursling, Southampton, Hedge End, Hamble-le-Rice, Whiteley, Fareham, Bishop’s Waltham, Wickham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Waterlooville, Horndean, Havant and Hayling Island.
-
Stubbs Homes will manage the whole process for you - from start to finish. This means we are in complete control of your home extension, giving you peace of mind and avoiding unnecessary stress.
So often the process of extending your home can be time-consuming and frustrating, dealing with multiple tradespeople, coordinating schedules and getting caught up on the latest regulations to make sure you’re in full compliance. We consolidate all of the many roles involved in improving your home to create a smooth, trusted building contractor service that you can rely on, leaving you to focus on the more enjoyable tasks like your finishing touches.
We’re a friendly, reliable and knowledgeable team that doesn’t take on more projects than we can handle. This enables us to offer our clients excellent customer service and quality workmanship.
Read more about us.
-
Once we have visited your property and undertaken a site survey, we can provide you with an estimated range of costs for your project. We aim to get this to you within 7 days of your appointment.
Book a free telephone consultation or contact us with details of your project.
-
We are a small family-run company. Directors, Tom and Tabitha Stubbs, have three employees and five full-time bonafide sub-contractors. We also have many other trade partners.
We have been established for almost 10 years but have many more years of experience within the building industry.
We are proud members of the Federation of Master Builders.
-
We carry professional liability insurance with a limit of £2M
-
Yes. We’ve recently updated our branding and logo to become Stubbs Homes but our official company name is Stubbs Builders Limited. We’ve evolved our offering to encompass a full design and build service for home owners and so wanted to reflect this comprehensive service in our company name.
Your Home Extension
-
The cost of extending your home varies depending on the size, whether it is a single or two-storey extension, other internal changes you may make and the materials/finishes chosen.
When it comes to traditional single storey kitchen extensions on average it costs about £3,000 per square metre to build. Professional fees for architects, engineers and permissions will on average cost about 10% of your build cost.
For more accurate pricing, please arrange a free no-obligation consultation.
-
Our clients are often surprised at the a number of people involved in even the most basic building project.
Depending on your project, we might need to work together with any of the following:
- An Architect or designer
- A Structural Engineer
- Your local council's planning department
- A Drainage Surveyor
- Building Control or an Approved Inspector
- A Party Wall Surveyor
- Builders (that’s us 😊)
- An interior designer
- Various Tradespeople
We have excellent relationships with all of the above specialists to help manage and coordinate your build.
-
In most cases we strongly recommend the use of an Architect to develop scale drawings and plans for your extension. We have excellent relationships with trusted Architects in the area that offer an affordable design service.
Smaller projects that don’t affect the external look of your property may not need an Architect but will almost certainly need a designer. Plans make communication easier between the builders, the engineers, the building inspector and the homeowner. They also make it clear what is being done and where. A specification document is also needed that details the finer things like electrical and plumbing installations, wall and floor finishes and so on.
-
Most home extensions and refurbishments require a structural engineer. An engineer will calculate things like the size and type of steel or timber beams and the depth and size of foundations.
As part of our design and build service, we can organise all of the necessary surveys and reports for you.
-
These two forms of local authority regulations are very different to one another. Planning permission relates to your extension’s impact on your surrounding environment. There are many factors that determine whether you will need planning permission but it may not be necessary for a home extension.
If you do not get planning permission when it is needed, you may face legal action. Learn more about when planning permission is required.
Building regulations approval is required for all building work and is commonly requested at several stages during your build. The building regs ensure your development is structurally safe, accessible, sustainable, and considers the health and safety of its occupants.
-
We always ensure your new build conforms to all regulations and use proven quality thermal insulation materials to reduce heating and cooling costs. We can also help advise you on glazing, roofing and heating systems that will help your home to become more energy efficient. You may also want to consider additional technology such as smart lighting or upgrades in the rest of your property during your build project to maximise energy efficiency.
Do you have a question?