The easiest way, if you haven't done it before, is to take the room dimensions to one of the kitchen companies and use their scheme as a starter. Make sure you also know where the drainage is as that can affect the location of the sink

The more you meet them then the more you will know them. It would be good to meet them before they are even appointed but that comes down to the agreement that you have with your JV partner to some extent.

I tell all builders that I want a fixed price quote based upon my schedule of works. If they won't price on that basis then they are the wrong builder for me. Payment terms are by negotiation, if you can't get what you want then they are the wrong builder.

To secure an offer quickly you may need to set the price just below your competition, unfortunately no matter how quickly you secure an offer there is still the conveyancing process wich can often be 3-4 months. Making the right decisions as far as the finishes comes down to knowing your end client (the person buying the property). Don't do works that are unnecessary for that client unless you can be really sure that they add more value.

If you are planning to sell then make sure the walls/fences are in reasonable condition and then dress it with some coloured potted plants. Walls and fences in poor condition can be improved just by painting them. The key thing to remember is that in most cases purchasers are making their decision on the property not the garden so don't spend too much.

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With smaller projects the risks are lower so it becomes too expensive and onerous to use a JCT contract. The important thing with a small project is that you still agree terms of business between you and your builder.

In many ways the licencing process came about because there was a lack of clarity in the building regulations and too many people were repurposing properties without providing basic standards. Overcrowding was one of these issues which is why they now have minimum room sizes and amenity space for HMOs. Understanding the licencing requirements allows you to proactively present a property to the LA demonstrating that it is compliant rather than leaving the decision to the housing officer. I have an HMO where it looks like the amenity space is too small for the number of occupants, however by showing that some rooms are large enough to be bedroom/living rooms, the shared space can be smaller. We got 2 extra occupants as a result of us taking the lead rather than leaving it to the housing officer.

The benefit of bringing in a new supply is that you create 2 stand alone units that can be valued and sold independently. If both units run from one supply then you need to consider how bills are managed and accept that the 2 units probably have to stay in one ownership. This will also be the case with water supplies.

That's good, it's exactly what you need at the early stage of a loan application.

The link in the post below is still the current document.

Personally I don't JV with builders and I don't recommend it as explained in the video

Hi Danny. On larger projects where more established contractors are employed it is totally possible to place them on back to back terms with the lender and indeed that is effectively the terms within the JCT Forms of Contract. As you note these larger contractors do have higher overheads so may be more expensive so you have to balance one benefit against the other. I find that showing contractors the agreement from a bank to lend is generally sufficient to demonstrate funds, the key is agreeing the terms in good time.

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There are more planning conditions around these at the moment, particularly if the property is in a retail area. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the minimum space standards require flats to be 37m2 so if your commercial unit isn't of that size then at the moment it can't be converted.

I wouldn't put anything in as tenents require different things. Some will require radiators and some will go with a combined air conditioning and heating system for example.

It will be difficult to get a 5 bedroom HMO from a property that is less than 100m2 (approx 1000 sq ft). Look for properties with a living room and dining room downstairs where the kitchen has been extended plus 3 x bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. You may need an extra bathroom downstairs so scope to extend a cloakroom or convert a utility room will be useful.

With suitable due diligence in advance and therefore careful selection of the contractor you will find that they don't need random visits and can be trusted. On the flip side though, it's frequently the cheapest contractors that cause problems so you have to decide which is the most important to you - reliability or price.

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There isn't a difinitive answer to this. In theory, you require planning permission to use a property for SA on a long term basis and I believe that the conservation team will be made aware of this application even though it probably doesn't affect the fabric of the building. I'm aware that a lot of SA operators don't apply for planning and that there are also plans for this legislation to be changed so it could be something to deal with in the future. My advice is to go into the deal with your eyes open, ultimately you are working with a listed building that has the risks discussed in the video.

If you can't find a dedicated PM then either of the others will be able to do it for you. I would expect more Building Surveyors to be interested though.

No, the schedule of works sets out in detail the actual works that you require to be carried out. The sequence of works is the order that those works will be carried out and could be broken down into more detail. For instance your schedule of works may include the details relating to a new kitchen installation (units, worktops, appliances, tiling etc), the sequence of works will then show what order the works need to be done in - 1) modify plumbing, 2) modify electrics, 3) install cupboards and worktops, 4) install appliances, 5) wall tiling, 6) connect services. Please note that this is a simplified example only, there are frequently more things to consider.

Hi Sanjay, I'm based in Kent so don't have any experience of Engineers in the west Midlands