Hi Shelley, In which case, I am not a professional but based on our experience my advice would be as follows; If you know you are going to extend then you will have to have an architect's drawing firstly for your builder (so he knows what to do and is the basis of the contract between you) but also for buildings regs and potentially for planning if the work doesn't fall under permitted development. You then have a choice on how to go about getting the drawings; Firstly you could use an architect and they will help you design the layout of the downstairs and the extension with all of their skills and knowledge (which they've spent many years gaining) and you'll pay accordingly for this service. They will be your creative input and I would expect to pay around 10% of the costs of the work to have that although it varies significantly so definitely get a few different quotes! Key questions we found useful when comparing architect's quotes; Does this include a survey (so they can get a super accurate floor plan of what's already there, so they can draw extensions etc- very different to a buildings survey) or would that be in addition? Does that include structural calculations or will that be in addition? (Ours were £1,200 on top) Does that include buildings regs submission or would that be in addition? (Ours were £500 on top) Does that include planning submission? (we didn't need planning) Alternatively you could work with a concept planner (like OnePlan or we used Gina from create Perfect on here, who I couldn't recommend highly enough) for your creative input, to decide what space you want downstairs and then just bring in an architectural technician to do you a set of drawings based on what you already know you want, lessening the emphasis on their input and certainly in our experience significantly reducing costs (we only paid £500 to our architect for plans as Gina had already done the design work- however (!!!) we were only remodelling not extending so didn't need to consider how it would look from the outside, which is where an architect or architectural technician would come into their own) Before you start anything, especially as you need to rewire etc I would personally get everything planned out, so you know the design of your kitchen, how each of your downstairs rooms will be used etc. It's SO tempting to want to get started but having everything planned out first, even down to where your pots, pans and dishwasher will go before you do anything downstairs will be the best thing you could possibly do for your enjoyment and bank account :) Make sure you have done the plan for your lighting, heating and electrics well before you start doing anything- there is nothing more frustrating or costly than doing the building work, then deciding on the specifics of your kitchen, utility or living room and realising your electrics aren't in the right place and you've got to have wires sticking out or extension cables etc! If you make all the decisions up front (even down to where you want the TV in the living room) you can have all your wiring and plumbing etc integrated and then nicely plastered over so you don't end up with ugly pipe work and electrics, or worse still having to amend your designs to fit around what you've got! Even if you decide to do the interior design yourself make sure you come up with a lighting and electrics plan that has all the detail on it and you can hand to the electrician! It will save you a lot on the long run! If you go with the architect route and are thinking of using a concept planner like OnePlan as you mention in your previous comment then whatever you do, don't wait until after the plans are done- get her on board now so she can help work with the architect! Also ask about her costs of a lighting and electrics plan for all rooms if you're not confident to do it yourself. As with anything definitely shop around and get two quotes for anything and make sure you know what you're getting for your money. As I mentioned before we used Gina from Create Perfect and she did all of our concept planning plus lighting etc, so I'd highly recommend her also when you're looking at different quotes. Key questions we found helpful to ask a concept planner when comparing quotes; What will I physically get at the end of the process to use with my trades? Will you be available to help me as the work progresses and how will I be able to contact you? What trade discounts can you pass onto me (this is a BIG one and saved us thousands!!!) Can you do my lighting plan? What's the costs and what will I get at the end of it to give my builder / electrician ? Will you come to my property to view it and see the light / plot / views to incorporate into the design and if so what's the cost of this? Also go with your gut- it's a brilliant but daunting process and you really need someone who you really like and click with you wants to help you and cares about your project! :) Hope this helps! Claire

I'm not a professional at all but just stating my experience from recent renovations - others will have their own. Obviously a recommendation from someone you know is best option. Only use different sub contractors if you have time to manage them, plan who does what when, conflict resolution, talking to suppliers, etc...oh and also choose all the material and items you need and deliver just in time! We tried a recommended builder on a small project (bathroom) before giving them two big projects. Wasn't the cheapest but they managed and brought in all the different skills at the right times. Delays are inevitable and not always the main contractor at fault e.g window supplier delivers windows but not doors! Not much you can do. Finally, future proofing a build does require getting your ideas on paper first and what budget you have. E.g running CAT6 cables is great but what devices will you connect and where? I recall drawing everything on paper from light switches and usb socket positions through to external cameras and weather sensor! Also I remember my insurance company oddly wouldn't accept a signed joint contract from our builder so do check any contract disputes are covered. I had a week's worth of sleepless nights before we ended up moving insurers for peace of mind. Good luck and this forum has a lot of great advice.

Thats a big enough challenge, If you need any assistance with lighting you can always give us a email and i will work with you to assist you with the best prices :) Hope all goes well! Tony

Hi, I did a full house renovation in 2019 which involved ripping the house apart except for 1 feature window that my late mum had bought. We used a builder that could complete most of the trades but then he bought in his preferred contacts to plaster, gas works etc. I wrote a list of all of the works to be completed which the quote was provided against. I then added a 15-20% continguency as I knew I would want to upgrade items as we went along. The only part the builder did not do was the kitchen/utility design and thats only because a very good friend owns his own kitchen design and install so I wanted to support him. My advice would be to go rooom by room and make a full list of everything you want included. A builder could then quote in sections eg Wiring, Plumbing etc Don't forget things lke: Converting single electric socks to doubles, having the right lighting switches so you can zone/dim lighting in certain areas of a room, consider if you want network cabling running into specific rooms (my husband is an IT nerd so we have it everywhere). If you want this work 'managed' then you can look for a building project manager but this will be an additional fee. It also depends if you are going to live in the house during the reno - we were lucky and didn't have to. If you would like any help with the interior design of your space then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Here's an example of a kitchen design I completed at the end of 2020, which at the end includes a fly through video of the space www.myclaybrickhome.com/post/kitchen-concept-design I hope this is of some help Rgds Vicky