Who are Cool Buildings Ltd?
Cool Buildings are a bespoke home extension company based in and around London and the South East of England. With over twenty years of dedicated experience in the home and construction industry, we build beautiful single-storey glass and steel extensions tailored to your house type and brief. Take a look for yourself at some of the beautiful home extensions we have built recently.
What kind of buildings do you build?
Cool Buildings specialise in the design and build of innovative, tailored living spaces – glazed kitchen extensions, garden rooms, orangeries, conservatories and two-storey extensions that integrate seamlessly with your existing house. Constructed from traditional materials such as ancient stone and brick, or from contemporary glass, modern steel-frame and aluminium. Whichever you choose for your home addition our buildings are always both stunning and functional. If you have a project in mind please do get in touch and we can discuss your requirements, or have a look at some of our recently completed projects.Do you cover my area?
Cool Buildings has clients and projects across the south-east of England as well as west London. If your specific location isn't included in the list below then please get in touch to see if we can either help or make a recommendation for you.
Beaconsfield, Camberley, Chertsey, Ealing, Egham, Guildford, Henley on Thames, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Reading, St Albans, Wallingford, Wembley, Wokingham, and Royal Borough of Windsor.
Have a look at some of our recent projects and do get in touch if you'd like to talk to us about any aspect of your future build.What type of a home is suitable for a Cool Buildings extension?
Almost every house is suitable for a Cool Buildings home extension. We have a variety of offerings and we're confident that one of them will fit your vision. There's also the option of a Totally Bespoke building - limited only by your imagination (and the constraints of planning permission!)What’s included in the cost of a Cool Building?
Included in the cost of every Cool Building we install is the design, planning and completion of your build; from the underfloor heating to the lighting and decoration. When we say that we deliver a “full turnkey service” we actually mean it.
Planning Permission and Building Regulation detailing are also included in the cost. We have a dedicated planning officer who will liaise with the local authorities on your behalf should your Cool Building need it.
When you choose Cool Buildings to build your house extension you are not only getting a complete installation by an experienced, considerate and close-knit team, you also get a dedicated project manager with full and personal responsibility for the whole process. This is what cements (no pun intended) our reputation and gives our clients total peace of mind.Why should I choose Cool Buildings to design and build my home extension?
It’s a very good question! With our attention to detail, our use of full-time staff rather than sub-contractors, our extensive experience and pride in our work, we even offer all of our potential clients the opportunity to meet with previous clients to view the Cool Building home extension we built for them. You can ask them in person about the build process and hear their honest feedback. We are so confident you will be happy you chose us as your contractor that you will want to show others around your completed Cool Building too!How long does a Cool Building take to complete?
From the first “shovel in the ground” to the final handover we aim to complete your Cool Building within 6 -14 weeks depending on the size, the specification and of course the good old British weather. We will keep you up to date with weekly progress meetings either in person or by phone and if the project looks like finishing earlier than the timeline expectation we set at the start, then of course, you will be the first to know.Do I need planning permission?
Not all Cool Buildings will need full planning permission. Please see below for the different categories of developments and permissions.Permitted development
If your home is in the UK, not located within a conservation area, and is not listed nor otherwise restricted, your Cool Buildings home extension may fall under what is termed “Permitted Development”. Permitted Development allows homeowners to extend their property within certain parameters without first seeking planning permission from their local authority. The following upgrades to your home are allowed under the Permitted Development scheme:
DETACHED HOUSES
Single-storey extensions measuring no more than 4 metres in depth and 4 metres in height
SEMI-DETACHED HOUSES
Single-storey extensions measuring no more than 3 metres in depth and 4 metres in height.
TERRACED HOUSES
Single-storey extensions measuring no more than 3 metres in depth and 4 metres in height
PLANNING PERMISSION
If your proposed Cool Buildings single-storey home extension does not fall within the Permitted Development regulations then we will require full Planning Permission from the local authority, which will be prepared by our Design and Planning Officer and submitted on your behalf. Applying for and securing planning permission can be a daunting task for some homeowners. Criteria can vary between authorities and each application is unique and decided on its own merits. Based on our experience within your local area Cool Buildings will advise on what we think is likely to be accepted and our in-house planning officer will then liaise with the local authority to get the best outcome on your behalf. Key considerations will be the local authority’s own planning policy and previous precedent in addition to your own plans.
PARTY WALL AGREEMENT
We don’t just take the utmost care with your home, we do our utmost to look after your neighbours’ too! If your home shares a wall with a neighbour (eg a terraced or semi-detached house) and you are proposing to either cut into that ‘party wall’ or dig foundations within 3 metres of the neighbouring property, you must first serve a party wall notice upon them.
The party wall notice gives your neighbour the opportunity to appoint their own Party Wall Surveyor and have a formal Party Wall Award drawn up. The Party Wall Award documents the existing condition of your neighbour’s property before any works are carried out, and will act as a point of reference in the event that any damage is caused by the work.
Your neighbour can also simply consent to the notice you have served, which would avoid the need for a formal award, but if an award is required you will be responsible for the costs for both surveys. You must have a signed Consent Notice of a formal Party Wall Award in place before Cool Buildings can undertake any work. This is, of course, something Cool buildings are well versed in and we will happily undertake procurement of the agreements on your behalf if they are required.What is a Build Over Agreement?
If we need to carry out excavation work within 3 metres of a public sewer then we will require a Thames Water (or the local water company equivalent) Build Over Agreement. Thames Water will need to check our proposed plans and ensure they aren’t going to have any adverse effect on their surrounding drains.
We will handle the application on behalf of our clients, but if a Build Over Agreement is required you will be responsible for any fee. NB - If the drainage on your land only serves your own property, then no Build Over agreement will be required.I have a listed building, can I still extend?
Yes! It is possible to extend a listed building but as always, it’s completely dependent on your local council and their listed buildings department’s criteria. If you have a build in mind or would like some guidance as to what is likely to be approved and what isn't, feel free to give us a call using the button below.
What if I change my mind?
If you change your mind as to the type of Cool Building or size of your home extension even though your plans have been agreed we can, of course, discuss that in terms of budget, new or required planning permission, feasibility and timings etc.Does my new Cool Building come with a guarantee or warranty?
For your peace of mind, we are pleased to provide a ten-year guarantee on all our Cool Buildings subject to a few terms and conditions. Full details will be made available to you on completion of your project. Third party items such as ironmongery, lighting and electrical items all have shorter warranties from their providers. These warranties will be in the information pack handed over by our co-founder Derry along with anything else relevant once your home extension is complete.Will a Cool Building add value to my home?
Yes! House prices in London and the South East have been known to go down but for the most part, it’s a very buoyant market and they usually go UP. Extending the square footage of your home will always add value when it comes to selling it in addition to ensuring your family can grow and expand in their new, beautiful surroundings.Can I visit a completed Cool Building?
Yes! Our previous clients are always happy to share their Cool Building’s journey and to show prospective buyers around their own. Remember though that as no two Cool Buildings are the same, there may have been different processes or timescales due to soil type, weather conditions or planning application which may not apply to your own experience.
Do you have a brochure?
Currently, we don’t have a brochure but you can join us over on Facebook, or Instagram or click to see some of our latest projects, case studies and feedback.