Extension Architecture

Most homeowners in Barnet start thinking about an extension and immediately focus on size. How many metres can we go back? Can we add a second storey? How much extra floor area will this give us? Those are reasonable questions, but they're not the questions that determine whether a Barnet extension gets approved or refused. The questions that actually matter in this borough are considerably more specific. What does the roof form look like relative to the original house? Does the brick match closely enough? Is the side gap being maintained or lost? How does the proposed extension affect the outlook from the neighbouring property? At Extension Architecture, we've worked across Barnet long enough to know that the details are where this borough's planning decisions get made. Finding the right architect in Barnet team means finding someone who understands that before a single measurement gets taken. Why Barnet Council Focuses on What It Focuses On Barnet is one of London...

The builder called us on day three. He had opened up the old kitchen ceiling and found Artex. The textured coating that was popular in the 1970s and 80s. The textured coating that often contains asbestos. Most homeowners panic at this point. Asbestos. Health risk. Stop work. Expensive removal. Project derailed. But our barnet architects practice had already planned for it. They had flagged the Artex during the first visit. Budgeted for testing and removal. Built the timeline around it. What could have been a crisis was just a scheduled task. Why Artex Means Asbestos Artex and similar textured coatings applied before the year 2000 often contain white asbestos. It was added to the mix to strengthen the coating and help it set. Completely legal at the time. Completely common in houses built or renovated in the 1970s and 80s. Our house in Finchley had Artex ceilings throughout the ground floor. Applied by a previous owner in what looked like the 1980s based on the style. We never thou...