Thinking about extending your home in Chelmsford?
Whether you’re planning a single-storey rear extension, converting your loft, or adding a two-storey addition, there’s a lot to consider — and plenty of pitfalls to avoid. At Connor Ferris Architects, we’ve helped homeowners all across Essex bring their vision to life, from early design ideas through to planning permission and build.
Here are five common mistakes we see — and how to avoid them so your extension goes smoothly from day one.
1. Not Understanding Permitted Development Rights
What often goes wrong:
Homeowners assume they can build without planning permission, only to discover halfway through that they’ve breached local regulations — costing time and money.
How to avoid it:
Always check whether your home qualifies for Permitted Development and apply for a Lawful Development Certificate even if you don’t technically need one. It protects you during construction and can save you hassle if you decide to sell later.
✅ We’ll handle the entire submission process for you — including drawings and council forms for Chelmsford, Brentwood, and surrounding areas.
2. Poor Space Planning
What often goes wrong:
Jumping straight into the build phase without considering how the new space will work with your existing home. This can lead to awkward layouts or underused areas, especially with open-plan kitchens or rear extensions.
How to avoid it:
We take a lifestyle-first approach. We’ll ask you how you live — morning routines, storage needs, kids running around — and design around that. Form follows function.
💬 “Connor’s team helped us completely rethink our kitchen extension — we ended up with more space and better light.” – Private Client, Leigh-on-Sea
3. Underestimating Budget & Build Costs
What often goes wrong:
Using outdated blogs or guesswork to plan your budget. Prices can vary drastically depending on materials, access, and even council fees.
How to avoid it:
We provide realistic build estimates based on current market conditions and introduce you to trusted contractors in the Essex area.
💡 Tip: Always add 10–15% to your budget as a contingency for surprises like drainage or insulation upgrades.
4. Skipping Pre-Application Advice
What often goes wrong:
Going straight into a full planning application without informal feedback from the council — which increases the chance of rejection or delays.
How to avoid it:
We offer Pre-App Support where we contact the local planning team to get early guidance. This gives you confidence before committing to the full application and drawings.
5. Choosing Style Over Sustainability
What often goes wrong:
Designs that look great in a brochure — but perform poorly in real life. Overheating in summer, cold spots in winter, and high energy bills are all too common.
How to avoid it:
We design with sustainability at the core. That means good orientation, natural ventilation, high-performance insulation, and solar gain strategies — even on modest budgets.
🌱 Want to go further? Ask us about our Passive House and eco-home options.
✅ Case Study: 3-to-5 Bed Conversion in Grays, Essex
We recently helped a family convert their 3-bedroom semi into a spacious 5-bedroom home — complete with an open-plan living space, upgraded insulation, and planning permission secured within 6 weeks. The value increase was over £100,000.
Ready to Start Your Extension?
We offer free first consultation for homeowners in Chelmsford, Billericay, Brentwood, Braintree, and across Essex.
Let’s talk through your plans, explain your options, and see what’s possible — without the jargon.
📍 Based in Chelmsford
⭐ Rated 5 Stars on Google & Houzz
📞 Book your free consultation now
