Common Living Space Questions

That’s the worst-case scenario as you don’t want to be estranged from your living space at key times of the year, and it won’t happen. We don’t use old polycarbonate roofs on our extensions, so there is no possibility of them feeling like baking hot greenhouses in summer. Solar control glazing is one product that can help ensure external conditions don’t interfere with the space, and a tiled roof is another of them.

5 Star is a member of the Conservatory Outlet Group of companies, and its sister company, Conservatory Outlet, is one of the country’s leading roof manufacturers. The roofs they expertly manufacture are all built at a hi-tech facility in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

By having such a tight relationship with our manufacturer, it enables us to keep a close eye on our supply chain and ensure that our roofing systems offer the exceptional quality that we are famous for in Kidderminster, Stourbridge and throughout Worcestershire.

Yes, you can do that. You’re able to pick from a wide selection of shingle and slate roof tiles. It shouldn’t be difficult finding a tile that colour matches any existing tiles. 5 Star also supplies a series of flat roof membranes. More details can be given to you by a 5 Star advisor.

A rated windows are most energy efficient windows that you can buy in the UK, which is defined by the BFRC Rating Scheme. All replacement windows are energy rated to indicate the level of thermal efficiency they provide. It also tells you whether a replacement window complies with current Building Regulations.

Window Energy Ratings use a consumer-friendly traffic-light style, with windows labelled from A-E, very much like White Goods e.g., fridges, freezers, washing machines. Knowing the energy rating of a set of replacement windows tells you the standard of thermal efficiency you can expect them to offer.

There is a clever coating within the glass you get in solar control glazing that stops too much heat from entering a room and stops too much heating escaping from it. This glazing can be tinted in different ways all depending on the degree of light transmission and heat retention you want. A 5 Star advisor can tell you more about the impact solar control glazing can have.

The team at 5 Star will do everything they can to find a brick that matches your current bricks prior to the commencing of any building work. It’s important that you know there may be weathering differences between existing and new bricks. If the closest brick match we can find isn’t what you want, you can always for the brickwork to be tinted accordingly, but this will come at an extra cost.

Building Regulations Approval is necessary for most home extension projects. However, there are certain classes of extension that don’t need it. One of our surveyors will be able to clarify this, who will come out to your home to assess exactly what is needed. If it transpires that Building Regulations Approval is required, 5 Star can help to get this organised and will contact your local authority.

Not if the extension meets the limits and conditions to be classed as a permitted development. You won’t have to make a planning application if the following guidelines are adhered to:

• The ground area covered by the extension and any other buildings within the boundary of the property, excluding the original house, is not more than half the total area of the property.
• Any part of the extension is not higher than the highest part of the roof of the existing house.
• The eaves of the extension are not higher than the eaves of the existing house.
• Any part of the extension does not extend beyond any wall facing a road if it forms the principal or side elevation of the original house.
• The eaves are no more than 3 metres in height if any part of the extension is within 2 metres of the property boundary.
• The materials used in exterior work, except in the case of a conservatory, are of similar appearance to the existing house.
• An upper floor window on a side elevation within 15 metres of a boundary with another house is obscure glazed; and is non – opening unless the parts which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed.
• A side extension does not exceed 4 metres in height or be wider than half the width of the original house.
• In a single storey extension
  • the extension does not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by more than 4 metres for a detached house or 3 metres for any other type of house;
  • the height of the extension does not exceed 4 metres;
  • no part of the extension is within 3.5 metres of any property boundary with a road opposite the rear wall of the house.
• In an extension with more than one storey
  • the extension does not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by more than 3 metres;
  • no part of the extension is within 7 metres of the property boundary opposite the rear wall of the house;
  • the roof pitch of the enlargement is as far as practicable the same as that of the original house.
• If you live in a house within a conservation area, World Heritage Site, area of outstanding natural beauty or National Park-
  • no part of the exterior of the house is clad with stone, artificial stone, pebbledash, render, timber, plastic or tiles;
  • the extension is not more than 1 storey or 4 metres in height;
  • no part of the extension extends beyond a principal or side elevation of the original house

We can’t give you an exact timescale until we know if planning permission will be needed and how complex the project is. We have produced a ‘What happens next’ guide which gives you an insight into timescales and you can obtain from a 5 Star advisor.

We must do a test dig at the site of the proposed extension so that we can determine whether the ground conditions are suitable for a traditional concrete base and foundation. If it proves to be unsuitable, we will come up with an alternative foundation proposal, such as a specialist pile foundation or concrete raft.

A cavity tray is a series of high-level damp-proof courses that bridge a wall cavity to direct moisture to the external face of a wall where the extension roof joins the house wall. Its main purpose it to stop any moisture that penetrates an outer wall from being visible in an extension.

Yes. To make life easy for you, 5 Star can arrange a variety of affordable and convenient easy payment finance options (subject to application & status). Applying for finance is simple and we promise you a quick decision. Everything can be sorted out with you in the comfort of your home or at your local 5 Star Showroom, so you can enjoy whatever you’ve set your heart on right away.

If you’re arranging your own finance, you’ll need to call us as soon as you get the go ahead. If you’re taking up one of our offers, the company will tell us both directly, so there’s no need to call as we will get in touch with you.

Finance companies can turn down people for lots of reasons, for example if you’ve moved several times over the past few years. In these circumstances, we always do our best to help and sometimes it’s worth trying another provider, especially if they know you.