House extension contractor introductions in London.
A house extension is usually the largest single change a family makes to its home, and the builder chosen for it shapes the whole experience. Epelle & Co. reviews what you are planning and introduces a small number of independent contractors suited to projects like yours.
We help you find the right builder to talk to. We do not design, build or manage the extension, and any contract is made directly between you and the firm you appoint.
What an extension typically involves
Most London extensions open the back of the house into a larger kitchen and living space: a single-storey rear addition, an infill of the narrow side return beside a terrace, or a wraparound that combines both. Some add a storey over an existing outrigger or a ground-floor room to the side of a detached or semi-detached house.
Behind the visible result sits a sequence of less glamorous work: foundations and drainage, steel beams where walls are removed, a new roof with rooflights or glazing, alterations to heating and electrics, and the finishes that tie old and new together. The quality of that hidden work matters as much as the kitchen that goes on top of it.
Which firms suit extension work
The right fit depends less on a firm's size than on its relevant experience of similar projects in scale, type of house and level of finish.
Residential general builders
Firms that run extensions as their core work, with their own groundwork, structural and finishing teams or long-standing subcontractors.
Design-conscious contractors
Builders used to working from an architect's detailed drawings, where glazing, junctions and finishes are specified closely.
Specialist packages
Structural glazing, steelwork or kitchen installers, introduced separately where the main contractor does not cover them.
What to prepare before approaching builders
Builders can price far more reliably from information than from a conversation. Where drawings are not yet in place, the first useful introduction may be to an architect or designer rather than a contractor.
- Drawings, even at an early stage: measured survey, planning drawings or a sketch scheme
- Whether planning permission or a lawful development certificate is needed or already obtained
- Any structural engineer's design, or a note that one is still to be appointed
- A working budget range for the build, separate from kitchen and furniture
- How you intend to live during the works, and any fixed dates
- Information about neighbours on shared boundaries
Common pitfalls when choosing an extension builder
- Comparing quotations that price different scopes, or that leave large items as provisional sums
- Choosing on headline price without asking what has been excluded
- Starting without a written contract, an agreed payment schedule or a clear view of insurance
- Assuming the builder will resolve design questions the drawings have not answered
- Not checking recent comparable work, or speaking to previous clients yourself
How we approach an extension enquiry
We read the brief alongside any drawings, note the type of house, the scope and the timing, and ask about anything that will change who is suitable. We then look for a small number of contractors whose recent extensions are comparable and who appear to have capacity in the period you are working to.
With your agreement, we introduce them with a short written summary so the first site visit starts from a shared understanding. You assess each firm, obtain quotations and decide whom to appoint.
Questions worth asking a prospective builder
A first meeting should tell you as much about how a firm works as about what it charges. Ask who will be on site each day and who you will speak to when something changes. Ask how variations are priced and recorded, and how often you will receive a written update.
Ask to see an extension the firm finished recently on a house like yours, and if possible speak to that client without the builder present. Ask how the firm protects the parts of the house that are not being worked on, and how it keeps a kitchen usable if you are living at home.
Finally, ask what the firm needs from you and your designer before it can start, and what would cause it to stop. Clear answers to these questions are usually a better guide than a polished brochure.
Budget and programme
Budgets vary widely with size, specification and site conditions; we discuss realistic ranges once we understand the brief.
- 1. Review
We read your brief and ask what we need to understand it.
- 2. Qualify
We check budget, decision-maker and timing are in place.
- 3. Source
We identify a small number of potentially suitable firms.
- 4. Introduce
With both sides' agreement, we make a direct introduction.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need drawings before you can introduce a builder?
- Not necessarily, but builders price more accurately from drawings. If none exist yet, we may suggest an architect or designer first.
- Will you tell me whether my extension needs planning permission?
- No. That question belongs with your architect, a planning consultant or your local council's planning service.
- How many builders will you introduce?
- Usually a small number, chosen for this project. We do not send a list.
- Can you introduce a builder for an extension that already has planning consent?
- Yes. A consented scheme with drawings is often the point at which builder introductions are most useful.
- Who is responsible if something goes wrong during the build?
- The builder you appoint, under the contract you agree with them. Epelle & Co. does not supervise or guarantee the work.
Next step
Enquiries are free and reviewed individually. Epelle & Co. makes introductions only. It does not design, build, project-manage or guarantee work; appointed parties contract directly with the client. See our Privacy Notice.