Before building work starts: tell your neighbours and serve any party wall notices; confirm planning and building regulations are in place; tell your home insurer; arrange an asbestos survey if the house is older and materials will be disturbed; check skip, scaffold and parking permits; agree working hours, access and deliveries; clear and protect the rooms affected; set up a temporary kitchen if needed; and photograph the condition of your home and boundaries. A short meeting with your builder to walk through the programme makes the first weeks go smoothly.
01The checklist
Approvals and paperwork
- Planning permission, prior approval or confirmation that the work is permitted development. See our planning permission guide.
- Building regulations approval route agreed and in place. See planning permission vs building regulations.
- Party wall notices served and either consented or an Award agreed. See our Party Wall Act guide.
- Water company agreement if building over or near a public sewer.
- Written contract signed, with scope, price, programme and payment stages.
- Leasehold or freeholder consent, if the property is a flat.
Insurance and safety
- Tell your home insurer about the building work. Some policies change cover during major works.
- Ask the builder for evidence of public liability insurance.
- Asbestos: materials used in many houses before 2000 can contain asbestos. If ceilings, floors, artex, boxing or old pipe lagging will be disturbed, arrange a survey first.
- Locate the stopcock, gas meter and consumer unit, and keep access clear.
Neighbours
- Speak to neighbours before notices or scaffolding arrive. Show them the plans.
- Share the programme, working hours and a contact number for the site.
- Agree how shared walls, fences and gardens will be protected.
- Take photos of shared boundaries and walls before work starts.
Permits and logistics
- Skip licence if the skip goes on the road.
- Scaffold licence if scaffolding goes on the pavement.
- Parking suspension for deliveries on busy residential streets.
- Agree where materials will be stored.
- Agree access routes through the house or garden.
Working hours
Many London councils set standard hours for noisy building work, commonly weekday daytime and Saturday mornings, with no noisy work on Sundays and bank holidays. Check your council’s guidance and agree the hours with your builder.
Inside the house
- Clear the rooms being worked on, and the routes to them.
- Move valuables, artwork and fragile items away from vibration and dust.
- Set up a temporary kitchen if needed. See living at home during building work.
- Plan where children and pets will be during the day.
- Agree what protection will be used for floors, stairs and doors.
Outside
- Move garden furniture, pots and plants from the work area.
- Protect or relocate any plants you want to keep.
- Note any trees with protection orders or in a conservation area, where works need notice. See our conservation area guide.
Decisions to make early
- Kitchen, bathroom and flooring choices, so they are ordered on time.
- Glazing system, colour and hardware.
- Electrical layout: sockets, lighting, data.
- Finishes for any bespoke joinery.
02The pre-start meeting
A short meeting on site before work starts should cover:
- The programme and the first two weeks in detail.
- Access, parking and deliveries.
- Protection and dust control.
- Who the point of contact is and how updates will be given.
- When services (water, power, heating) will be off.
- How changes will be priced and agreed.
At Prohaus, trades and deliveries are coordinated under one project plan, with attention to parking, noise and neighbours, and every project runs under a written, agreed contract.
03Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell my neighbours about building work?
You must serve party wall notices where the Act applies. Even where it does not, talking to neighbours early avoids most problems.
Do I need to tell my insurer about an extension?
It is sensible to tell your home insurer before work starts, because some policies change cover during major works.
Who arranges skip and parking permits?
Agree it with your builder. Many builders arrange them as part of the job, but it should be stated in the quotation.
Should I get an asbestos survey before a renovation?
If the house is older and the work will disturb ceilings, floors, textured coatings or old lagging, a survey before work starts is the safe approach.
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About Prohaus
Prohaus Ltd is a building company based in Kingston upon Thames, registered in 2015 and built on more than 20 years of residential building experience. We carry out extensions, loft conversions, renovations, new builds, kitchens and bathrooms, glazing, bespoke joinery and garden offices across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Barnes, Putney, Fulham, Chelsea, Clapham and Wimbledon. Every project runs under a written contract with a 1-year guarantee.
