Building advice and homeowner guides
Plain-English answers to the questions we’re asked most, from a working South London builder. No jargon and no upsell.
Before you build
Planning permission, building control, party walls, costs and choosing a builder, explained.
GuideBefore You Start: 10 Things to Sort Out Before Any Building Project
Extending, converting a loft or refurbishing the whole house? These are the questions we wish every customer had answered before we turned up.
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GuideDo I Need Planning Permission for My Extension or Loft?
The short answer: often not, but it depends on the house, the location and what you want to build. Here’s how to work it out.
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GuideDo I Need a Party Wall Agreement?
If you live in a terrace or a semi, there’s a good chance your extension or loft conversion falls under the Party Wall Act. Here’s what that means in practice.
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GuideDo I Need Building Control Approval?
Planning decides whether you can build. Building regulations decide how it’s built. Here’s how building control approval works for a typical home project.
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GuideHow to Choose the Right Builder
If you’ve never hired a builder before, or you’ve watched one too many TV programmes about cowboys, here’s how to pick one with confidence.
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GuideHow Much Will My Extension Cost, and How Long Will It Take?
It’s the question everyone asks first, and the honest answer is that every house is different. Here’s what actually drives the cost and timescale, so you can plan with your eyes open.
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GuideWhat Do I Need to Remove My Chimney Breast?
Taking out a chimney breast can free up valuable space in a kitchen, bedroom or loft. It’s also structural work, so it needs doing properly.
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Latest news
NewsGet the Order of Trades Wrong and a Croydon Extension Costs You Twice
Why the order trades arrive on site matters so much on a Croydon extension or loft conversion, and how we sequence the work so nobody pays for it twice.
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NewsBuilders in Croydon: What the 2026 Loft Conversion Planning Rules Mean for You
Most Croydon loft conversions still fall under permitted development in 2026. Here are the volume limits, the dormer rules and the Article 4 trap to watch for.
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NewsThinking About a Loft Conversion in Croydon? Here's What's Changed for 2026
Planning a loft conversion in Croydon this year? What permitted development allows, the proposed ridge-height change and why building regs approval matters.
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NewsIs Your Croydon Home Losing Heat Through Its Walls? What Local Builders Want You to Know
Millions of UK homes still have uninsulated solid walls. Why it is worth adding insulation when you extend, convert or refurbish an older house in Croydon.
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NewsPlanning an Extension or Renovation in Croydon? Here's Why Your Choice of Builder Matters
The government has reviewed licensing for building contractors. Until anything changes, here is how to check a builder in Croydon before you hire one.
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NewsHouse Extension Builder in Bromley: Add Space Without the Stress of Moving
Running out of room in your Bromley home? Rear, side-return and double-storey extensions compared, with planning, building regs and budget advice.
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Got a question we haven’t answered?
Give Baz a ring. He’s happy to talk through your project, even if you’re only at the ideas stage.
Book a free site survey
Tell us a bit about the job and Baz will give you a ring to arrange a visit. There’s no charge for the survey and no pressure afterwards. You’ll get a fixed-price, itemised written quote, so you know exactly where you stand.
- Call or text07786 254637
- Emailinfo@smileybuildingservices.co.uk
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