Questions to Ask and Factors to Consider When Building a Porch
Here at The Porch Specialist, we want all of our customers to have the porch that they’ve always wanted to add to their property. However, there are a number of elements that we believe should be taken into consideration before building a porch onto any home. This is why we have put together an expert guide, setting out the most important questions to ask and factors to consider before you start work on any porch project.
If you have already thought over each question and are fully prepared to install a porch on your property, but still need a kit to turn into a finished piece, contact our team today. We’ll be glad to help you set out your specifications and requirements, before our professional carpenters start work on your future porch kit.
How Much Will it Cost to Build?
The first, and perhaps most important, factor to consider when building a porch is how much everything will cost. This can vary by quite a substantial amount, depending on the type of porch you are planning to add to your property, its size, the materials used, and (in some cases) whether or not you are planning on keeping it simple or adding bespoke features to its design. For example, a wood and brick porch ordered to your own design specifications may cost more with some firms than a completely wooden porch with a ready-made design that you have ordered straight from their website. You will need to plan carefully, in order to ensure that you have the funding available for the ideal entrance to your home.
The myriad of variations in designs and sizes that we receive from our customers means that we have no fully set porch prices here at The Porch Specialist. All prices are calculated on an individual basis, so the costs to build your porch will be tailored specifically to the work you need done.
However, this does not have to cause you any kind of concern. We understand you will probably read this information and suddenly start wondering about whether or not the money you’ve saved up to build your porch will be enough, but we are here to help alleviate these worries. To start, we are more than happy to discuss prices with you, and will competitively match a range of offers that best suit your budget. Our friendly and dedicated team are also on hand to provide quotes and estimates, when you send us a message detailing the work you would like help with for your home.
Will You Need Planning Permission?
In most cases, adding a porch to your home will not require any kind of planning permission. However, there are sometimes exceptions to this rule, so in order to avoid falling foul of your local planning authority, it’s always best to be sure that your canopy or storm porch falls within the guidelines set out.
To check this, you should take note of:
- The ground floor area where any full storm porch is is built
- The height of the full or canopy porch (measure to the top of where the porch roof or awning will sit once finished)
- The distance from your porch to your property boundary, and its distance from the highway
You will be ready to install a porch of any variety if you have been through this simple checklist and found that your planned work:
- Does not exceed 3m when measured externally
- Is no more than 3m in height (to the top of the porch roof or awning)
- Is not located within 2m of your property’s boundary
If these measurements are exceeded, your porch will become a full extension in its own right. This will then require planning permission. To learn more about planning permission for porches and when you may need Building Regulations Approval, please see our post on advice for these occasions.
As soon as you know the measurements for your purchase’s designated area, we will be able to determine the size of your porch and create your oak or timber frame kit accordingly. You’ll be in complete control of your build once the work has been signed off and shipped to you, so your porch project could be finished that very same day, without any fuss or the hassle of paperwork.
Carrying Out the Building Work
The next factor to consider when building a porch is if you are prepared to carry out the work, if you are planning on saving the costs of labour by undertaking the task yourself. The work may differ considerably, depending on whether you are planning on installing a simple wooden canopy or a full height storm porch extension built from a range of materials.
For a more complex porch installation that uses a host of materials, the step-by-step process may involve:
- Laying foundations
- Laying the damp proof course (damp proofing your porch)
- Adding a subfloor
- Bricklaying and setting down the floor
- Adding protection to the floor
- Laying bricks to window level
This may be a step up from the usual home projects you have carried out in the past, but if you have had experience with DIY and home improvement work before, you should find a porch kit from us just as simple to build, or perhaps even easier than this.
Our wooden porch kits are all crafted to the specifications individually set by our customers, but each will be manufactured to make use of traditional jointing techniques. This means that each oak or timber frame kit, whether it’s for a canopy or a full height model, can easily be fitted together simply by slotting each part into its correct place.
We are even able to offer assistance to each of our customers by including an easy-to-follow instruction manual with every kit, and you will always find planning drawings available upon request.
What Benefits Will a Porch Bring?
The remaining factor you should have in your mind when you are planning to build a porch extension for your property is the benefits the finished work will bring to you. These may be elements you hadn’t even considered when thinking of adding the feature to your property, but can be noted as an added advantage, or even help you to turn a profit:
- Building a porch for your front door creates a sense of charm and generates curb appeal, adding value to your property
- High sides and a hard-wearing porch roof or awning help to protect your front door from external weather conditions
- Creating a closed porch may help to secure your home against intruders by placing another “outside door” in front of the entrance to your home
- Closed porches may help to reduce heat loss and improve levels of insulation
- Closed porches may offer you and your family a little extra space for storage of items such as shoes and coats
Buy and Build Your Own Porch with Us Today
If you have considered all these factors and you know you are ready to start work on a porch for your property, contact The Porch Specialist today.
We are passionate about what we do and we can start work on the oak or timber frame porch kit you want most as soon as we have your order written down.
You can easily build the porch that will suit your property most, on a schedule that suits you, as soon as we have supplied and delivered a kit that will exceed your expectations.
