Extension advice for complete novice

[HouseyStuff]

We have a tiny kitchen which we'd love to extend a bit. There's room in the front garden and it wouldn't affect our neighbours. Having got a bit of money saved up, we're wondering if 2014 might be the year to see if it's possible. Having got no experience of this sort of thing at all, does anyone have any advice on the following:

What order should we do things in? I was thinking of contacting the planning office to see if planning permission was going to be possible. No point getting quotes I suppose until we know in theory it's a goer??

There are 3 drain covers in the area we'd want to build over. Is that going to be a massive issues?

I'm pregnant with DC2. Due in a couple of months. How long does a small extension usually take to complete? Will I be really annoyed I wasted months of my maternity leave with a toddler and a tiny baby sorting builders and living in a wreck? Or will it be harder to cope with this when I'm back at work next year (3 days a week)?

I know you can't answer these questions for certain as you're not me! But any advice or experiences would be very welcome.

TIA

You would need planning to go out the front, as that is not in permitted development. I think in this case yes the planning department is your first port of call.

The drains will be a pita, there will be solutions, and as you probably guessed they will involve more money.

Thanks for responding. Just looked on the planning department's website. They offer a free service where they can offer advice pre-application. But it looks like you have to submit proper detailed plans

Do you have to extend to the front, can you got to the side or rear? You can then work under permitted development, which is quite generous at the moment with neighbour consultation for the larger extensions.

Hi, I am looking to have a loft extension and kitchen extension and am looking for an architect or building company in the area. I am in a conservation area in Finsbury Park. Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions?

Thanks again Pharoah, but it would have to be to the front. But thinking about it, our house is sort of a funny layout with the front door at the side. Perhaps I'll give the department a ring on Monday.

Debbie, perhaps if you start your own thread with the details in the title, you might get some advice that's specific to your situation rather than mine.

Could you rearrange the rooms around to extend to the side or rear?

Where as before you could extend to the rear by 3m for an attached it is now 6m, and for a detached it has gone from 4m to 8m.

I don't think that's possible unfortunately