Don't move, improve!

By Paul Dignan, partner at Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors.

The property market has had its ups and downs over the last 18 months due to uncertainty in the economy, Brexit and the general election.

Thankfully, the North West is faring relatively well with an active construction sector and with property prices still showing healthy increases.

One trend that seems to be being driven by economic uncertainty, along with a lack of good quality commercial buildings available to buy in suitable locations, is people investing in upgrades and improvement works to their properties.

When undertaking property improvement projects you might want to consider the following:

Reduce disruption Properly programme and sequence the works sensibly to ensure business continuity – this is more difficult than it sounds.

Professional planning and coordination is required to ensure the least possible downtime for your staff and to maximise profits whilst the works are undertaken at your property.

Choose your contractors carefully Finding reliable contractors is notoriously difficult. Do seek recommendations and be sure to ask for examples of recent work – going to view their work in person if possible.

Be clear from the start

Be aware that the price you’re quoted at the outset of a job may not be the final figure you end up paying!

Unless provided with drawings and specifications, contractors will make assumptions and exclusions when quoting for a project – so it’s important to have a detailed written schedule and then all parties know where they stand from the outset. Ensure that all aspects are accounted for, so that surprises aren’t encountered later down the line!

Manage accordingly

Building projects often overrun to time or exceed budget so unless you’re prepared to be flexible, you’ll need to keep a close eye on both. You’ll also need to account for the project overrunning if you’re relying on a set end date for your business’ needs. Lea Hough offer a full range of property consultancy, from assessing feasibility of works, design drawings and specifications, tendering to contractors through to project management.