Straight answers before you commit.

We are based in Potters Bar (EN6) and deliver residential projects across South Hertfordshire and North London, including Brookmans Park (AL9), Little Heath (EN6), Cuffley (EN6), Radlett (WD7), High Barnet & Hadley Wood (EN5/EN4), Totteridge & Whetstone (N20), Hampstead (NW3), Highgate (N6), Muswell Hill (N10), and Winchmore Hill (N21).

It depends on what your property is missing. A loft conversion is usually ideal when you need an additional master suite, bedroom, or dedicated home office without reducing garden space. A rear ground-floor extension is more appropriate when the downstairs layout is cramped, disconnected, or lacks natural light. Master builder Costas Joannides assesses your home's layout during our free site survey to explain which option provides the best return on investment and practical living flow.

Many single-storey rear extensions up to 3m (or up to 6m under Prior Approval for attached homes / 8m for detached homes) and dormer loft conversions up to 50m³ fall under Permitted Development rights. However, if your property is in a designated Conservation Area (such as Hampstead, Highgate, or parts of Barnet) or subject to Article 4 directions, a full householder planning application is required. We verify your property's specific planning constraints before any design work begins.

The most common unexpected findings in Victorian, Edwardian, and 1930s houses are un-lintelled historic wall openings, shallow or uneven existing footings, undersized ceiling joists, hidden clay/lead drainage runs crossing the extension footprint, and discrepancies between original drawings and real wall plumbness. Costas checks for these during initial excavation and site setup to prevent cost or schedule overruns.

Loft conversions generally cause less daily disruption inside the home during the early weeks because scaffolding is erected externally and materials enter through the roof. Disruption is concentrated during the 1–2 weeks when the roof envelope is opened and the new internal staircase is installed. In contrast, a ground-floor extension disrupts the garden and primary living/kitchen areas throughout excavation, drainage installation, and structural steel erection.

Yes. We coordinate the complete statutory process: architectural drawings, structural engineering RSJ calculations, Thames Water / Affinity Water build-over notices, Party Wall Awards, and Hertsmere / Barnet / Camden Building Control stage inspections through to your final Completion Certificate.

Yes, the initial site visit with master builder Costas Joannides is 100% free with no obligation. We do not publish generic fixed prices because costs depend on ground conditions, steel spans, plumbing rerouting, and bespoke finishes. Following the site visit, you receive a detailed, transparent, itemised quotation with fixed scope parameters.

Orama is founder-led. Master builder Costas Joannides (45+ years experience) personally manages site setup, trade sequencing, structural inspections, and weekly homeowner updates from first consultation through to final handover.

Yes. If you already have architectural drawings or planning permission granted, we review the plans for buildability, structural steel goalpost positioning, and drainage falls, and deliver the construction precisely to specification.

A typical single-storey rear kitchen extension takes 12 to 16 weeks on site. A dormer loft conversion takes 8 to 12 weeks. A combined whole-house refurbishment with extension takes 16 to 24 weeks depending on structural complexity and bespoke joinery packages.

Creating an open-plan layout typically involves removing load-bearing internal walls or chimney breasts. This requires calculated RSJ steel beams (often steel goalposts or picture frames) sized by a structural engineer, padstones to distribute weight, and temporary Acrow props during knock-through. Building Control sign-off is legally required to verify that load distribution meets UK Building Regulations.

A comprehensive home refurbishment covers complete rewiring, modern central heating or underfloor heating, replastering, structural wall reconfigurations, new kitchens and luxury bathrooms, and bespoke architectural joinery. We sequence the project methodically: strip-out and structural work first, followed by first-fix mechanical and electrical, boarding, plastering, second-fix finishes, and final decoration to prevent trade overlap and damage.

With design and build, you have a single point of accountability from initial spatial concept through to final decoration. Unlike the traditional route of hiring separate architects and building contractors who may disagree over buildability and budgets, design and build ensures architectural drawings are costed, engineered, and executed realistically from day one without mid-build surprises.

Yes. Delivering custom kitchens and luxury bathrooms alongside rear extensions or whole-house refurbishments is our core specialism. We coordinate drainage runs, water supply pressure, extraction, bespoke quartz or porcelain worktops, wet-room waterproofing membranes, and floor finishes under one schedule, so your new kitchen and bathrooms are fully commissioned and ready to use upon handover.

Properties across Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, and South Hertfordshire frequently sit on heavy London Clay with established mature trees nearby, requiring engineered trench-fill or piled foundations to meet Hertsmere and Welwyn Hatfield Building Control standards. We inspect soil depth, drainage manholes, and local planning criteria during our initial survey to design the correct structural substructure from the start.

Yes. Even a modest 3-metre or 4-metre rear extension dramatically transforms ground-floor usability. By opening compartmentalised rear rooms into a connected kitchen-dining-living zone with rooflights and flush bifold doors, you gain natural daylight, seamless garden access, and substantial property equity without sacrificing excessive garden space.

Dormer and mansard loft conversions create steep roof pitches where perimeter eaves space can otherwise be wasted. We build custom fitted eaves wardrobes, push-to-open low-level access cupboards, and recessed shelving into the roof timber framework, providing generous concealed storage while keeping the main bedroom or home office floor space completely open.

Yes. Period cottages, barn conversions, and character properties require specialized care: lime mortar pointing, matching historic brickwork, structural oak timber repair, and breathable thermal insulation. We respect original architectural fabric while integrating modern energy efficiency, discreet underfloor heating, and structural steelwork approved by local conservation officers.

Send an enquiry through our contact page, message us directly on WhatsApp, or call Costas on 07940 077 994. Tell us your postcode and what you are considering, and we'll arrange a convenient time for your free site survey.