Housing in Greater Manchester
Rows of Victorian red-brick terraces fill much of Manchester, Salford and the mill towns, with stone terraces in the Pennine fringes around Oldham and Saddleworth. South Manchester has Edwardian semis and villas, Wythenshawe was built as a large interwar garden suburb, and city-centre apartments and new estates continue to grow.
Rainfall is high, especially near the Pennines, so brickwork, gutters and roof coverings take a steady soaking and freeze-thaw over winter.
None of this holds for every street in Manchester, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing home improvements rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules for Manchester
Because Manchester falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
In England, planning applications go to your local council, and many smaller extensions, loft conversions and outdoor jobs are permitted development. Conservation areas, listed buildings and Article 4 directions remove some of those rights. Building Regulations approval comes from council building control or a registered building control approver, or through a competent person scheme for certain trades.
Questions from homeowners in Manchester
Do you cover Salford, Old Trafford and Failsworth?
Yes. As well as Manchester, we cover Salford, Old Trafford and Failsworth and the rest of Greater Manchester. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from your project, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.