Extending a house in March

At about 28 miles west of Brandon, March is close to as far out as we go. Ely, Downham Market and Soham are all closer to us than March, which sits at the outer end of the area we cover, so it comes down to the size of the job rather than the postcode.

March falls under Fenland District Council. Anything structural, or anything that changes the footprint, is decided and inspected by them rather than by us. We build to what has been approved and work to the inspection stages on the programme.

Before anything else we look at what the ground will take. Plots in March run from riverside frontages to standard estate gardens. Fen soil and a century of ground movement have left very little of the Victorian stock level. Two houses on the same street can differ on this, so a number quoted down the phone is a guess. We price from the property, never from a template.

At roughly 28 miles it is outside our core area, so it depends on the size of the job. For a full extension the travel is usually worth it for both of us. For a small one day job it honestly is not, and we would rather tell you that than quote a price that reflects the driving.

March grew with the railway, so solid Victorian and Edwardian stock sits alongside later housing. The existing house sets how a new structure has to meet it, from roof pitch to brick or boarding, so the build looks as though it belongs.

Fen soil and a century of ground movement have left very little of the Victorian stock level. It matters most on new structures, where it can change the foundations, the consent needed, or both.

We cannot answer that for you, because the council decides it case by case. We build to whatever is approved, and we would rather the question is settled before a design is fixed than after. For a property in March the authority that decides is Fenland District Council, and we will tell you plainly what we think before you contact them.

Yes. The nearest other towns on our list to March are Ely, Downham Market, Soham, Huntingdon and Feltwell, and the villages in between are covered as well. If you are not sure which counts as nearest, give us the village or postcode on the enquiry form.

Yes. It most often runs alongside first fix carpentry, kitchen fitting and renovation work, and because one team does the carpentry throughout there is no gap between trades. At about 28 miles from our base, putting the work into one programme also means one run of travel instead of several.

Call 07539 278705 or send the enquiry form with a line about the job. At roughly 28 miles away we will talk the job through by phone first, so neither of us makes a wasted trip. The quote costs nothing.