Fixtures and Fittings for an Extension

There’s a general rule, when building anything, that 80% of the work is completed using 20% of the effort. The reverse is also true, that finishing the last 20% takes 80% of the effort. And that’s why finishing an extension with all the right details, like fixtures and fittings, seems to take for ever.

It’s a reflection of the fact that detailed work takes time, and with fixtures and fittings spending time on the detail is vital. This is particularly true if you are building the extension to sell a property on at a profit. So it’s important to start looking at the fixtures and fittings well before you actually need them, so that you do not introduce a delay to the project just as it is nearing completion.

Fixtures and Fittings

The sort of fixtures and fittings that we are talking about here are the incidentals, not the major fittings that you need for a kitchen or a bathroom, those are covered in specific articles. So that’s light switches, door handles, windows fittings, hinges, that sort of thing.

Some, the hinges for example, will be hidden, and others, like window handles and locks, may come with the windows you buy. Then it’s down to choosing the switches, handles and other fittings that will be on display.

Planning Permission Checker

Tell us about your planned extension and find out whether you need planning permission or can build under permitted development.

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Match Fixtures and Fittings at all Costs

It’s very important to choose fixtures and fittings that match the rest of the property. This level of detail shows the difference between a classy extension and a run-of-the-mill one. If it isn’t possible to buy the same fixtures and fittings any more then scour architectural salvage yards to find fittings that are at least of the right period, if not identical.

The worst case is that you may have to replace the fixtures and fittings in the rest of the property to make them all match. This may seem a little extreme, but if it costs a couple of hundred pounds it won’t be a very big proportional increase in the budget, with the extension probably costing tens of thousands. And if it helps to make the property more attractive when it is sold then it may well be worthwhile.

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Working with Planners

There is an exception to this rule, and that’s when the extension itself is very different to the rest of the property. This is often the case when the property in question is listed or otherwise protected. Planners often dictate that the new extension should be clearly different from, but complementary to, the existing part of the property.

In this case the sky is the limit and you can use different fixtures and fittings to further emphasise this separation between the original property and the new extension. So if the new extension is more contemporary you can go all out with sleek, minimalist lights switches, door handles and other fittings without risking the ambience of the rest of the property. Just be sure to keep a clear dividing line between new and the old.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Planning Permission Checker lets you tell us about your planned extension and find out whether you need planning permission or can build under permitted development. Try it now →