2. Listed buildings are considered to be of special historical or architectural interest of national importance. Listing doesn’t mean that the building can’t be altered or extended – it often can, but the local council will have more control over what changes are made to it and may refuse permission for alterations if it doesn’t think they’re appropriate. Listed building consent is required to make alterations and while some home improvements, such as internal redecoration, can usually be done without consent, many others, such as removing original features, knocking down walls and building extensions, can’t.
3. Listed building consent is obtained from your local council and is a similar process to applying for planning permission, although in some cases you’ll need planning as well. Historic England (see www.historicengland.org.uk for information on listed buildings), or Historic Scotland in Scotland (www.historic-scotland.gov.uk), may be consulted by the council about whether the alterations would be appropriate, especially with more important listed buildings.
4. Before making any changes to a listed building, you should consult your local council’s conservation officer, as work that seems minor may require consent. The officer should be able to advise you about what sort of work will be considered appropriate for the building (and what won’t) and any consents required. Altering, demolishing or extending a listed building without consent is a criminal offence and can result in a prison sentence and large fine, as well as other costs, so it’s not something you want to risk.
5. If listed building consent is granted, you may have to use traditional building materials and techniques to comply with it. These are often more expensive and specialised than standard ones – traditional lime plaster instead of conventional modern plaster, for example – as replacements are usually on a like-for-like basis.
Product of the week
Moving heavy or bulky DIY tools and materials, or large appliances, is tricky, especially if access is poor, but the great-value 3-in-1 Hand Truck (£69.99, product code 27108, www.screwfix.com) makes it much easier. Depending on what you’re carrying, you can use it as a vertical sack truck, an angled sack truck or a flat trolley, and it’s easy to switch between them. The truck can hold up to 200kg and although it’s made of sturdy metal, it’s also lightweight – the big wheels are easy to manoeuvre. If you’re doing up your home and garden, the Hand Truck is one piece of kit you won’t want to manage without.
How-to tip
To see how to prepare and hang an interior door on an existing frame, watch BQ’s video at www.diy.com/videos/hang-interior-door.
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