The present Conservative Government have, as feared increased the standard VAT rate from 17.5 % to 20%. This will come into effect from January next year and will undoubtedly cause an increase in the cost of living for most people. It will also have an impact on any building work you may be planning to do to your home or business.
Why? Lets take for example a building project costing in the region of £60,000 plus VAT. From January such a project will cost you an additional £1,500 if it is not completed by January.
We, at Whitmore and Humphreys, Oswestry, consider that time is now running out to complete such projects in time. Let's assume that your build project needs planning permission and building regulation approval. The current planning system in Shropshire is taking anywhere between 12 and 14 weeks to make a decision on planning applications. Add to this, another two to four weeks for the Building Control department to pass the plans, then if you started your project now you would not be in a position to start on site until mid October. This does not give the builder a great deal of time to complete the works on site and does not take into account the time taken to prepare the relevant drawings and documentation necessary.
Therefore if you are planning works act now to avoid extra costs. Leaving it much longer could result in an unwelcome increase in the overall build cost.
At Whitmore & Humphreys, a long established firm of Architects and Building Surveyors, based in Oswestry, we are able to help so dont delay and come and talk to us.
More info: Whitmore & Humphreys T:01691 652844
