Homeowners wasted £6bn in the last five years on illegal home improvements, new research from LV= shows.
Despite the difficult financial climate thousands are choosing to extend or improve their homes with no appreciation of the regulations involved.
In fact one in ten of the homes viewed by builders and surveyors in the last five years are considered to be in contravention of building regulations.
A mammoth 176,000 homeowners have been ordered to rectify building work that failed planning or building rules during the last five years, highlighting the risk of not looking into the legality of a home improvement before going through with it.
According to freedom of information request data one in five retrospective planning applications are turned down by councils, leaving homeowners in a tricky situation.
John O’Roarke, managing director of LV= home insurance, said: “Many homeowners are choosing to improve or extend their homes as they are unable to move or choose not to, but have little understanding of the ‘red tape’ involved with building work.
“Breaching building regulations or planning rules can lead to hefty fines or an order to reverse any offending work. Those intending to make substantial changes to a property should consult their local authority for advice on the rules and inform their insurer of their plans to ensure they have adequate cover in place, should the worst happen.”
Particularly popular changes are loft conversions, removal of a wall to make a room open plan, removal of a fireplace or chimney and conversion of a garage into a bedroom.
Full blown extensions top the pile though and it is these which are likely to cause the biggest problems if they are put up illegally.
The traditional illegal conservatory is not as popular as it may once have been, just eight per cent of builders and surveyors have seen one which has been put up without proper permissions.
Recent proposals to relax planning restrictions have added to the confusion, with many homeowners left with no idea where they stand.
The government suggested in September 2024 that people should be able to extend their detached home by eight metres without seeking planning permission.
Over a third of homeowners who are aware of the proposals believe they have already come into effect.
There is thought to be a common misconception that retrospective planning permission is effectively a given.
Almost half of all homeowners who have carried out building work in the last five years did not inform their insurer, running the risk that they could also invalidate their cover.
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