House Extensions & Renovations in Ripley

Ripley's ground: radon and coal

Two things set Ripley apart from most of the towns we work in, and both affect what goes into the floor of a new extension.

• Radon Around the town centre the maximum radon potential is 5 to 10 per cent. BRE guidance on radon protection covers extensions as well as new houses, so a new extension here may need a radon-resistant membrane laid under the floor.
• Coal Ripley grew on its collieries, which ran until 1970 at Ormonde, and the town centre is a Coal Authority development high-risk area. A householder application doesn’t need a coal mining risk assessment, but your foundations still have to suit the ground.
• Surface water Amber Valley’s flood risk assessment records surface water flow paths through parts of Ripley, including around Waingroves Road and Lowes Hill, which affects drainage design.

We check the radon and mining reports for your address before we design anything, and build the right measures into the price from the start, so they don't turn up as extras once the floor is dug out.

Planning permission in Ripley

Ripley's planning authority is Amber Valley Borough Council, with building regulations handled by the Derbyshire Building Control Partnership. The town centre itself isn't a conservation area. There are small ones at the edges, around Waingroves Hall and Golden Valley, where side extensions aren't permitted development and the council looks harder at materials.

Outside those areas, a modest rear extension can often go ahead without a planning application, and deeper ones through the prior approval route. We'll tell you which route your house needs at the first visit.

Homes around Ripley

Ripley grew from a few stone cottages and farms into a mining and ironworking town. The Butterley Company was founded here in 1790, and its blast furnaces and canal tunnel are now a scheduled monument. The Elms, on the south-western edge of the town, was built by the council in the 1950s. Semis like these suit a full-width single-storey extension at the back, while detached houses with a wider plot often have room for two storeys.

Whatever the house, we also take on the rest of the job: kitchen renovations, new bathrooms, loft conversions and complete home renovations.

What it costs

Ripley prices start from the same ranges as the rest of Derbyshire:

• £25,000–£60,000 Single-storey extension
• From £27,500 Velux loft conversion
• £55,000–£85,000 Dormer loft conversion
• £8,000–£15,000 Garage conversion

Radon membranes and deeper foundations, where they're needed, are included in the quote rather than added later. Finance is available, subject to status.

Ripley questions

Does an extension in Ripley need radon protection?

It may. The maximum radon potential around the town centre is 5 to 10 per cent, and BRE guidance on radon protection covers extensions as well as new houses. Building control confirms what's needed for your address, and we include any membrane in the price.

Is Ripley in a conservation area?

The town centre isn't. Amber Valley has conservation areas at Waingroves Hall and Golden Valley on the edges of the town, where side extensions need planning permission and materials are more closely controlled.

What is a radon membrane?

A gas-resistant sheet laid across the whole floor of the extension, sealed at every joint and tied into the existing house, so radon can't rise through the new floor. Where the risk is higher, a sump can be added beneath it so the gas can be extracted if testing later shows it's needed.

Can my extension be built over an old mine shaft?

Not directly. Recorded mine entries have to be located and dealt with properly, which is one reason we check the Coal Authority report for your address before anything is designed.

Do you work in Butterley, Marehay and The Elms?

Yes. We cover the whole of Ripley, including Butterley, Marehay, Peasehill, Ladygrove, Hammersmith, Boothgate and The Elms.