Areas We Cover
Building Services in Birtley
Birtley sits with Gateshead Council for planning and building control, and it is a town on the southern edge of Gateshead, split by the A1 and shaped by a long industrial and munitions history. Andy’s Building and Bricklaying Services has been building across the North East for over 25 years, and everything below is specific to working here rather than general to the region.
Call 07854 366464Get a Free QuoteBuilding in Birtley
Andy is a time served general builder based in Blaydon-on-Tyne, which puts Birtley comfortably inside our normal working area. Every enquiry gets a visit to the property and a written, no obligation quote before anyone commits to anything.
What we do in Birtley
Each of these has its own Birtley page covering the local detail rather than a general description of the trade.
Local Knowledge
Planning, building control and ground conditions in Birtley
Gateshead Council is the authority for Birtley. Both the planning side and the building control side sit there, which at least means one set of forms, one fee scale and one set of guidance notes rather than two.
There is a design dimension too, because Birtley falls under Gateshead Council rather than Durham County Council, which is worth getting right at the start because the two authorities publish different guidance and different fee scales. Proximity to the A1 makes deliveries easy, though the older Durham Road frontages are tight for a skip.
Birtley sits on worked coal measures with industrial ground alongside, so both mining risk and made ground can apply on the same street. Above ground, Birtley covers terraced housing around Durham Road and the older village centre near Durham Road, Barley Mow, Portobello as well as post war and later estates toward Barley Mow and Portobello. The right method follows the property rather than the postcode, which is why a site visit comes before a price.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work in Birtley
Site visit first
We come out, look at the property and ask the awkward questions before quoting. A price given without a visit is a guess dressed up as a quote.
A written quote
You get a written, no obligation quote that states the scope. If something is excluded, it says so rather than leaving it to be argued about later.
Regulations handled
An extension is the one job where planning and building control both come into play. Many single storey rear extensions still fall inside permitted development, but the limits on depth, height and eaves are specific and they tighten on a semi detached or terraced property. Building regulations approval is needed either way.
Kept informed
We keep you updated as the work goes on rather than disappearing for a week. It is the least complicated part of building work and the part most often done badly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Building work in Birtley: your questions
How do I get in touch?
Call 07854 366464, send a message through the contact form or email andy@andysbuildingservices.uk. We will arrange a time to look at the property.
Do you arrange skips and permits?
Yes. Skips, and the highway permit where a skip has to sit on the road, are included in the written quote rather than added afterwards.
Do you take on small jobs as well as full projects?
Yes. A single garden wall, a set of steps or one internal opening is normal work for us and gets the same standard as a larger contract.
How soon can you start?
It depends on the size of the job and what is already booked in. We give you a realistic start date rather than an optimistic one, and we tell you if it moves.
Do you handle building regulations applications and inspections?
Yes. We work to the approved details, book the stage inspections and meet the inspector on site. The completion certificate is the record a future buyer solicitor will ask for.
Do I need a coal mining or ground report for building work in Birtley?
Possibly, and it is better to know at the start. Birtley sits on worked coal measures with industrial ground alongside, so both mining risk and made ground can apply on the same street.
Do you charge to come out and look at a job in Birtley?
Not at all. We come out, look properly, and put a written quote to you with no obligation. Proximity to the A1 makes deliveries easy, though the older Durham Road frontages are tight for a skip.
What kind of building work do you do most of in Birtley?
Both ends of the range, because Birtley has terraced housing around Durham Road and the older village centre as well as post war and later estates toward Barley Mow and Portobello, and each brings different work.
Is my Birtley property likely to be in a conservation area or subject to any special restriction?
That varies street by street. Birtley falls under Gateshead Council rather than Durham County Council, which is worth getting right at the start because the two authorities publish different guidance and different fee scales. Establishing it early is far cheaper than redesigning later.
Which council do I apply to for building work in Birtley?
Applications for Birtley go to Gateshead Council, which covers planning and building control across the borough.
Areas near Birtley
We cover 32 towns and villages across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and south east Northumberland.
Got a project in Birtley?
Send over the details or give us a ring. We will visit the property, talk through the options for building work in Birtley and put a written quote in front of you with nothing hidden in the small print.
Call 07854 366464Request a Quote