Areas We Cover
Building Services in Durham
Durham sits with Durham County Council for planning and building control, and it is a historic city wrapped around a loop of the River Wear, with a cathedral and castle that carry World Heritage Site status. 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 Durham
Andy is a time served general builder based in Blaydon-on-Tyne, which puts Durham 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 Durham
Each of these has its own Durham page covering the local detail rather than a general description of the trade.
Local Knowledge
Planning, building control and ground conditions in Durham
The authority for Durham is Durham County Council, for planning and for building control. Getting that right before anything is submitted is the least glamorous part of a project and one of the cheapest mistakes to avoid.
On top of that, the Durham City conservation area is extensive and the cathedral and castle sit within a World Heritage Site with its own buffer zone, so anything visible from a public view near the peninsula is looked at far more closely than a comparable job on the edge of the city. The streets closest to the river and the peninsula are narrow and heavily parked, so we plan deliveries around the working day rather than assuming a van can sit outside.
The ground tells its own story: the ground under much of the Durham coalfield carries a mining legacy, and Durham County Council routinely expects a coal mining risk assessment where foundations are being formed in a high risk area. The buildings tell another, with stone and brick properties on and around the peninsula, Gilesgate and Crossgate toward Gilesgate, Crossgate, Newton Hall and later estates at Newton Hall, Belmont and Framwellgate Moor further out. Which of those you own changes the approach, so we look at the property before putting a figure to anything.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work in Durham
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
You get told what is happening and when. Communication is the thing clients mention most in reviews, and it is the easiest part of the job to get right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Building work in Durham: your questions
Is my Durham property likely to be in a conservation area or subject to any special restriction?
Possibly. The Durham City conservation area is extensive and the cathedral and castle sit within a World Heritage Site with its own buffer zone, so anything visible from a public view near the peninsula is looked at far more closely than a comparable job on the edge of the city. We check the designation for your address rather than assuming either way.
Is your work guaranteed?
Yes. Workmanship is guaranteed for an agreed period, confirmed in writing before work starts, and manufacturer warranties on materials are passed on to you.
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 you provide written quotes?
Yes. Every quote is written down with the scope set out, and it carries no obligation. We visit the property first, because a figure given without seeing the job is a guess rather than a quote.
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.
Which council do I apply to for building work in Durham?
It is Durham County Council for both sides of the approval. The postal address and the historic county sometimes point somewhere else, which is how applications end up in the wrong inbox.
What kind of building work do you do most of in Durham?
It follows the housing. Stone and brick properties on and around the peninsula, Gilesgate and Crossgate tends to bring brickwork and renovation, while newer property more often means extensions and open plan alterations.
Do you charge to come out and look at a job in Durham?
No, there is no charge for the visit or the written quote. The streets closest to the river and the peninsula are narrow and heavily parked, so we plan deliveries around the working day rather than assuming a van can sit outside.
Do I need a coal mining or ground report for building work in Durham?
Sometimes. The ground under much of the Durham coalfield carries a mining legacy, and Durham County Council routinely expects a coal mining risk assessment where foundations are being formed in a high risk area. We will tell you at quoting stage whether we expect an assessment to be needed for your plot.
Areas near Durham
We cover 32 towns and villages across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and south east Northumberland.
Got a project in Durham?
Get in touch and we will come and look. Every quote for building work in Durham is written down, based on the actual property, and carries no obligation.
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