Modular house extension in Liversedge, Kirklees

Project Details

Location: Liversedge, Yorkshire
Client: Kirklees Council – Homes & Neighbourhoods

Project Summary

  • Two bedroom extension for a residential property
  • Formed in two sections
  • 30m2 footprint / gives 65m3 additional living space
  • All groundworks and foundations
  • Electrical works
  • UPVC windows and doors
  • Completed December 2020

The Challenge: Build a residential two bedroom modular extension for a family with minimal disruption

Kirklees Council – Homes & Neighbourhoods manages some 22,000 homes on behalf of Kirklees Council. The organisation focuses on providing high quality housing for tenants to call their own, creating homes and places where people want to live.

Modular bay in the factoryThe domestic modular house extension completed by Enviro Building Solutions was a trial project for Homes & Neighbourhoods, who were investigating the potential and practicalities of extending houses rather than uprooting and rehousing growing families needing extra space for their children.

Enviro had a proven track record for the trial having previously built a modular extension for a hotel and restaurant.

“From start to handover, the scheme has run excellently. Enviro Building Solutions worked around our nominated contractor (Happy Days) for the internal works to the existing home making improvements. Enviro Building Solutions’ presence on site was second to none, which made the while process as stress free as possible for the residents, keeping all involved informed of any issues and changes. This worked particularly well during the planning applications and building control, all managed by Enviro. One of the KPIs for the scheme was to have zero defects on handover day, which was duly achieved the day following installation, at handover.”

Stuart Wilson, Technical Officer Development (Housing)

Offsite manufacture, fast installation, minimal disruption

Offsite construction methods provide a fast-track opportunity for extending domestic residences, where disruption to everyday family life needs to be kept at a minimum. For the purposes of this project, Enviro Building Solutions managed the build from end to end. This included submitting planning applications and working with third parties to schedule delivery.

Groundworks prior to installation of the modular buildingFollowing the initial design stage, factory manufacture of the two bays took just four weeks. This included all electrical work.

The Enviro team were on site at the premises for a week to complete the necessary groundworks and foundations. This was followed by a further week to manage the install and commissioning of the building.

The two-week site timeframe clearly demonstrates the speed and efficiency of modular construction over traditional building methods. With a traditional construction, builders would have been onsite for 5-6 weeks typically.

Making the build happen

This was a fast-track project located in a densely populated residential area.

Modular bays arrive on truck ready for crane liftWorking closely with Kirklees Council Highways Department, the team from Enviro implemented a single day road closure for the delivery date of the modular units. With the pre built home extension being located at the rear of the house, a crane was scheduled to lift the units across the roof of the house and locate them on the new foundations in the back garden.

The 1st modular bay being positioned by crane in placeThe end result is a high quality prefabricated home extension. Inside it feels and sounds like any other extension, you wouldn’t know it was a modular build.

Aesthetically it features an attractive brick slip cladding lending the build a traditional look which matches the finish on the existing domestic residence. Most importantly, the project allows a growing family to stay in their own home with continued easy access to family, schools and amenities.