--- title: "Builders in Hedge End & Southampton | Buildings For Life" description: "Family-run builders in Hedge End for new builds, extensions, lofts and renovations. Over 40 years in the trade and a 10-year warranty on new builds." url: https://buildingsforlife.com/builders/ --- Builders in Hampshire # Builders in Hedge End for New Builds, Extensions and Whole Projects Buildings For Life is a family-run building company in Hedge End. Pete Bartlett runs every job, from the first dig for footings to the final snag, on new builds, extensions, lofts and renovations. [Call 07853 945013](tel:+447853945013) Buildings For Life is a family-run builder in Hedge End. Pete Bartlett started as a bricklayer, has over 40 years in the building trade, and runs every job himself, so the person who prices your work is on site when the footings are poured. We build new homes, extensions and lofts, and put tired houses back in order. Pete has 15 years on high-end and natural stone work. New builds carry a 10-year warranty, and the firm has featured on the BBC's Building Dream Homes. ## Building Services Under One Roof A build is a chain of trades: groundworkers, bricklayers, carpenters, roofers, plasterers. Hire them separately and you manage the gaps between them. We take on the whole chain for one written price. - New builds from footings to handover - Single and two storey extensions - Loft and basement conversions - Renovation and refurbishment of older homes - Structural alterations, steel beams and knocked-through walls - Brickwork, natural stone, patios and garden walls - Carpentry, joinery and kitchens - Groundworks, drainage and landscaping ## New Builds From the Ground Up A single house on a garden plot, a replacement home on an old footprint, or a self-build you own the land for. We take it from first excavation to final completion. - **Groundworks.** Site clearance, setting out, foundation dig, drainage and service trenches - **Substructure.** Concrete footings, blockwork, damp proof course, then the floor - **Superstructure.** Insulated cavity walls, lintels, cavity trays, roof on and watertight - **Fit-out.** Services, plastering, joinery, kitchen and finishes - Building control inspections booked by us at every stage - Brick, stone and mortar samples in front of the planners early ## Home Extensions and Conversions Adding space to the house you own is usually simpler than moving. Our [house extensions](https://buildingsforlife.com/house-extensions/) page covers planning, cost and timelines; [loft conversions](https://buildingsforlife.com/loft-conversions/) use volume the roof already has. - Single storey rear and side extensions, two storey and wraparounds - Loft conversions: new floor joists, staircase, insulation, dormer - Basement work: excavation, waterproofing, underpinning where needed - Foundations, steelwork, roof and finishes all by our own team - Matched brick and bond pattern where new work meets old - Cavity tray and damp proof course lapped properly into the existing wall ## Renovations and Refurbishments Older houses around Hedge End, Botley and Bishops Waltham hide the same faults. We open up, show you what is there, and price the repairs in writing before carrying on. - Knocking through walls, with steel beams on padstones - Repointing and rebuilding brickwork and stone - Lime mortar on soft old brick, never hard cement - New kitchens, joinery and staircases - Replastering, new floors and insulation upgrades - Structure first, then damp and drainage, then services, then finishes ## Design and Build Planning Most jobs need drawings before anyone can price them. We work from your architect's plans, or bring in a designer and structural engineer and run the job as design and build. - **Planning.** Permission or permitted development. A new home always needs permission - **Building regulations.** Structure, insulation, fire safety and drainage signed off - **Party walls.** Notices served where work affects a shared wall or boundary - **Specification.** Brick, roof, windows and finishes chosen early enough to order - Eastleigh, Winchester, Southampton or Test Valley, depending on your address ## Building Work for Landlords and Property Owners Owners of more than one property need work done between tenancies, clear written scopes, and repairs that last rather than patch-ups that come back next winter. - Refurbishments between lets, worked around the empty window - Structural, brickwork and stone repairs - Loft conversions to add a bedroom, and new builds on land you own - A written scope and price per property, so you can budget property by property - Lintels, damp proof course and steelwork inspected before they are covered up - Completion certificates handed over, which you need when you sell or refinance How It Works ## How a build runs with us Three steps, the same on a garden wall as on a new house, with Pete as your contact from the first visit to the final sign-off. 1. ### Tell us the job Use Quick Quote Online or call. Tell us what you want to build, where the property is, and whether you already have drawings or planning permission. A few lines and some photos are enough to arrange a visit. 2. ### Site visit and written quote Pete visits, measures up, and looks at access, ground conditions and the existing structure. You then get a written quote setting out what is included, what is excluded and any provisional sums. 3. ### Build and sign-off We run the trades in sequence with building control inspections at each stage, and price any change in writing first. At the end we clear the snags, hand over the completion certificate, and a new build carries our 10-year warranty. Ready when you are. Areas We Serve ## Where we build Our base is in Hedge End, and most of our building work is within a short drive of it. We build in Botley, West End, Bursledon, Eastleigh, Fair Oak, Bishops Waltham, Chandlers Ford, Whiteley and across Southampton, and we take on larger projects further into Hampshire, such as Winchester and Romsey, when the job suits. - Hedge End - Bishops Waltham - Botley - Upham - West End - Warsash - Hamble-le-Rice - Chandlers Ford - Romsey - Winchester - Chilworth - Southampton - Fair Oak - Bursledon - Curdridge - Netley - Bishopstoke - Eastleigh - Swanmore - Hythe - Shedfield - Marchwood - Swanwick - Whiteley - Rownhams - North Baddesley - Sarisbury - Compton - Holbury - Totton - Locks Heath - Dibden - Titchfield - New Alresford - Cheriton - Kings Worthy [areas we cover](https://buildingsforlife.com/areas/) Related Services ## Work that often goes with this - ### House Extensions Single and two storey extensions, rear, side and wraparound, built to tie into the original house so the join is hard to find. [House Extensions](https://buildingsforlife.com/house-extensions/) - ### Loft Conversions Dormer, hip-to-gable and roof-light loft conversions that turn an unused roof space into a proper room with stairs to match. [Loft Conversions](https://buildingsforlife.com/loft-conversions/) - ### Renovation & Refurbishment Whole-house renovations, reconfigured layouts, kitchens and joinery, from period cottages to post-war semis. [Renovation & Refurbishment](https://buildingsforlife.com/renovation-and-refurbishment/) Resources ## Resources on builders Written to answer the questions people ask before a build starts: planning, structure, materials and what happens on site. [Resources](https://buildingsforlife.com/resources/) - Builders ### [Builders in Hedge End](https://buildingsforlife.com/builders-hedge-end/) Buildings For Life Ltd is a family firm led by Pete Bartlett, building new homes, extensions, lofts and structural work across the town. Call Pete or send the details for a visit and a written quote. FAQ ## Builders: questions people ask first Question not here? ### How much does a builder cost? It depends on the size of the job, the structural work involved, access to the site, the ground conditions and the finishes you choose, so we do not publish prices. After a site visit you get a written quote itemised by stage, which shows where the money goes and lets you adjust the specification. ### How long will my extension or refurbishment take? A single storey extension is often 8 to 12 weeks on site once work starts. A renovation depends heavily on what is found when walls and floors are opened up. Drawings, planning and building regulations approval come before any of that and can take longer than the build itself. ### Do I need planning permission? Some extensions and loft conversions fall under permitted development, while new homes, larger extensions and work in conservation areas need permission. Almost all structural work needs building regulations approval either way. We give you our view at the site visit, but confirm with your local planning authority before you commit. ### Do your new builds come with a warranty? Yes. New builds carry a 10-year warranty, which applies to new builds only. You also receive the building control completion certificate, which confirms the work was inspected and signed off. ### Who manages the project day to day? Pete Bartlett, who owns the company, runs the job. He plans the sequence of work, organises the trades and materials, meets building control, and is the person you speak to about progress, changes and decisions throughout. ### What is included in a written quote? Our quotes list the work stage by stage, from groundworks and structure through roofing, first and second fix and finishes, with materials described clearly. Anything uncertain, such as ground conditions, is shown as a provisional sum, and anything excluded is stated, so there are no gaps to argue over later.