Alex Jones shares the hidden renovation expense that is 'worth its weight in gold'

Alex Jones has been sharing her exciting journey renovating her four-bedroom Georgian house in Berkshire, and it’s proven eye-opening for various reasons.

From advice from Grand Designs expert Kevin McCloud to rediscovering the joy of retro design features, Alex’s renovation has been both a source of inspiration and valuable information for anyone considering their own home makeover projects. And she’s offered another invaluable piece of wisdom, one that could be worth its “weight in gold”.

The presenter of The One Show offered her experience with paying upfront for a planning consultant. It’s a cost many might not initially budget for, or even want to pay when mounting costs loom, but it’s one that can save thousands in the future and streamline the notoriously tricky process.

For Alex, she admitted it was another cost she didn’t want at the beginning, but was “absolutely worth it”, in part because of the complexities of developing property on the Green Belt.

She shared, "We’re in a Green Belt area, so getting permission was never going to be straightforward, and when the architects suggested bringing in a planning consultant, my first thought was… brilliant, another person to pay.

“I was SO reluctant, but honestly, he ended up being worth his weight in gold," confesses Alex.

"It took a long time; there was lots of back and forth, but eventually we got planning through with no restrictions. Which will sound incredibly boring if you’re not renovating… but if you are, you’ll know this basically feels like winning the lottery."

It’s a helpful piece of advice from Alex, and it’s a reminder that paying for the proper professional guidance is more than just an extra expense; it’s insurance for the investment you’re making in your renovation.

Planning work on the Green Belt is notoriously difficult. Councils apply strict legal requirements and, for the most part, in simple English, unless your project meets very specific conditions, it’s likely to be deemed harmful to the countryside and rejected.

Even minor tweaks that many do to increase the value of their home, such as building an outbuilding, often require full planning permission, and you usually need to demonstrate "very special circumstances”.

Consulting an expert planner helps to save admin. They are used to dealing with local authorities, know what to look for, how to navigate the regulations and the best ways to get what you need quicker.

A seasoned consultant will also help you decide early on what stylistic choices you might need to make to align with the “special circumstances” often required to get approval. This can include matching heritage aesthetics and styles or using eco-friendly materials.

Getting this planned out early on means you won’t have to re-think your choices later on, potentially saving you from wasting your money on things you’ll not be allowed to use.

To forge ahead and hope you won’t get caught is a costly gamble. While it’s not initially a criminal act to build without permission, ignoring an enforcement notice is an offence under Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Failing to comply with an enforcement notice can lead to fines in the Magistrates' Court. For cases heard in the Crown Court, fines can be unlimited. If you refuse to tear down or undo any unapproved construction, the council can even enter the land, carry out the demolition or restoration work themselves, and bill you for the full cost.