Do you travel as far as Market Harborough?
Yes. Market Harborough is about 15 miles from our base, towards the edge of the area we cover. Travel is included in your fixed price; distance is simply one of the things that shapes it, along with the job itself.
Because of the distance, the best approach is to send everything at once. Electrical, plumbing and handyman jobs can go on one request, and we aim to do them on one visit. A new light in the hall, a dripping outside tap and a door that won't close can all be done in the same visit, at one agreed price.
It helps to send clear photos of each job and anything that affects access, such as parking or a narrow side passage. That way we arrive with the right parts, and you're less likely to need a second trip.
Do I need permission for outside work in the conservation area?
Sometimes, so it's worth checking first. Market Harborough's historic town centre is covered by a conservation area, where some changes to the outside of a building need planning permission that wouldn't be needed elsewhere. If your home is listed, consent may be needed even for some work inside. Inside work on a home that isn't listed is generally unaffected.
The rules depend on the building and what is planned, so the right people to ask are the planning team at Harborough District Council. We're happy to describe exactly what we plan to fit and where, so you can ask them with the details to hand.
- Security lights and CCTV cameras
- Especially on a wall facing the street.
- An EV charger on a front wall
- New vents or extractor outlets
- Anything that cuts through an outside wall.
- Replacement doors, gates and fencing
- Where they front a road.
Can old wiring in a period home be updated without spoiling it?
Usually, yes, with some planning. Period homes in and around Market Harborough often have features worth keeping, such as original cornicing, panelled doors or old floorboards, and the wiring route can be planned around them.
Where we can, we run cables under floors and through roof spaces rather than chasing into decorative walls, and we talk you through the options before anything is lifted. A rewire is priced after a survey visit, so we can see the construction and agree the routes with you.
What about larger village homes in Great Bowden and Lubenham?
Larger properties tend to bring their own jobs. Longer runs of cable to an outbuilding or garage, lighting along a drive or garden path, and power for a home office in the garden are common requests. Older outbuildings may already have wiring that was added in stages over the years, so we check what's there before connecting anything new to it.
Bigger houses also benefit from interlinked smoke and heat alarms, so an alarm at one end of the house sets off the others. Outside, we handle gates, fencing and minor repairs to gutters and downpipes where safe access allows, using ladders only; we don't do scaffolding work.
If the house is in one of the villages' older cores, the conservation area points above may apply here too, so check with Harborough District Council before changing anything on the outside.