Homeowners will spend more than £1.6bn on major alterations to their homes this summer, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

Easter is the unofficial start of renovation season and more than 160,000 homeowners are expected to start the kinds of improvements over the next six months which require planning permission. On average, they’ll spend £10,320 each.

The RTPI is stressing the need to gain good advice before commencing home improvements, particularly as the number of first-time renovators is predicted to increase as a result of the credit crunch, with more people choosing to renovate rather than relocate this year.

Rynd Smith, RTPI policy director, said: “As a general rule if you think your renovations are going to have an impact on your neighbours or significantly alter the structure or size of your home then you’re going to need planning permission. But there are a number of circumstances where different rules apply. The bottom line is that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

“Running your ideas past a professional planner before launching into home improvements can be quite economical and can save you a lot of grief and money down the line. Knocking a wall down is a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than putting it back up again, so it’s a good idea to know how the rules apply to you before you start swinging the sledge hammer.”