Seven Questions You Need to Ask Before Extending Your Home
If you are planning on extending your home, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you get started. To help you on this journey Mick Jones, owner of Transforming Conservatories, has put together a comprehensive list of every you need to remember before undertaking a home extension project. A home extension can be a valuable way to add space and value to your home. The right planning, advice, and discipline will ensure that your home renovation project goes off without a hitch.
Here’s what to consider before getting started:
Where to start:
The design stage of the project is the first step in any home extension plan. Your home extension will require a custom plan completed with the help of a qualified draughtsperson or an architect. It would help if you made ensure that you hire the best person for the job and a reliable way to do that is to ask for recommendations from friends and family members.
Planning permission
The law requires any new building or renovation plans and that the relevant local authorities have approved these plans. An architect will be able to help you in this regard.
Who are you building for?
Do not make the mistake of simply plunging into a home extension. Before you think of extending your home, you need to think about why you want to extend it. Are you looking to add a room or entertainment area? A building extension should also never be a random collection of thoughts. It should be appropriately planned and executed.
Will there be enough space?
You need to know exactly what you will use your new space for. By knowing this, you will be able to gauge how much space you will need for the extension. Do not be afraid to measure it out with a rope to ensure that you are still left with enough remaining house space after the extension.
Up, down, or to the side?
This is perhaps the biggest decision you will make. You must decide whether you are building up by adding a storey or by adding a room or going down and adding a basement. If you don’t have enough space to extend at ground level, you may need to consider adding a second story or a basement. This, however, is far more costly than simply adding on another room.
Impact on my neighbors
You must consider what impact your new extension will have on your neighbors. You cannot build a two-story apartment next to the wall overlooking your neighbors’ swimming pool; it’s just not neighbourly.
Costs involved
One of the central elements of a home extension is the total cost of the project. Will you need to break down walls or add additional supports? Everything you do in the time you are extending your home will cost you money. If you are looking at adding a second story to your home, you will need to reinforce the foundation, build additional walls and then lift the roof, and all of these are costly expenses.
