As property prices inch inexorably higher more of us are choosing to renovate and extend our homes, rather than upgrade and move on. There are a number of practical advantages to this approach, especially if you like an area and have kids settled in local schools or you have elderly people within the home moving can cause extremely unwanted stress. Not least is the fact that buying and selling property has a whole host of associated costs above and beyond the price of a home. This includes agent’s fees, stamp duty, mortgage insurance and the not inconsiderable hassle of packing and moving your home/life. Here are 6 pointers to get you started…
1 Practical Practicalities
Before you even get started on the nitty gritty of a home extension project you need to carefully consider the concept. This includes practicalities such as the economics of the project, how much value the extension will add to your home, is my builder (in our case Instyle Interiors And Construction) able to complete the works swiftly with minimal disruption to our existing living patterns? Fortunately yes!
2 Budget, and what you want out of your project?
Once you have nutted these broad issues out it is time to get down to the penny’s and pounds and dollars and cents of working out the anticipated budget of your project, it is also to reflect your wants list not your wish list! see below:
- Do i want to save my back yard space for the kids to play in, build a swimming pool in the future, leave space to build a large outdoor entertaining area and go upstairs with my extension footprint?
- How many bedrooms do i need in addition to what we currently have?
- How many bathrooms do i need in addition to what we currently have?
- Do we want to remove certain ground floor walls and create an open plan living or do we prefer the intimate rooms as they are?
- How much of the existing ground floor if any do we want to renovate?
All of the above must reflect your budget and expectations/requirements
3 Integrated Design
The design of any extension should be considered as an integral part of your existing home’s structure. This means it should seamlessly blend in, making use of the same materials to maintain continuity. Instyle Interiors And Construction’s in house Architects, engineers and building designers are able to provide you with detailed plans that include a breakdown of the materials to be utilised and guidance on the best materials to achieve the same results with the overall costing in mind.
4 Architects and Building Designers
Instyle Interiors And Construction’s in house Architects, engineers and building designers are tasked with drawing up detailed plans for home extensions and additions. They have an intimate knowledge of the structural issues involved as well as the relevant regulatory requirements. These professionals are also well placed to give you practical advice on the configuration of your extension. This will be based on a number of factors, including your lifestyle, your existing floor plan and the amount of space being created by the extension. Having a personal rapport with Instyle Interiors And Construction’s in house Architects, engineers and building designers is important. This ensures that you are on the same page and share the same overall vision. We offer this service to all our clients at a nil charge.
5 Sourcing a Builder
It goes without saying that a quality builder is worth their weight in gold. When you are sourcing a suitable candidate for your home extension you need to ensure that the builder specialises in extensions. And much like your relationship with our in house Architects, engineers and building designers, you need to feel comfortable working with your builder. This includes,an onsite meeting with us, testimonials from clients and viewing examples of our recent work. Other pointers include signing a detailed contract that details their obligations during the course of the works.
6 Red Tape
There is a plethora of regulation around building, mostly originating from the Building Code and your local council or consent authority, a development application or a complying development certificate is the first step in this process, a document that authorises any works. Prior to applying for this it is also a good idea to speak to immediate neighbours who will be impacted by the works. Besides being a courtesy, you also need to ensure that they do not object to your proposal – which could jeopardise the whole project. Remember to always use licensed, registered professionals and trades. They are likely to do a better job and crucially, your works will conform to regulatory standards.