Following the past two years, during which most of us spent most of our time indoors, it’s understandable that many homeowners are now considering home improvement projects.
Among the most popular of these projects is home extensions, as people look to achieve the home layout they’ve always wanted and add space for home working.
Interest in home extensions has risen following the pandemic, with many homeowners wanting to make the most of their space and create the home of their dreams.
Extending your home is a little more involved and challenging than other home DIY projects, such as painting your walls or changing your home’s layout.
If you’re considering extending your home to add more room, here are some practical tips to make the process straightforward and help you to create the perfect space for you and your family.
Check If You Need Planning Permission
Before you start shopping around for an extension and making exciting plans to design your new room, you need to think about whether or not you’re going to need planning permission. There are many factors that affect the need for planning permission for your extension, including its size, its location, and the type of property that you live in. Check if you need planning permission before you start work on your extension because if you don’t, then you could find that you have to take your perfect new home addition down if you get caught.
Avoid Permission Delays From The Start
If you do need planning permission for your home addition, then you need to try and avoid delaying this process where possible. Getting planning permission can take a lot of time, and the process gets drawn out if you don’t check for any issues before you submit your application. For example, if your land has any endangered species on it, or your extension will affect the lives of local wildlife, then your application could be rejected. To reduce the chances of delays, get a preliminary ecological appraisal from ecologysurveys.uk. Their team can conduct a habitat regulations assessment and make practical recommendations so that you don’t face delays later on in the project.
Set A Budget
Once you know if you need planning permission and have worked out what surveys you need, you can set a budget for your home extension project. Your budget needs to include everything from application and survey costs through to the price of materials and labour. Consider getting some quotes from local contractors to find out the average cost of the work, and any additional expenses you might have, such as hiring an electrician to wire the room up for electricity. With some quotes, you can work out the rough cost for your extension and then figure out how you’re going to fund it.
Explore Funding Options
With your budget set, you can work out how much money you have to spend on your new extension. It’s important that you have the money to pay for a top-quality extension; if you choose a cheaper option, then you could find that your extension doesn’t last as long as you expect and that you spend more money on repairs over its lifetime. A high-quality, well-designed extension can potentially add value to your home, while a poor-quality addition could lead to potential issues such as damage to your property’s existing structure. So, work out how you will fund a top-quality extension. You could consider taking out a short-term loan or even remortgaging your property. Consider all your options or think about pausing your project until you have the money to fulfil your vision to the fullest.
Find Reliable Tradespeople
While some tasks in your home extension project, such as painting the room, can be done yourself to save money, many others require a professional builder. As well as a builder to create the general structure of the extension, you might also need an electrician, plumber and other skilled professionals. When you’re looking for experts to help you with your project, you should read online reviews, check out the services on their website, and ask for recommendations from friends and family. Then, you can make an informed decision and find tradespeople who have the skills and expertise to turn your extension ideas into reality.
Consider The Design Of Your Extension
As the project begins, you should explore the designs of your extension to ensure that you create the perfect space that will meet your needs. As such, you should think about what you want from your extension and how you intend to spend your time in it. For example, if you’re looking for a conservatory, then full glass walls could be perfect. If you want to work from home and use the extension as a home office, then you could consider a small room with smaller windows and enough space for a desk. Check out popular home extension designs to find the perfect solution, and then work with your builder to create the perfect addition to your property.
Work How To Decorate Your Extension
When you’re new extension is complete, you need to ensure that you make the most of the space. The project could cost a lot of money and require a lot of effort to plan, so you need to ensure that you don’t waste the space on useless storage or stop using it because it’s not decorated in an inviting and comfortable way. Take the time to find décor and furnishings that will suit your home’s current design and benefit everyone who’s going to use the extension. Finding new décor and furniture for your extension doesn’t have to be expensive: if you want to save money, you could consider upcycling second-hand items or exploring online marketplaces to find the perfect used furniture to enhance your new extension.
When you’re extending your home, there are a lot of factors to consider if you want to get everything right. These tips should help you to make the right choices and complete your home extension project on time and on budget.