An extension is a popular investment for a variety of reasons. First, it’s almost certain to add value to your home, which will appreciate over time. Second, it’ll give you more living space to enjoy, and perhaps allow you to carve out a particular space for a given activity – whether it’s a home gym, a study, or another reception space. An extension can often be a viable alternative to moving house, which can be an unwanted inconvenience and stress for many people.
Before you make the investment in an extension, there are a few factors worth considering. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Planning Permissions
A smaller extension which isn’t visible from the road (or from neighbouring properties) is likely to be considered a permitted development, meaning that you won’t need planning permission. In some cases, however, planning permission is required – so clarify this before you start a project. If you’re later found to be in breach, then you’ll be at risk of losing your investment.
Cost
Materials, labour and design services all cost money – and you should account for all of it in your budgeting process. Set everything down on paper and make sure that there isn’t anything that you’ve neglected. Give yourself a little bit of wriggle room when it comes to budgeting. If you go over, you don’t want to feel as though you’re at risk of having to abandon or delay the project indefinitely.
Design
Think carefully about which design elements will add the greatest value to your new extension. If money is no object, then you might incorporate a whole range of features – but if your budget is finite, as is the case in the majority of projects, you’ll need to think about which features offer the greatest value. For example, you may want to build an extension which makes the most of natural light, in which case, flat roof VELUX windows may be a good investment to transform the space.
Utilities
Your extension will need to be connected up to your existing electrical system. That means paying for an electrician. In many cases, such as outdoor kitchens and bathrooms, you’ll also need to think about things like plumbing and gas.
Site Operation and Management
You’ll need to consider how much disruption that the work is going to cause, and the degree to which that disruption might be managed. If you are going to have loud drilling and hammering at certain stages, then think about warning the neighbours. The same applies to your home life – if you’re comfortable with the idea of living in a construction site for a few months, then this might not be a problem.