There often comes a time when you have been living in a house for a while that you feel like you need some more space. Rather than having to go through the huge effort of selling up and finding somewhere bigger, many people decide that they want to build an extension. Whether you need some extra space for an en-suite bathroom, a conservatory or an office, an extension can give you the space you need while also adding value to your home. Obviously, with a project this big, you don’t want to rush into anything before you are ready. So, here are a few ways that you can prepare for a house extension.
Determine Your Budget
Probably the most fundamental part of planning an extension is determining exactly how much money you have to spend. Before you do anything, you need to have a good general idea of what you can afford so start investigating the costings involved in all the different aspects of the project. You will probably find that there are one or two hidden costs that you didn’t anticipate but it is much better to know about them all now rather than when you are halfway through the project!
Work Out How Long it Will Take
No extension will happen overnight and the likelihood is that it will cause quite a bit of disruption to your home life. Remember that planning permission and building regulations approval can often take a great deal of time. Another thing that you may want to consider is the time of year that you have the job done. Once you have settled on a timeline, you need to start planning as far in advance as you possibly can.
Find Out What Permissions You'll need
The first type of permission to consider is planning permission. Certain projects don’t require planning permission such as loft conversions and single storey extensions. Orangeries in the UK dont require planning either as long as they're within a permitted size so these can all be great if you want to get started right away. However, it is certainly worth taking a closer look at local planning regulations before settling on definite plans to go forward. If you are getting an architect involved in the project, they will be able to tell you whether or not this is something that you will need.
Contact the Professionals
Remember that any sort of extension is not a simple job, so be wary about tackling any part of it unless you are completely confident that you know what you are doing. If you are planning to make significant changes to your property, you may need the services of an architect or builder. Changes to plumbing, electrics or gas will need to be done by professionals, and roofing work can be done by companies like Projects 4 Roofing. Even if you're a skilled DIYer, there are certain parts of the job that you shouldn't just guess at. Try to look at examples of previous work before taking the plunge and settling on a tradesperson or company.
Think About the Impact on the Neighbours
If you are making major alterations to the property, think about the impact on the lives of your neighbours. It is a good idea to keep them full up to date with what your plans are and also the timeframe you have given yourself to complete the project. If you live in a community that’s part of a homeowner’s association (HOA) you'll know how important it is to have good board members directing the business of the association. Your HOA should provide you a list of people who are running, either in person or in some cases, by mail or online. A HOA election inspector can keep the process as seamless as possible.
Consider the Cleanup
It's not just the building process you need to consider, but the cleanup too. Make sure to factor in for removals costs, skips and cleaning once you're done. You could have a specialist company come in and tackle this for you if you want to save yourself time and hassle - just search for companies local to where you are, like "post construction cleaning in Miami, FL" if you're in sunny Florida for example.
