Extending your home is a great way to gain extra living space to grow, boost the resale value of your home, and give an old or outdated design a modern facelift – without the hassle and associated costs of moving.
There are many ways to extend your current home. To name a few, you can reconfigure an existing space, build new rooms, add a second-storey, and establish an outdoor entertainment area. Regardless, your idea has to be viable and compliant with council guidelines (whether you need council approval depends on the scope).
By following these 5 tips, this will help streamline the journey and ensure the final outcome is everything you ever wanted.
Interested in learning more about the renovation process? Find out more.
ENSURE YOUR PROJECT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE:
To justify the cost of extending your home, the value it adds must be greater than the cost of building it. Otherwise, you won’t see a return on your investment. But how do you know what kind of value your extension will add?
Hop online. Search for properties with extensions that are similar to what you want. And find out how much they sold for. You can also directly contact the estate agent to find out how much of an influence the extension had on the final resale value. This will help you find out what extensions are (and are not) currently ‘hot’ on the market.
Don’t be let down if your dream extension turns out to be less valuable than you originally thought. As long as the idea is profitable, and you genuinely believe the extension will enhance your quality of life, then it’s worth pursuing.
INCLUDE ALLOWANCES AND ADDITIONAL COSTS IN YOUR BUDGET:
Regardless of the type of extension you wish to build, there are a lot of costs you have to consider. Aside from the upfront cost of paying for design, planning, labour, and building materials, there are other associated costs you may not immediately have thought of such as:
- Piping and gas extensions
- Heating and air-conditioning
- Council fees
- Soil reports
- Interior design
- Furniture
Be sure to include these additional costs in your budget to avoid surprises. You should also include allowances for potential delays to the project caused by adverse weather and other unforeseen challenges.
KEEP THE DESIGN CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE:
Your home extension is just that: an extension of the existing property. To ensure that your extension both looks and functions the same as the rest of the house, make sure both the design and use of materials is consistent. Otherwise, your extension could stick out like a sore thumb and feel disconnected from the rest of the house.
If you have trouble tracking down the right materials, your builder should be able to recommend materials that are very close to the original.
CHOOSE A BUILDING COMPANY WITH RELEVANT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
While there’s no shortage of builders to choose from, which one you entrust to extend your home will make or break the experience. There are a number of factors to consider so that you choose a builder that fits your needs.
As a general rule of thumb, a quality builder should meet the following criteria:
- Have relevant experience in building extensions similar to yours
- Hold a current builders license –relevant to their trade or expertise
- Be covered with the necessary insurance – including Public Liability and Builders Warranty Insurance (this protects you if the project is unfinished or the final product is defective)
- Have a strong track record of successful projects – complete with testimonials and case studies.
- Have a clear understanding of relevant council laws and Building Code of Australia
- Adhere to relevant Work Health and Safety guidelines and procedures
Along with the above criteria, your builder should also be friendly, easy to understand, and responsive to your messages and phone calls. Few things are more frustrating than having an urgent question or requests going unanswered. So if your builder is both highly skilled and you get along with them – the journey will be smooth sailing.
BOOK A FREE ONSITE VISIT FROM YOUR LOCAL BUILDER:
The first step to starting your extension project is to meet your potential builder face-to-face. Fortunately, this is easy to arrange and costs you absolutely nothing.
Any reputable building company will be happy to visit you onsite. They will assess your existing home, discuss your unique project requirements, and give you an honest price estimate. They may also be able to tell you whether your project will need council approval.
Most importantly, your builder will also lay out the kind of services they offer to bring your vision to life.
Contact APEX Alterations & Additions with details of your home extension project – our friendly team will be in touch to arrange your free site inspection.
