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Apex Alterations & Additions

How to Expand an Old Home With a Modern Extension

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For those who lack the resources or motivation to move into a brand new home, there’s always the option to expand their old home with a modern extension.

When designed and constructed properly, a modern extension can really inject new life into an ageing home, yet also give it a generous boost in value and street appeal. Best of all? You spend only a fraction of what it’d cost to move into a new place.

Here’s a few useful tips on how to expand your old home with a modern extension and make sure the results exceed your expectations.

MATCH OR MODERNISE? YOU CHOOSE-

Generally speaking, when it comes to extending an older home, there are two routes you can take: match the extension with the current design of the property, or intentionally keep the extension modern and separate from the rest of the house.

There are pros and cons to both methods. On one hand, having the extension match the rest of the house will help it look consistent. However, if you can’t find the right materials to perfectly match the current design, the results may come across as cheap and inauthentic.

Alternatively, if the extension is purposefully designed to be separate from the rest of the house, it could give the property a unique look and feel that stands out from the rest. In fact, a modern extension may even help draw greater attention to the ‘older’ elements of the building, which could be a surprisingly desirable effect.

Which approach is right for you? That depends on your personal taste, quality of materials, and whether one style will yield a higher return on investment than the other. Another factor to consider is how the building will look within the context of other houses on the same street.

Planning on enhancing your old home with a modern extension? Find out how APEX Alterations & Additions can help. Request an online quote.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF EXTENSION-

There are many ways to extend an old home and the right one for you will depend on several factors including your layout, budget, and lifestyle needs. You’ll also need to take into account the zone restrictions as they apply to your plot of land and the surrounding area.

If you’d like to build a first or second-storey addition, you’ll need to find out whether the house can actually support the additional weight of a new floor. To find out, book an appointment with a home additions builder, and they will arrange an engineer to visually assess the premise for you.

Below are just some of the most popular and practical home extension ideas:

  • Ground floor extension – Add more rooms or make an existing room bigger on the ground floor. Ideal if you have enough backyard space to extend the house outwards as opposed to building a new floor.
  • Second storey addition – Add a new floor to the existing house. Great for setting up new bedrooms, a private office, or a dedicated storage space. You’ll also enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area from above.
  • Undercover outdoor living space – From patios and pergolas to swimming pools, an undercover outdoor space is ideal for hosting social gatherings, relaxing after a long day’s work, and spending valuable time with the family. When enhanced with louvres you can adjust with a remote control, this gives you the freedom to control how much sunlight and airflow enters the premise.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS-

When it comes to sourcing building materials that match your sense of style, your home additions builder will help you out here.

By leveraging from their network of local suppliers, they can track down the kind of materials required to bring your vision to life, and at the lowest possible cost without compromising on quality. On top of this, the materials should be locally sourced, so that they can withstand our unique climate and comply with Australian Building Standards.

These days, modern building materials are extremely lightweight, durable, and come in a variety of colours and textures to suit most property styles. Some popular examples include Matrix panels, Axon Cladding, Linea Weatherboards, and Timber Weatherboards. Of course, many homeowners opt for the classic brick, due to its timeless charm and durability.

You also need to decide what kind of flooring you’d like. From carpet and floorboards to tiles, there’s a lot of options. The right one for you will depend on the type of rooms you plan to build. While carpet or flooring is great for the main living areas, tiling is most recommended for bathrooms and other wet areas due to their strength, durability, and waterproof qualities.

When the time comes to choose materials, your builder will guide you through the different options and explain the benefits of each one to you. Plus,they’ll take into consideration the current materials in your home so that your final choices match your vision.

ZONING RESTRICTIONS AND PLANNING PERMITS –

Depending on the scale and complexity of your home extension, you may need a planning permit.

Once again, your home additions builder will be able to help you here. They will let you know what the current regulations are in your area, whether they apply to you, and – if so – what you need to do to get a planning permit. For the most part, your builder will be able to take care of this aspect of the project for you, which will save you plenty of time and hassle.

Alternatively, feel free to contact your local council at any time for further clarification.

APEX Alterations & Additions are the experts in ground floor extensions, second storey additions, and associated renovations. To find out how we can breathe new life into your old home with a modern extension,request an online quote.

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