Domestic extensions are a great way of extending your family living space, as most of the families these days spend 90% of their time in the kitchen, rear extensions are very popular for many reasons. Many people choose to add an extension to their home so that they can improve the value of their property and their quality of life whilst they are living in their home. This extra living space can bring families closer together and establish a place where everyone can gather. Some people may choose to use an extension to create an office space where they can work from the comfort of their own home. There are many different uses for extra space within a house extension and we can tailor our services to meet your needs.
An great extension is all based on a great design. If the design works well you will create a fantastic open area which fits in perfectly with your current property and brings the old a new parts of your home together. Maximising natural light is a key part of creating the perfect extension. There are also many other things to think about when designing your extension, all of which we can help you with.
The design options are endless and extensions can have flat roofs, vaulted roof or a pitch roof to give you different effects and let different amounts of light in depending on your preference. The main wall could have windows, French doors or the most popular option, bi-folding doors.
Is it practical?
Before starting an extension you need to decide whether it is practical. Why do you want an extension? Some of the main reasons to consider are:
- Extra Space: Perhaps there is a new baby in the house or you simply wanted a bigger kitchen or bedroom. Extensions are becoming more and more popular so if you need more room this is the perfect solution.
- Improved Saleability: If you decide to go with an extension then it makes sense for the price of your house to increase. If your objective is to increase the value of your home than an extension is the right way to go. An average loft conversion can cost around £23,000 to complete; however this can add up to £100,000 to your home’s value. That’s a £77,000 profit.
As mentioned before the most common reasons for extending are to create extra bathrooms or a larger kitchen. But it is very important that before deciding on an extension you check you’ve used all of the available room. For example if you want an en suite bathroom instead of creating extra room it may be possible to simply corner off part of the bedroom.
Extension wise, your choices may be limited by your house. This may be if your house occupies most of it’s plot or if it has been extended before. A loft conversion is often the cheapest option, but it is not always possible. You will also need to make sure that your loft is high enough.
A typical two storey extension is usually about 20% cheaper to build (per square metre) than a single storey extension. This is because the cost of the foundations and roof is approximately halved as the extension is being spread between two floors.
Will you get your money back?
For the majority of home-owners a new extension is about improving lifestyle rather than making a profit. However as extensions are large financial investments it’s helpful to be aware of which extensions can make you money and which extensions can’t.
The key to a successful extension is one that is expertly designed and built to perfection. We at Marble Construction offer you just that. All of our extension are built to the highest standard possible which can greatly improve your home’s value.
When thinking of an extension it is important to think of not only what would impress you, but what would also impress other people. An example could include if an owner of a small terraced house decides to convert his/her back garden into a swimming pool. Although some people may see this as an immediate increase in the value of the house other people would see this as a significant decrease in the value of the house. The reason for this is fundamentally it would be a waste of the garden’s potential space. You don’t associate a massive swimming pool with a small terraced house, but rather with a larger house with larger grounds.
So the question is which type of extension can add the most value to your home. Well the answer is completely different for each house. If you can think of a way to improve upon a negative aspect of the house then the chance of the extension making a profit increases considerably. Well planned extra bedrooms and en suite bathrooms are also extensions which can greatly increase the value of your home as well.
However it is important to consider any implications to an extension. For example a rear extension may block out all of the natural light from the kitchen. Although the value of the house may increase due to the rear extension, it will almost certainly decrease much more due to the undesirable kitchen. Another example could be with a loft extension. When thinking about creating a loft extension its important to consider how to get to it. The staircase could result in the loss of a current bedroom or bathroom which would mean that although you have a room in the loft you have also lost a room beneath the loft.
Is it neighbourly?
Communication with your neighbours is the key to approving any extension work. Most of the time simple communication can sort out any minor disagreements well in advance of the extension which can prove to be much cheaper than arguing via solicitors later on.
When thinking of your extension you need to decide on whether the extension will have an impact on any of your neighbours. Although the extension itself may not cause any inconvenience the noise, mess and large quantities of trucks could be. Although Marble Construction try to cause as little inconvenience as possible it always helps to involve the neighbours in your plans from day one to help them prepare for what is to come.
Including the neighbours is vital because before your application can be approved by the council they will invite all of your neighbours to submit any objections to your scheme. Even one little objection can be disastrous to your extension so it helps to sweeten things up with all your neighbours before submitting your application. It is important to consider how you would feel if your neighbours were proposing to go about a similar extension.
Will it blend in?
It can be important to find out what kind of extension is permitted in your local area. Simply taking a wander round and making notes of the size and styles of other extension is enough to get an idea of what can and cannot be done. Usually there are four basic cases for an extension: A single or two storey building with either a pitched or flat roof.
Any proposals will need to comply with your Local Development Plan which can be viewed either at your local planning department or online. We can suggest suitable styles and sizes for your extension but ultimately the choice is up to you.
It is also possible to build an extension without needing to get planning consent. For this to apply your extension has to fall within a certain style and size. For more information go to our post on the Permitted Development Rules by clicking here.
Can you afford it?
Unlike with other construction companies we at Marble Construction offer a free quote and mark up to anyone thinking about having an extension. Our quote gives an approximation on the cost of your extension which can give you a clue to what your extension will cost. If you decide to go with us then we will send you a more complete package which gives you a more in-depth figure for your extension.
One of the major iniquities in this country is that of VAT. Having just recently been increased to 17.5% objects ranging from building materials such as timber to glass have increased. However sometimes you may find that you are VAT exempt. VAT on listed buildings is reduced to 0% if the house has been left empty for 10 years. You can also expect a drop in VAT to 5% if the house has been left empty for over 3 years, which happens to be the same rate for flat conversions.
Although we cannot lower the VAT we can provide you with cost efficient products in your extension. You would be surprised at how easy it can be to lower the price of your extension by replacing products with cheaper ones.