Adding an extension to your house typically involves building a new room or making an existing room or space larger, but it's costly and laborious and can become a money pit if you don't make the proper plans. Preparation is key, so to help you make the right decisions before diving into a home extension, here are some of the most important things for you to consider.
Is It A Value Add? -- One of the most important things you should ask yourself before you make an addition to your house is whether or not that addition will significantly increase the value of your house. Many homeowners don't take into account the fact that they may not live in a house for the rest of their lives, meaning that circumstances could arise that force you to sell your home before you are ready to move. But if you've made the right kind of addition, your resale value could be much higher when you put your house on the market.
Typically, adding space to a master bedroom, extending your kitchen and adding a new bathroom or making an existing bathroom bigger are going to increase the value of your home because these are the key areas most buyers look at when they are shopping for a new home.
Is A Remodel More Cost Effective? -- You should also consider whether or not a remodel is a more cost effective means of achieving the design aesthetic you want. Unlike an extension, a remodel takes your existing space and transforms it by updating the scheme. For example, if you have a family room, you can remodel it so that you install wood floors or natural stone floor instead of carpet, which can instantly transform and elevate the appearance of that room, and may also be a value add.
A remodel can be limiting in that that you aren't making your space bigger, but it will save you a lot of money and may be enough to achieve most of your design goals.
Will Local Council Regulations Allow It? -- A home extension requires you to obtain building permits from the local council. If your plans exceed local zoning laws, you won't be able to have the extension built. So you're better off making an inquiry with the local council or with a contractor like Quickpro Carpentry PTY LTD to explore the regulations so that you're sure you can build the way you want. Extensions that push out toward your neighbour's property or that add a second storey are the ones that are most frequently rejected because they exceed the limits of how close you can build next to an adjacent home.
