Building a home extension is a great way to add to your home, but it can be a stressful task. Fortunately, I have broken it down into my top 5 tips when building a home extension so you don’t get overwhelmed.
No matter what stage you are at with your home extension, I guarantee there will be something in this blog that you can apply to your current situation to alleviate some of the pressure of a home extension.
Table of Contents
Start planning early
One of the most important parts of building a home extension is the planning aspect. This step will set you up for the actual process of building the extension and can often be the cause of the whole project failing.
Start by deciding on what your extension will be utilised for as this will help you establish the kind of design you go for. When choosing the design, keep in mind how you want the interior to look as well. You may like a design from the outside but it may not be practical for what you want to use your extension for.
When building an extension, you may need to get planning permission to do so. Typically, if your extension is over 6 metres long you will need planning permission so if this applies to you, make sure you sort this out in advance.
Depending on what you are using your extension for, ensure that you create a timeline so you know when to buy furniture for it. For example, if you are creating an extension to act as a dining room, make sure you don’t buy a table straight away as it will get in the way when you’re building your extension.
Extensions typically cause a lot of dust and mess in your home, to avoid this make sure you declutter your home beforehand so you have a clear area. This will ensure that any mess that’s made from the extension can be cleared easily.
Invest in a good contractor
Many people believe they can build an extension themselves, however, unless you are well equipped in this area, I would strongly suggest that you avoid it. Hiring a good contractor is extremely important as they will determine how smooth the project will run.
When researching contractors, don’t just go for the cheapest option as it probably won’t benefit you in the long run. Make sure that you look at their experience and qualifications before you hire someone as hiring the wrong contractor can have a big impact on the way your extension is built.
Implement an efficient waste management solution
If you choose to build your own home extension, you need to ensure you have implemented an efficient waste management solution before you begin. As previously mentioned, extensions accumulate a lot of waste which you don’t want sitting there for days on end and getting in the way of where you’re working.
A great way to keep on top of the waste is to use grab truck hire. Grab truck hire is extremely convenient and means you don’t have to worry about getting rid of the waste yourself. Simply creating a pile of waste out of the way and the grab hire company will do the rest.
You also don’t need a permit for grab hire so you can just call the company to arrange when you want your waste to be collected and they will take care of it for you.
Research what materials you want to use
Before you commit to building an extension, make sure you have researched what materials you want to use for both the exterior and the interior. Although many people opt to use bricks when building an extension, there are alternatives that work just as well.
Researching this beforehand ensures that you can choose the right materials that will work for you. As well as this, think about what kind of materials you want to use for the interior of your home extension.
One of the biggest factors to take into consideration when doing this is what you are going to use your extension for as this will help you make a decision on the kinds of materials that will work for you.
Determine your budget
A home extension is one of the best home improvement projects to increase value, however, they also come with a big price tag attached. With that in mind, you need to come up with a realistic budget that suits you and stick to it.
When deciding your budget, think about what you want to use your home extension for and want kind of space you will need to accommodate for this. From there you can research how much this would be and weigh up your options.
Moreover, make sure to include anything that will need doing to the interior within your budget as well. Otherwise, you run the risk of blowing your budget on the extension itself and not having enough money to create the type of interior you would like.
As well as this, make sure you have a small pot of money to fall back on should you need it. If you are enlisting the help of a contractor, make sure there are no hidden fees that you will have to pay further down the line.
Time to start your home extension
Now that I have shared my top 5 tips when building a home extension, it’s time to start applying them to your own home extension. Although it can be a daunting process, these tips will help break it down so you can enjoy your new extension.
My biggest tip would be to plan ahead of time to make the process as smooth as possible. Make sure you plan it in stages so you know what is happening and when to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed.