Planning A Home Extension: Things to Consider

If you want to increase the space inside your house, then you should consider a home extension. It is a better choice over moving to a more spacious apartment as it is cost-effective.

You will need more cash to buy a bigger house, or pay more rent. There are also legal issues and stamp duty when you move into another house. However, there are vital things you need to consider when planning a home extension.

Comply with Party Wall Act:

The Party Wall Act is a rule that is stipulated to regulate the renovation of the shared walls. For instance, when you are building or digging foundation 3m to 6m off a boundary, it is essential to comply with the rules. Other cases that will require that you abide by the Party Wall Act is when you are building party walls and or its structures.

 

Planning Permission:

There is some minor extension, permitted development rights that you won’t need to get planning permission. The rules state that you can extend a detached home 8m to the back when it is a single storey but 6m for a double-storey.

There are height restrictions as well. For a single storey extension, the height shouldn’t be 4m higher than the eaves and ridges. Rides shouldn’t be higher than the existing house. There should be a margin of 7m from the boundary for a double storey extension.

Besides, the extension should not consume more than half the space surrounding the house.

 

Materials:
Materials used for extension should be similar to those used for initial construction.
The plan that you use for extension should comply with the development guidelines. Houses located in the Conservative areas have their specific rules for expansion, same to listed homes.

Costs:
The amount of money you spend during home extension will depend on the location, size of the house and specifications. On average, the process should cost £ 1000- £2000/m2.

The quality of the extension will also vary. For a single storey building, you will spend £1000-£1680/m2 for basic. A good quality home extension will cost you £1680-£1920/m2, and excellent quality will be £1920-£2160/m2.

The cost of extending a two-storey building is almost the same as a single storey. You will need to add the floors and wall joists beside the additional interior fixtures and finishes. In both cases, you will need the foundation and the roof.

 

Access to the New Home:
Your home should stay accessible even after the renovation. Furthermore, you will need deliveries to your home. Therefore, it should be convenient for trucks and lorries and have space that will ensure there is easy loading and offloading. Trades and the builders should have an ambient space to park their vehicles.

 

Boiler Needs:
The home extension should not interfere with the functioning of your existing boiler. Though, when the extension involves replacing your boiler, you can consider other options like the underfloor heating system.

 

Insurance:
Different insurance companies have different insurance policies regarding the coverage of a house. Some insurance companies will cover the damages that can occur when doing a home extension. Therefore, you need to confirm with your insurance company before planning the expansion.

 

Other Considerations:
Soil condition can as well affect the home extension you choose. In case there are trees around the house, you will consider them so that they don’t damage the house. Other factors like flooding history should factor in so that you can take the necessary precautions.