Property extensions are one of the best ways to invest in your home. Adding extra living space will boost your property value and you are guaranteed a sizable return on your investment. They can be disruptive when they are being built, and require a lot of planning, but the money you can make in the long run makes them worth the effort.
Here is a quick guide to some top tips for planning your property extension into your garden space that can save you some headaches, and some money. By making some smart decisions in the planning phase you can receive planning permission from your local authority quickly, and get straight to work.
Complete Ecological Appraisals
If you are extending your property, even if it is in an urban area and not the countryside, you should complete a preliminary ecological appraisal on the site. This will help ensure that your plans will not have a detrimental effect on the surrounding flora and fauna. The experts at Arbtech can complete one of these appraisals for you, and this may help you get planning permission for an extension from your local authority.
All building work should take the surrounding environment into account, and consider the needs of local wildlife when planning the work and designing the finished product. Local authorities are always eager to see that these surveys have been completed and that any property extension will not inhibit the habitats of wildlife.
Plan The Size And Shape
When you are designing your property extension, you should work with your architect to ensure you are getting the most you can for your money, and that the extension fits in with the surrounding area. Your extension should not only suit the architecture of your existing structure but also complement the designs of the houses around you. This will help ensure you receive planning permission.
The size of your extension is important too. The work will require a significant investment, and the more square feet you add to your property, the better the return will be on your property value. If you can add a little extra space, even if it is only suitable for a small storage cupboard, you should do it. Your architect should know how to maximise the area you have to build on to.
Think Of Your Neighbours
The extension you build could impact your neighbour’s privacy. Your extension could overlook their property and even their home. This could affect their access to sunlight throughout the year, or give your new room a view into their bedrooms or bathrooms. When you are planning and designing your extension, you should consider where your windows will overlook and the size and shape of the shadow the building will cast.
Your neighbours will probably be impacted by the building phase of the extension as well. Before you submit your planning application, you should reach out to your neighbours and discuss your extension. Take their concerns onboard and find ways to mitigate any issues they have by altering your plan if necessary. With the right approach, they may even help you with your extension by giving you access through their property, for example.
Check The Groundworks
The area immediately surrounding your home may have water pipes, sewers, or even mains electricity feeds located where you would like to build. An extension requires firm foundations, just like your home does, so you should check any existing blueprints or plans of your home to find out where they are. Their location could impact your design, or even derail your extension plans altogether.
Depending on what lies beneath the ground you wish to build on, you could see the costs of your extension increase. Water and electricity feeds can be moved, as can sewers, but this level of work is extremely expensive and could put the cost of the extension beyond your finances. The drainage, water, and power needs of your extension will also have to be a part of your plan, and these can also add costs.
Plan The Work Access
For the work to be completed, you are going to need materials delivered to the site regularly. Some of these materials may be large or even need a crane to be delivered. When you are planning your extension, you need to plan how the work will be completed too, and consider how this will impact the home and your neighbours.
Local authorities will want to know how you plan to complete the work, and you may need their assistance to get the work done. If parts of your extension will be delivered by a large or wide load lorry, for example, you may need to close off part of your street for a short time. You will have to engage with the local authority and your neighbours to do this.
Consult A Local Building Contractor
Before submitting your plans, you should contact local builders for their advice. This will help you get an accurate idea of the potential costs, and they may have some advice that will help you to submit a successful plan. You should try and get a contractor that you want to work with involved as soon as you can to help you design and plan your extension.
When you are looking for a building contractor, it is worth looking for one with project management experience. Building a property extension is complicated. You may feel able to manage the project yourself, but paying a little extra for a professional to handle it for you relieves you of a lot of responsibility and stress.
House extensions require a lot of planning. Even the planning phase requires planning. All the effort will be worth it in the long run, however, as extending your home will have a huge positive impact on your property price. Remember, if you are sensible when designing your extension and add both living spaces and bedrooms, you will receive a massive return on your investment. The extension should pay for itself when you eventually sell your home.
