Tips for building a house extension

24 May 2016
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog

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If you love your home but are in desperate need of more space, adding an extension might be the solution; it's far less expensive than buying a larger property and it is likely to add value to your current house, provided it is built to a high standard.  Here are some tips that will help to ensure that this project goes smoothly.

Design it with care

When planning the style of the extension, it is essential that the design and materials you choose are in keeping with the rest of the property. You might for instance, want a contemporary home office with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, but if you live in an old rustic cottage, this would look completely out of place. The most noticeable features like the doors, windows and roof should be of a similar style to those present in the existing structure.

It's also important to consider whether your preferred size and layout will negatively affect the rest of your property; for example, building a spacious new kitchen at the back of the house could drastically reduce the size of the garden area. Whilst this might not be an issue for those who rarely use their outdoor space, it could present some problems if you enjoy having outdoor dinner parties or if your children like to play outside regularly.

Hire an expert

If the extension you intend to build will be very small in size and simple in design, then you might be able to complete the project alone or with the help of a builder. However, if you are hoping to create a space which is quite large or structurally intricate, then you may need to hire a residential drafter who will have the technical expertise needed to plan this type of complex building.

The computer-aided drawings produced by residential drafting services will include information not only about the design and dimensions of the extension, but also about the specific procedures that will need to employed and the materials that will have be used to create the end result you want. Whilst hiring a drafter will of course increase the cost of this project, this additional expense should be viewed as an investment; a poorly-constructed extension will not only be more likely to need repair work later down the line, but could actually reduce the house's overall value. As such, if you want the extension to last and are concerned about your home's future sale-price, it really is worth enlisting the help of an expert.

Contact a company like Stylewise Designs to get started with the drafting process.