A house extension can give you the extra space you need for a fraction of the cost of moving house. It will add value to your home and can help sell your property when the time comes to move. However, as Joiners in Edinburgh we have worked on many house extensions over the years and in our experience there are some dos and don’ts that are worth considering before commencing on this type of project.
DO take the style of the current building into consideration when planning the new extension. The old and the new parts of the building don’t need to look identical, but the styles have to work well together, inside and out. Never underestimate the value of kerb appeal; you may need to sell your property as some stage in the future. Take time to find a good architect, particularly if you have a period or listed building, as mistakes made at this stage are more costly to fix later on. A qualified architect will also know about local planning regulations and will be able to offer advice on local factors which may prevent certain types of modification.
DON’T ‘overdevelop’. Do some local research on the ceiling price for homes in your neighbourhood. It is risky to add a large expensive extension which makes your property worth much more than this ceiling price as you may find your property difficult to sell in the future. Streets where all the other houses are worth £200,000 will not attract buyers with £400,000 to spend. House extensions that give a modest increase in size to a home can be the best option for many people as they can almost immediately add more value than they cost to build.
DO keep a house extension proportionate. It should not overwhelm or dominate the original building or other houses in the street. Also make sure to leave enough usable garden space if it is a family house. In the future when you come to sell, potential buyers for this type of property will be looking for somewhere with enough outside space for children to play safely.
DON’T rush into making decisions about the new internal layout. The best house extensions are the ones where the old and the new parts of the property join seamlessly together. Open plan living is very on trend at the moment, so merging rooms to create one spacious kitchen/dining/living area is a great idea and fitting a brand new kitchen is always a good investment.
If you are looking to carry out some home improvements and would like some further information or advice, please get in touch or give us a call on 07500 061 010