How to Extend a House? Home Extension Expert's Guide

Mani BuiltIQ • March 22, 2024
The decision to extend one's home can be made for a number of reasons. Perhaps your family is expanding, necessitating more space, or maybe you desire to construct a new cooking area or bathroom. For whatever reason, adding on to your home can be a significant undertaking and a wise investment to extend your home. We will guide you through every step of the process in this blog, from getting permits to designing your home's expansion.

Applying for Planning Permission When Extending a House

Obtaining planning permission is a crucial step in the planning of an addition, but it can be challenging to complete as well. Additionally, ensure that you have discussed your plans in detail with a builder or architect who is aware of the local planning authority's requirements. Generally speaking, you will require planning permission for a more ambitious extension project if:
• Your addition takes up half of the land that surrounds your house. 
• You are raising the construction on top of the height. 
• You are stretching beyond a semi-detached house's back by more than 3m. 
• You are expending over 4m past the rear of a detached property.
• The height of your one-story addition exceeds four metres. 
• Your one-story addition is more than half the width of your house and is located to the side of the property. 
• You're utilising materials that don't match the house's original design. 
• You want to construct a raised porch or balcony. 
• Your home is a listed property.

 What to Do If Your Planning Application is Rejected?

It is a possibility that the building control department may reject your application for some reason. However, this is what will happen if your application gets rejected: the refusal notice will specify whether you can appeal or not. It will also specify the time period in which you can appeal. An independent planning inspector, who will take into account national and local policy, as well as the impact of the proposal, will then consider the appeal.

What Kind of Extension Do You Need?

Depending on your needs and preferences, you can add a variety of extensions to your house. You may wish to think about extending your bedroom if you require an additional bedroom. An addition to your living room may be a wise decision if you require additional living space. An addition to your garage can be the finest choice if you require additional storage space. We have described some extension types with their average costs in the next section.

House Extensions – Types with Estimated Cost

Home extensions provide a range of choices to customise living areas, raise the value of a property, or improve aesthetics to suit individual needs and tastes. Let's examine the various kinds of house expansions that are offered:

Rear Single-Storey Extensions: Homeowners often opt for a single-storey rear extension to add living space, such as a kitchen, home office, or kids' playroom, offering practical and design flexibility.

Cost:

The cost of an ordinary rear single-storey home extension goes from £1,900 to £2,400 per m² (the cost matters on the region also), with premium materials surpassing £2,700 per m².

Double-Storey Extensions: A two-story extension is an additional structure built into an existing building, extending two floors or levels. It provides more living space and rooms above the original structure, making the property more functional and valuable and allowing homeowners to adjust without moving.

Cost:

A 50 m² double-story addition offers twice the living area with prices per m² ranging from £1,500 to £2,000.

Basement Extensions: A basement addition can enhance your house's living space without altering its exterior appearance. It offers various options for home theatres, exercise centres, or additional bedrooms catering to your lifestyle.

Cost:

A complete basement conversion or expansion project might cost anything from £2,875 per m² for a waterproofed room to £975 per m² for a fully waterproofed space with floor screed.

Garden Extensions: Good news if you reside in a place where tight planning regulations are common! Your rights to allow for allowed development may extend to garden rooms. It implies that you won't have to submit a whole planning application, even if you will require some documentation.

Cost:

The price of a garden extension normally ranges from £10,250 to £16,750, depending on the size and design of the garden.

The Design Stage in House Extension

When designing an extension, one must consider more than just the finished interior; one must also consider the structure and height of the roof, the materials to be used outside, the design of the doors and windows, and the footprint of the addition. Everything you need to consider while designing is covered here:

  • Estimated Expenses Considerations: Create a reasonable budget to help you make decisions and stick to your spending limits.
  • Size and Layout Planning: Determine the optimal location for the extension and design the layout for optimal use and smooth integration.
  • Natural Light: For optimal natural light, use skylights, wide windows, or bi-fold doors to create a bright atmosphere.
  • Future-Proofing: To boost a home's value and accommodate shifting needs, design with energy-efficient appliances, flexible areas, and sustainable features.

How to Find a Builder for Your Extension?

  • Consult friends or the internet for suggestions when looking for a trustworthy builder for your home addition.
  • List possible builders and have a thorough discussion about your project.
  • Compare the costs and services to get an idea of which company is best for you.
  • For precise estimates, provide comprehensive project information.
  • To safeguard yourself and the builder and to ensure clear communication on scope, timeframes, and costs, sign a contract before work commences.

Finals Talks

Extending your home is a significant decision, requiring planning permission and consultation with a knowledgeable builder or architect. It's not just an investment in space but also a valuable investment. Be aware of local regulations for larger projects. Built IQ assists homeowners in extending their homes, ensuring a smooth process from permits to design.

By Eazi Business September 16, 2019
Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic, invite an expert to write about it. Having a variety of authors in your blog is a great way to keep visitors engaged. You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page that gets lots of comments, you can look here to find topics to write about.
By Eazi Business September 16, 2019
Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic, invite an expert to write about it. Having a variety of authors in your blog is a great way to keep visitors engaged.
By Eazi Business September 16, 2019
Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic, invite an expert to write about it. Having a variety of authors in your blog is a great way to keep visitors engaged. You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page that gets lots of comments, you can look here to find topics to write about.