Many of us arrive at the point when we feel we are outgrowing our home!
Whether it is an increase in family size with more bedrooms required, a flourishing business needing a home office, an annexe for an elderly relative, or simply you need to improve functionality with a more contemporary open plan style of living. We all aspire to having a great living space and making those well needed improvements.
What are my options?
When it comes to getting more space, there are two main options; you can extend your current home, or you can move into a larger one. It’s a big decision and well worth spending time weighing up your options.
Have you seen the prices of properties at the moment?
No matter where you are in the country prices have risen astronomically in recent years. Strong house price growth and the high cost of moving combined with Brexit fears means more house-holders than ever are improving or enlarging their homes instead of moving. There are a number of fees to consider when moving, usually a bigger mortgage with associated arrangement fees, property survey, stamp duty, estate agent and solicitor fees and removal company fees. When doing your sums, you can factor in a good £10k for all the costs and hassle related to moving which is pretty much is regarded as ‘dead money’. A new property also takes a period of time living in to realise if the space is working for you and your family which could be a costly mistake. Selling up and buying is a long, drawn-out and stressful process.
I've looked into moving and you're right it's expensive!!!!
It could also be that the step up to the kind of property you need for your family simply isn’t achievable in the area you love, due to property price, and your own circumstances such as the lack of availability of additional mortgage borrowing.
You may already love your house and just need to re-configure the layout for changing family needs. If you already really like your existing location and it’s close to schools, amenities, and with good neighbours, then an extension might be the most financially viable and sensible thing to do. You can use the bank of equity you have built up in your property to do the work, without needing to increase total borrowing. If you are likely to stay for more than 5 years, then the cost of the work is likely to be absorbed and buffered by market price rises anyway and be at least cost-neutral.
What are the other benefits of great design?
The aim is not just to increase the value of the house, though, It is to enhance the existing property to make it suit you and your family better, to improve the level of ‘liveability’, not just in the short term but to also ensure that in the long term it is a place the kids always feel they can come home to, however old they get. Also consider the market value of property in your area, if it is already a popular high value area or potentially increasing in value, are any new amenities being planned that could see prices in your area rise in the future? This, combined with a carefully considered, well balanced extension could well increase home equity.
Which type of extension shall I go for?
So if you have a house with outside space or a loft with enough headroom then extending your property upwards and outwards is a real possibility. With careful management and project planning a high-quality extension can transform the use of a property. There are a wide variety of options, in diverse architectural styles and merit. Lofts and basements can be utilised whilst single-storey rear and side extensions maximise space and can completely transform living space. Garden rooms or orangeries have elegance, functionality and flood light deep into the building plus contemporary finishes like bi-fold aluminium doors open up the house to the external landscaping.
Extended family ties?
Conversions designed to accommodate extended family are becoming more popular, older generations are selling up and joining their children. This allows grandparents to do the school run, while parents work, with also an eye to the future when grandparents may need care themselves. Even in period homes, contemporary extensions can cleverly incorporate elements from the original architecture resulting in a pleasing combination of old and new. An extension is a great opportunity to add fabulous spaces and transform an otherwise traditional property into something amazing.
How much will it cost?
Costs involved vary depending on size, location and extra services. These might include a property survey, fees for architects, structural engineers, building regulations checks and planning permission, should you need it.
What can I do?
Loft conversions can often be done without planning permission and even some smaller extensions under ‘permitted development’ rights if no more than 3 metres to the rear of the original property. Under the current relaxed rules, larger extensions can be achieved too, up to eight metres from the rear wall of a detached property, and the complete width of the original house, providing it meets all of the tests for permitted development, and you seek prior approval under the neighbour consultation scheme. The government’s Planning Portal lays out the regulations and explains what is permitted without planning permission, along with details of how to apply. In some cases permitted development can be restricted for a particular property, by conditions on previous planning applications, so its’ probably best to speak to a professional to make absolutely sure that the work you’re planning fits with policy. Of course, applying for Planning permission, if the extension you need does not fit these rules, remains a viable option.
Who can help me?
SA Architectural Services invest a lot of time and put great importance in project planning and analysing the brief. For us, this is the most important step. We define budget and likely timescales and quality risk at the early stages to ensure the client is fully informed before entering into a full-service contract. We produce high quality CGI renders and 3D models to allow the client to properly visualise the design at the earliest possible stage. We recognise that change to the design is inevitable, but we try to ensure that changes are made at the most effective cost point; in the design phase rather than on site in construction.
Is your house an investment, or a home for your family?
We'd like to think it is both. Having the home you want, in the area you like, for you and your family is more valuable than being able to look at a valuation report telling you how much you would get if you sold it! That said, investing in making your property better will likely increase its’ appeal, and value, if you ever need to sell. Be prepared for the inevitable upheaval construction work will cause, but also be prepared to bring great design into your everyday life, and to get the house you’ve always wanted. Think of the freedom a house that is designed to meet your needs could bring to your life now, and in the years to come.
