Home Extension Mistakes Everyone Should Avoid
After purchasing your house, home improvements are likely to be your second most significant investment. Most people only make changes to their homes once in their lifetime, so they likely need more prior expertise.
While it is great to be able to make changes to your house and have control over its final appearance, there are several frequent errors that we have seen individuals make.
Large-scale restorations and home additions may be as labour-intensive as constructing a home from the ground up. And one of the main worries we often hear from homeowners is that they want to avoid making expensive errors.
They want to avoid overspending, running into issues during building, or ending up with an extension that falls short of their goals or doesn’t look nice.
We’ve compiled the most common home extension mistakes home owners make for you to be aware of. But always remember to never hesitate to talk to your trusted home builders to avoid all the hassle of going through this mistakes.
Common Home Extension Mistakes
Mistake #1: Lack of attention, designing and planning
The most significant error homeowners make when constructing house additions is needing to devote more time, effort, and focus to the project’s design and planning phases. It would help if you spent time perfecting the design of your home additions throughout the design and planning stage. It’s also when you and your builder finalise your product choices and materials. The project may take forever in the beginning, but it will be well worth it.
Mistake #2: Being unclear about your objectives
Making changes to your home can be done for two reasons: to increase its resale value in the hopes of selling it for a profit or to build a house you want to stay in for the foreseeable future.
Understand why you are changing since this will affect many of the decisions you make.
You risk building a house that you believe other people would enjoy living in, but that isn’t truly functional for your family if you place too much emphasis on resale profit when your real intention is to remain for a while.
Mistake #3: Unplanned Budget Before a House Extension
A professional builder will be able to describe every aspect of your project in-depth and provide you with an accurate cost estimate. Make sure to make the typical error of not budgeting for your extension. Any cost overruns or blowouts might create worry, but if done correctly, there shouldn’t be any need to be alarmed.
Mistake #4: Overspending on the incorrect furnishings or spaces
Every budget has its restrictions. Therefore it’s crucial to prioritise what matters most to you to least in addition to making a complete list of your “needs” and “wants.”
To please a potential buyer or your family, who will have to put up with the alterations for a long time, your list of priorities should include the essential furnishings and spaces. Priority should be given to the areas used the most, such as the kitchen and living room, over bedrooms and study spaces, and to the flooring or appliances used the most over less-used ones.
Mistake #5: Working With The Wrong Builder
While everyone can create, only some builders will be a good fit for your project. An existing home’s renovation and addition require specialised knowledge and abilities. Hiring a local builder familiar with the planning guidelines set forth by your regional council pays off.
Mistake #6: Disturbing your neighbours
They are having good ties with your neighbours before and after your project is highly advantageous. We usually urge our customers to let their neighbours know as soon as possible about their extension plans. There are no surprises, and you can determine how they feel about it. Building projects can cause disruptions to nearby houses. Everyone will benefit from understanding this and acting respectfully and courteously.
Mistake #7: Being unsure
Many of our clients change their minds regarding design components throughout their construction. This isn’t always an issue; sometimes, it is perfect. However, there may be additional costs if, for instance, designs need to be updated or a planning permission application modified. We cannot stress enough how important it is to take your time with your design. Making the proper decision upfront will help you save time and money afterwards.
Mistake #8: Choosing not to insure your extension project
Your current house insurance coverage can become void once you begin construction on your addition. It’s simple to overlook this information while engrossed in a building job. As soon as you start the design process, we advise you to call your insurance company and ask for guidance. This ensures that you take advantage of this crucial factor and have plenty of time to look around for competitive insurance.
When Do You Need a House Extension?
Your needs for your home are changing.
Your lifestyle will alter as you reside in your home longer, necessitating more rooms or spaces. Many homeowners like home extensions that are needs-based. For instance, their kitchen space might increase if their homes require a larger kitchen. Cost estimates for a kitchen or a one-story addition differ. Costs may also increase as a result of local construction codes and permits.
You have visitors more often.
More individuals will visit your home as time passes if you’ve lived there a long time. Over time, you could receive additional visits from family members, coworkers, friends, or neighbours. As a result, you must make your home more adaptable and extend it to account for these circumstances. In addition to giving your visitors a larger reception space, you are also setting up additional rooms for them to sleep and stay in if they intend to remain in your house for an extended period.
Your family is growing.
The majority of homeowners are married couples with future intentions for children. As a parent of a growing family, you can find it difficult to predict how many people will live in your home over time. Therefore, while your children are still growing up and living with you, you need to expand the living areas in your home. To assist in moulding their formative years, kids need their rooms and more room to move about.
Having an Extension to Your Home Is a Smart Investment
Building an addition increases a home’s aesthetic appeal and market value. Your house seems more significant, and with the right design choices, it will also be lovely from the inside and outside. If you would like to sell or rent your property in the future, having a larger floor plan and a lovely exterior will raise its worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
A house’s expansion is always subject to size restrictions. There is no minimum size requirement for extensions under homeowner planning requests. However, the focus is mainly on ensuring the site size is adequate and that the expansion serves the existing house.
Even a tiny space between extensions might lead to issues. It would be ideal for connecting the extensions. Since this would be a party wall problem, you would need your neighbour’s written consent. The planning office and building inspector want evidence that your neighbour is amenable.
The most significant value is often added by adding bathrooms and double bedrooms. Speak to local property professionals and architects for their expert opinion to receive a precise assessment of how much value your expansion may contribute.
You must adhere to the construction standards if you wish to expand your property. This is a legal obligation, and if you don’t have official clearance and control, your local government may order you to demolish or rebuild occasionally essential project components. It could result in legal action and astronomical fines.
Key Takeaways
In Melbourne and its suburbs, most homes currently have extensions. Some are built with deliberate design, while others are created without it.
It’s a significant thing to expand your house. You’re doing a project to enhance how you live in your house, so you want to keep expenses low and construction on schedule. The latter, however, might make the expanded area appear cluttered owing to a lack of planning if it is discussed. Additionally, if the expansion is built without good design, your home may have structural problems.
It’s best to talk to expert renovation builders and professionals to lessen the chance of committing mistakes on your home extension projects.
