Is your home starting to feel a little too claustrophobic? Has your family simply outgrown all of the reasons why you once loved it? It sounds like it may be time to up sticks and move on – but there is another way. Forget all the hassle of saying goodbye to your familiar space and instead consider how a home extension really could be the answer to all of your problems – especially if you spend time on your house extension plans before rushing ahead.
- Need more space?
- Love the area where you live?
- Love your home’s character?
- Want a more practical space?
- Kids growing up?
- Eyeing a great investment?
- Moving house too expensive?
In reality, you don’t need us to tell you why you’re reading this advice about home extension plans – because everyone’s reasons are different and still no less valid. The real question is how to make the first moves towards making it a reality that, when you finally turn the key in a few months’ time, makes your heart sing rather than sink.
So before doing anything else, stop for just a minute or three and ask yourself these 8 simple questions that could be the difference between a dream home and nightmare home extension mistakes:
1. What’s the first move?
Every marathon starts with that first step, but it’s actually not the first move if you think about all the preparation and professional support. It’s no different with your home extension plans, so make sure you have that expert guidance right from the beginning – from the initial concept.
2. What’s it for?
It’s easy to get carried away with great home extension plans – and lose sight of the big picture. So ask yourself: what are you actually trying to achieve here? Are you looking ahead to when the kids get a bit older? Is it for investment purposes? Or are you hoping to finally be able to host big parties that before now were simply inconceivable? Before getting into detailed home extension designs, break it down to the most basic level and try to encapsulate your vision in a single sentence.
3. Is it achievable?
Obviously, the focus is on making your home better – but is there even space for an extension? If it’s just adding a bedroom, that’s usually doable – but a big new wing for a new kitchen, dining and entertainment space could need compromise or…
4. Should you go up?
Don’t despair at your lack of extension room yet – because you may be able to go up rather than out! A second storey extension means you leave your garden and other ground-level features intact, but you’ll have to weigh up the extra structural costs.
5. Can you afford it?
Often, people start making detailed extension plans and forget completely about some of the biggest home extension costs of all – such as demolition and any structural remedies. A single load-bearing wall coming down can mean a cavalcade of tradies including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tilers, painters and more, so keep in mind that one simple move can open up an expensive can of worms.
6. Should you stay or go?
Similarly, we see so many people ask us about home extensions without realising that the scale of their plans means they’ll simply have to move out while it’s being done. In other cases, staying put can be more attractive – but it’s important to fully understand the disruptions you’ll be facing in the meantime.
7. How long will it take?
Well, how much is a new car? The point we’re making is that while a super-simple extension or renovation could take a few weeks, any decent-sized project involves a timeline of several months – and perhaps even longer.
8. How do I get started?
We’ve arrived at question #8 – but it sounds a little like question #1, doesn’t it?
That’s because, at the end of the day, the vast majority of people may be the ones with the big ideas – but then you need experienced design, drafting, regulatory, construction and trades professionals to turn it all into the real thing.
The starting point is work with a quailty drafting service (that’s us!). We’ll produce your extension plans and ensure everything is carefully considered to match your needs and budget before the project commences.
Turn your home extension ideas into reality
Here at RFT Solutions, we’re ready to slide into the driving seat and take all the stress out of translating your grand vision into a dream project that works. Get started today by calling the extension design experts at RFT Solutions today.
