This page has been created to provide a comprehensive guide to planning, building and designing a house extension. With this in mind, this site has been developed to assist people who are currently considering having an extension to their house, but don't know where to start. There is a wealth of information and advice about the processes involved in having a House Extension from Planning Permission and Building Regulations right the way through to the finishing touches. Within this House Extension section of our website we have also included some useful tips about having a Loft Conversion, new Kitchen or bathroom.

Many people in today's housing market are frightened by the big difference in value between their current property and the next step up. Maybe it is the difference between a 2 and 3 bedroomed house, or maybe one of the owners now works from home and is in need of a study and a house with a study downstairs can be a considerable amount of money more than one without. When you consider the costs involved in moving house it may seem more sensible to consider having a house extension instead.

Move house or House Extension?

Are you slowly out growing your current home? or do you require further bedrooms, or would you like an extra room downstairs for use as either an office or a playroom for the children.

Your choices are to either move house to a larger property or if you have the land extend your current home.

House Extension

Adding a house extension to your house is obviously dependent on whether or not you have the available land adjacent to your property. If it is available an extension may be a more viable option compared to moving house, especially in areas where the difference in price of a house compared to the next size up is a daunting prospect. House extensions can create hassle - you may not be able to use your drive or garden for a few months. But you have the advantage that you don't need to move, and therefore, you are not dependent on selling your property and finding a new one that suits your needs - both within a time limit.

The costs involved can add up as with moving house. You will have the initial costs of using an architect to draw up the plans and submit them to the council for planning permission and building regulations approval. And, of course, the council require a fee - in fact two fees - one for planning permission and one for building regulations approval. The fees for the building are, in general, going to be the largest outgoing, though you must remember that there may be additional costs depending on the type of extension you are planning. For example, if you are extending a room by knocking down an outside wall, you will have to pay a structural engineer to calculate the size of the RSJ (the beam that supports the wall above the new gap), and a quantity surveyor to calculate the cost of the bean. Sometimes, plans have to change after work has started and this may involve extra costs. Builders, in general, will quote you for what they can see, quotes can change if extra work below ground is required.

There may also be costs involving your garden, e.g. landscaping afterwards if you taken up part of your garden. If you are extending the kitchen then you may need to have a new kitchen fitted. And, of course, there will be extra flooring (carpets, vinyl, wood etc), curtains and possibly new furniture.

Conclusion

There is no one answer to the question "Buy or Build" - it is very dependent on an individuals situation. Speak to an estate agents and to us to get a rough estimate on the costs involved in each option. You will need to weigh up the pros and cons of each option, and look at all the costs and decide which is the answer that suits your own situation.

If you do plan to go ahead with your house extension and you want some local friendly help then by all means give me a call and I will be happy to help!