WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN EXPANDING YOUR HOME

Expanding your home is a great renovation project that will help you increase your property’s value and functionality. While some simple home improvements don’t require much effort or money, home expansion is a more complex and challenging project and it requires careful planning and consideration. Therefore, it’s essential that you consider everything in advance and prepare for possible obstacles you may encounter. This way, not only will you avoid making a costly mistake, but you’ll also make the entire renovation process as efficient as possible. 

Planning the budget

Before undertaking this renovation endeavour, you should define your budget limits and decide how much money you can spend on expanding your home. You don’t want to spend months planning your perfect home only to realise that you can’t cover all the expenses. By defining your budget beforehand, you’ll be able to stay within your budget limits and avoid spending more than you can afford.
Depending on the size and type of your home expansion, costs can quite vary – an additional bathroom or bedroom can cost from $25,000 to $50,000, while adding a larger, family room can amount up to $100,000. Thus, you should consider all possible expenses and the payment method – you can apply for a construction loan if necessary. 

Defining the purpose

After you’ve come up with the budget, you can start planning and preparing for your renovation project. The first thing you need to consider is the purpose of your expanded space because it will greatly influence your options when it comes to material, size, style, etc. For example, if you’re planning to have children, you’ll need plenty of highly functional space.

Choosing the location

Depending on the purpose of your new space, you should choose a convenient location that will meet your needs. If you want to add a cosy family room, you can pick a spot facing your yard with a beautiful view and plenty of natural light. On the flip side, a bathroom shouldn’t face the street, but have a more private location. 

Consulting the pros

If you have no experience in home renovation whatsoever, it’s highly advisable that you seek professional help. You can meet with an architect who can suggest a renovation plan that will meet your budget and the renovation purpose, as well as fit into the general style of your home and your neighbourhood.
Those who have some building experience should assess their skills objectively and decide which projects they can do on their own and which ones should be left to the experts. Typically, structural work, like building the foundation, should be carried out by professionals who will ensure that everything is done properly. Also, some specific equipment such as mobile scaffold should also be provided by specialists who can also offer relevant advice and consultation. On the other hand, smaller updates, such as repainting the interior of your new space, don’t require any special skills and you can do them on your own.

Learning about the regulations

Another important step of the building process is informing yourself about the local regulations and laws. Before starting the construction work, you need to make sure that you meet all the necessary requirements and safety standards. Find out whether you need any additional permits and certificates and file the paperwork on time. 

Picking out the materials

Choosing appropriate materials that will meet the purpose of your space, contribute to its functionality and fit into the general design of your home is an important step when expanding your property. However, this is a great opportunity for you to try something new and different that will boost your home’s appeal and help you reduce your expenses. For example, if you have a brick house, you can choose wood for your new addition, which will be less expensive and more appealing. Just make sure to keep the wood in the same colour for a more cohesive look. 

Preparing for inconveniences

Expanding your home might be a long and noisy process, so you need to be prepared for all the possible inconveniences. Kitchen expansion might take up all of your space, so you should consider setting up a temporary kitchen. In addition, if you work from home, it might be too loud and distracting, so you should consider working somewhere else during the building process.

Since home expansion is quite a large improvement project, you should take some time to plan everything in detail. This way, you’ll sure that everything is done efficiently and as quickly as possible so that you can enjoy your new and improved home.