Home Extension Tips

1.Firstly, if you are planning on extending your home because you are looking to increase its value on the property market, then you really need to talk to an estate agent. An informed estate agent is really important and should be able to tell you what a potential buyer on the market will be looking for in a house.

2.Remember if your garden space will be decreased because of the planned extension then you will need to factor this in if you plan on selling in the future. A big house with little or no garden will be a hindrance to some buyers and therefore much harder to sell.

3.A home extension is a lot cheaper than moving or building a new house, but the cost of building the extension is greater per square foot. The reason for this is due to it being a smaller build and therefore less profitable job for the builder.

4.In Ireland, building an extension or indeed making any other significant changes to your house may require that you get planning permission. You must be certain you have the right permission before you start, otherwise it can result in severe fines or even imprisonment. So remember before you turn a sod remember to speak with your local authority on the matter.

5.Hire an architect. This is one step that is absolutely crucial if you want top quality results on your extension. This may be an expensive short-term step to take, but a top architect can save you money from long term mistakes and bad workmanship and he/she will also sort out the planning permission side of things for you. Before you choose your architect, make sure you talk to a number of them in advance and not only to compare price but to get as much advice as you can and see who you would get on best with. If you have a good idea of what you need in advance it will save you money as the architect won’t have to do as many revisions on your plans so sketch out something on paper. So hopefully you all paid attention in Art class??

6.Have some idea of a budget that you want to spend on the extension. This is to make sure that you don’t face any nasty surprises half way through. Get a number of quotes and never choose a builder just because he’s given you the cheapest quote. More often than not, you will get what you paid for. If it seems too good to be true then it most certainly is when it comes to building. Always allow for roughly 10% more than you’ve budgeted for as unforeseen expenses will always pop up. It’s a bummer we know but better to be prepared!! Make sure that you know if the prices you got for the job are inclusive or exclusive of VAT. You don’t want to get any surprise at the end of the build that there is VAT to be added on to the price. That type of a shock along with the stress of the project could turn you into a crazy monkey person which could cause issues for you within the local community.

7.Get references, qualifications and insurance details from each contractor who quotes for the job. Make sure you have a building contract drawn up between you and the contractor so that there is no confusion on what has to be done. The building contract should describe everything about the extension including the exact specification of the work to be done, materials to be used, stage payments and timescale which is really important as you don’t want to be featured on the TV show cowboy builders.

8.It’s worth bearing in mind that you may also need to rent alternative accommodation while the extension is underway, and this in itself should be factored into your overall budget. A typical house extension, depending on the size can realistically take anywhere from four to six months from start to finish. In Ireland, nothing EVER gets completed in two months!

9.Always make sure you use the best electrical and plumbing fixtures and fittings that you can afford. This doesn’t mean getting the fanciest fixtures and fittings that you can find but the most reliable. A good plumber or electrician can advise you on what to choose. Try to avoid the big high street D.I.Y stores for such fixtures & fittings because these stores are always considerably more expensive!! They charge more for convenience.

10.Before you go extending, have a chat with your neighbours first. You would be surprised the amount of times neighbours become irritated during a renovation, simply because they weren’t informed about it. This problem can be avoided by a simple chat prior to work commencing. Let’s be honest nobody likes grumpy neighbours!!

11.You may not realise it, but a new extension could significantly reduce the amount of natural light entering your house. Try and utilise the light so that this doesn’t play a part. One tip is to use Velux windows rather than the standard vertical ones, as they let in more light. These are those roof windows that you can’t reach but will certainly be a great addition to any new build if light becomes an issue.

12.Make sure to have an independent certifier sign off on each stage of the build. Only pay for each stage as it’s signed off by the certifier. Consider using an escrow payment facility to manage the payments and to safeguard both you and the contractor. This means until you are 100% happy with the work completed at each stage only then does the building contractor get paid.