Renovation
Home Expansion Tips That Can Benefit Every Homeowner
Do you find your current house too small for you and the rest of your family? Are you thinking of ways to address the problem? Instead of selling your home, why not choose to add more space through remodelling? If you come to think of it, home expansion projects are more practical and cost-effective compared to moving into a new place.
When planning for an expansion, you need to get in touch with home builders to help you complete the project. If you are using a water-based underground thermal system, you will also need to get in touch with floor screeding contractors. This is to ensure that your heating system will work efficiently by distributing heat evenly. It is also essential for you to be part of the team to ensure their final work will exceed your expectations.
Here are more tips critical to remember when starting on a home extension project.
Determine the things that are essential for the project
You need to prepare to purchase the materials required for expanding your home. In most cases, these will be the same items used for building a house. The only difference will be that you will need smaller quantities since you are only working on a home addition project.
- Cement, gravel, sand and hollow blocks for the foundation.
- Wood in different shapes and sizes for framing purposes.
- Locks or fasteners to ensure good quality.
- Electrical and plumbing materials such as pipes and wires.
- Roofing materials like galvanized iron sheets, gutters and shingles.
- Parts for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
- Window frames, doors, lighting and bathroom fixtures.
How much will the overall cost of the expansion project be?
Knowing the actual scope of your home expansion project makes it easier to determine the actual budget. Think of it as building a new house but smaller in size. However, you still need to worry about many things, including the securing of permits and the process of hiring qualified workers to finish the job on time. When planning for a budget, it is crucial to set realistic expectations, and it might take a five to six-digit sum to complete your expansion project.
Choose to work with an experienced architect
Some people think that they no longer need to work with an architect for a simple home extension project because they believe that the contractor can do it alone. However, it is still best to hire an architect to ensure that the home expansion project gets the best results. If you are comfortable with the setup, you can choose the same architect and contractor who did the original work on your house.
Prepare the necessary documents
Before starting any home additions, you must accomplish several documents. One of the essential material you should have are the floor plans. Make sure that your structure will is built within the allocated zoning restrictions in your area. It is best to comply with the rules because there is a possibility for the extended property to be torn down if you are caught going beyond your jurisdiction or property lines. You should also get in touch with a local party wall surveyor clarify all the necessary details at the Registry of Deeds. It is best not to attempt to skip some of these crucial steps to ensure that your expansion project will go on without any issues.
Lastly, do not forget to obtain the necessary building permits before the construction is set to begin. You also need to make sure that the construction site will not violate any property rules and you will not get in trouble with your neighbours.