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Building An Extension For Extra Storage Space

Home extension blueprint plan and tools

If you love your home but feel just a little bit more space would make life easier then an extension is the way to go. An extension gives you extra living and storage space without needing to go through the fuss and cost of moving into a larger house. Building a house extension is highly effective, it lets you bring your own design ideas to the table and adds value to your home. 

A well-planned extension can create a light, stylish and spacious home. Even small changes can have a big impact on space and design. This article will guide you through some of the key factors to consider so you know what to expect when extending your home. 

Home renovation with fireplace covered with plasterboard – 3d rendering

A home extension allows you to create a larger living space without needing to move house. The extension can be as small or large as you want (within reason and regulations) and can be positioned on either side of the home, above or underneath it too. 

There are many reasons you may want to extend your property and there are lots of benefits too:

  • – Create an extra room 
  • – Increase storage space 
  • – Save money on moving (Read on the cost of moving house here)
  • – Increase property value when it comes to selling 
  • – Opportunity to remodel and transform your home
  • – Opportunity to design a space you love – e.g. give yourself an outdoor area with a terrace

Planning Is A Must 

Careful planning will help you get the most for your money. Designing the extension If you have all of your measurements and information, you can use this with an architect or design company will help you turn your idea into a plan. While you may want to design it yourself, getting your ideas professionally drawn up is hugely beneficial. It will help you get accurate quotes from builders and it ensures you get the results you want. 

If you are looking for a quicker solution, you can use online services that have ARB registered architects that create professional architectural plans with the measurements you provide.

Either way, it’s a good idea to get plans drawn up by a designer for planning approval and drawings/ calculations drawn up by a structural engineer for Building Regulations. If your friends or family have had building work done they will probably be able to recommend people who have worked on similar projects. 

Create A Budget 

There are many factors to consider when budgeting for your extension. The cost of a house extension varies massively depending on the type and size. 

Extending a garage 15 square meters can cost between £4,500 – £20,000 while extending a kitchen 20 square meters can cost between £35,000 – £50,000. 

If you have all of your measurements and information, you can use this extension cost calculator to help you estimate the extension cost. This will give you a useful starting point but shouldn’t be considered the actual cost of your extension. 

The cost of an extension can be split into two groups; the building costs and the cost of making it fit for living with plumbing, plastering, electrics etc. If you’re building an extension room with its own shower or bathtub; you’ll need a team to handle all of the above, plus the materials and equipment. You’ll also require extra room for the shower/bath space. One of the ways you can save some space and money is with a more compact boiler, as the older models can take up a lot of space.

If you have a lower budget you could spread the cost by building an extension shell and then completing the non-structural work either yourself or in stages. The extension shell is basically the external build only which includes the foundations, brick or block walls and roofing. 

Low-Cost Extension Ideas That Instantly Increase Your Storage: 

  • 1. Add a porch – a porch will give your hallway or living room a more spacious feel while also providing you with storage space for hats, coats, shoes, umbrellas etc. Having all of your shoes and coats stored on the porch can make your home feel a lot less cluttered. A porch can help prevent heat from escaping and can improve your home security too. 
  • 2. Extend the utility room – the utility room is a practical and often essential space in the house. It is great for storage and you don’t need too much space for a utility room to be highly functional. Extending your utility room is a relatively simple way of giving yourself and your family more room. 
  • 3. Garage extension – if you need more storage space for your cars, sports equipment etc. then a garage extension could be the perfect solution. Extending the garage is ideal for storing your stuff which in turn makes your home feel tidier, less cluttered and more spacious.
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If you want to keep costs down keep your designs simple, use standard fittings and simplify the groundworks as much as possible. It’s possible to add high-value space to your home while keeping within a budget. 

Project Management 

Asian young man working at home with smartphone and laptop on sofa.

If you are using a design and build company then they will handle the project management for you. If you have used an architect or have designed the extension yourself then you will need a main contractor for the project management. You could also decide to manage the build yourself and hire subcontractors.

Proper management of the project is essential as time wasted means your costs are increasing without any progress being made. For example, if you are hiring scaffolding you want to make sure the necessary work is going to be completed during the hire period. This means ensuring the builders, materials and services are well organised. Hiring a small group of tradesmen with multiple trade skills can help keep continuity in your project. 

Planning Permission 

One of the biggest hurdles of home improvement is considered to be planning permission. Fortunately, not all extensions require planning permission. It’s best to check the Government’s website on this so you are familiar with the rules and where your extension plans fall within them. 

If your extension can be built under Permitted Development rights then you will still need to ensure it gets Building Regulations approval. These regulations are a set of minimum requirements that focus on the safety of the building. While this step isn’t an exciting one, it is vital for your project. 

Insurance 

Insurance should not be overlooked when it comes to home development work either. Make sure you inform your home insurance provider of the work before it starts so they can adjust the policy to include cover for the work. The changes should also mean the extension will be included in the policy upon completion. If your usual home insurance policy won’t cover the work you will need specialist site insurance.  

Home Extension Summary 

An extension is the best way to increase your storage space at home. As long as you carefully plan and manage the extension build it is a cost-effective solution that produces amazing results. Think carefully about where you would like the extension to be and how large you would like it. Remember, the larger and more complicated the extension is the more it is going to cost to build. 

Meanwhile, if you are looking for ways to make your home renovation much more manageable, check out this article on why Storage Units Are Helpful When Renovating A Home. You may also check out this article for more ideas on how to make additional space in your home. Lastly, we have partner man and van companies all over the UK, including London, Brighton, Edinburgh, and Cardiff, that you can hire to help you move your belongings to self storage.