Getting an extension can have a phenomenal impact on your home. Suddenly you have the space, style, and freedom you dreamed of, and it’s a great way to leave your mark on your house!
But getting an extension is a long, often challenging journey, so how can you be sure that you’re doing it right? Let’s find out.
Be Realistic
It’s easy to get carried away with your architectural daydreams when you’re sitting in your living room, and it can be easier still to walk around the space in your yard and picture precisely how everything’s going to slot right into place. But construction isn’t as easy as that.
Consider commissioning some results from a construction estimating software. These programs will help to give you an estimate of exactly how much time, material, and money this project is going to take.
That can be extremely useful when you’re in the planning stages to take any of the hidden surprises out of the process.
Get the Design Nailed
You probably have a pretty detailed idea of exactly how you want your extension to look, but making that a reality is probably pretty far out of your comfort zone.
You’ll need to get in touch with an architect who can help you design the perfect extension for you.
Working with an architect can be hard, especially if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Just remember that they only want to hear what you want from them.
Tell them everything, and pitch your wildest ideas, because you may not know what’s possible to build, but they certainly do.
Find the Right Builders
A vital aspect of building your extension is finding the right people to do it! The most devastating thing would be to have the extension of your dreams ruined by lazy work and untrustworthy builders.
There are so many factors to consider when you’re looking for the right construction crew. You need someone who’s local, so they’re easy to contact and more reliable in a pinch.
You should look for someone reasonably priced, but who also comes well recommended. Do your research into each crew and find some first-hand reviews of their work, you could even reach out to people who have used their services before, and let their experiences make up your mind.
Find Somewhere to Stay
The chances are your extension is going to be an invasive project in your life. Builders will be tearing up parts of your house for weeks, so be prepared.
You should find somewhere else to stay, whether it’s with a friend, family, or a hotel. Just remember to stay relatively nearby in case you’ve ever needed in an emergency.
Once you’ve sourced a place to stay, you may never even go there!
But if you have somewhere important to be, or you’re working from home and you can’t hear yourself think, it’s good to know that you have a backup planned.