Extending Your Home In Derby: Understanding The Basics

Posted by Tim Foster on Oct 31, 2017 12:51:26 PM

Extending Your Home In Derby - Understanding The Basics.jpg

More homeowners in Derby are finding it makes more sense to extend their property than move up to a bigger home. Certainly it’s less expensive and far easier (considering how difficult it is to obtain a mortgage these days). In addition, the number of new build homes coming available in and around Derby is still insufficient to fulfil local demand for adequate housing.

So, what exactly does building a home extension involve? In this article we give a general outline. For a more detailed view, please get in touch!

Research What Works

Speak to your neighbours, local estate agents and scour property sites for homes in your area. That way you can see what type of extension is popular and how much value it puts on a similar property. This will also give you a rough idea of how much you’ll want to spend on your extension.

For instance, if you live close to the city centre, where young people tend to buy or rent, it would probably make sense to add a home office or open plan kitchen diner extension with access to a garden via sliding floor to ceiling glass panels, rather than a spare en-suite bedroom where elderly or extended family members can stay.

Other means of extending your current home include undertaking a loft or basement conversion. This often entails adding an additional bedroom or home office in the former scenario, and a whole new floor in the case of the latter.

Get Environmental With Design

In terms of design, eco-materials and features will appeal to more tastes when you do actually come to sell your property on. By the same token, eco fixtures and fittings, such as LED lighting and low VOC paints, are contemporary moves which will also appeal to the younger set; many of whom have been brought up to become extremely environmentally conscious.

Hook Up With An Architectural Designer

Getting a professional in to talk through design ideas then come up with a detailed drawing makes complete sense (unless you happen to be an architect yourself). You’re going to be spending thousands of pounds on this extension, after all – you want it to be done correctly. In addition he or she will be able to apply for the proper planning permissions from the local council and probably be able to recommend at least a couple of building firms. Your architectural designer may also be able to supervise and manage the whole project for you, if you’d rather not.

Work Out A Budget

Many architects agree that an extension will cost around £150 per square ft. It’s possible to reduce that figure to around £100 per square ft. if you choose less expensive fixtures and fittings – and the converse is true too – i.e. more expensive fittings could bring the total up to £200 per square foot or more.

New Call-to-action

Topics: Extensions

Follow BDS

Subscribe to Email Updates

New Call-to-action

Recent Posts

New Call-to-action