Average extension cost

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Average cost

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Most extensions by their very nature; will mean you will lose some of your outside space. It would be wise to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of this to make sure that you will still have a good balance when it comes to proportions both inside as well as outside your home. Of equal importance is appearance. Your new extension should ideally blend in with the rest of your property and not look out of place. This is especially important for older period properties but no matter what type of property you own, an extension should appear seamless and should take on the same colour scheme as the original property. Obtaining planning permission is essential and will help with these types of issues and should not be left until after the work has been done. If an unapproved colour or choice of material is used in your build, your local council can insist that the extension is knocked down and rebuilt in line with their rules and regulations. This would obviously be an extremely costly mistake, not to mention the heartache, stress and upheaval involved. Extensions work best when they are adding functional space to your home such as a downstairs W.C., a utility room, creating a larger living room or dining room. However, it might be a mistake to add an extra bedroom to a property with limited living space as this might not appeal to future buyers.

The most important factor with any project of this size usually boils down to cost. If you are able to tackle some of the work yourself then you will be able to reduce labour costs. If not, you should consider sourcing reputable companies with long track records and ask for detailed quotes. At least 3 different companies would allow you to estimate a rough overall price; however factors such as the type of finish and your choice of materials will also impact here. If your extension will require excavation work or the delivery of building materials, you may have to account for the hire of heavy machinery and its access. Once the main building is up, you will then need to add in specialist costs such as electrical work, any plumbing that may be required, roofers and joiners to name a few. Planning permissions and completion certificates should be accounted for, as well as any architect fees if you intend to have your plans drawn up by a professional. Decorating costs are usually ignored on the basis that this can be done eventually, however it is always better to allow for this in the overall budget as if you find you have run out of money, then things like decorating or fixtures and fittings that may be needed may never materialise. Definitely not the position you want to find yourself in after all the work that you've done. Finally, if you have had to change the layout in your garden to accommodate your new extension, you may have some landscaping to do to make sure your outside space looks right and compliments the change.

Whatever your plans are, from building a single or two storey extension; to adding a conservatory, converting your attic space or making more use of a dormant basement, do your homework at the outset and you will achieve the desired end result to spec and on budget.