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Key Questions to Ask Before Scheduling a Home Extension

16 December 2019

Tommy Franklin

People decide to extend their home for a wide variety of reasons. For example, they may simply run out of space, want to add some significant value to the property, need to accommodate ageing parents, make their kitchen more functional and so on. Once they have made such a decision, however, they do need to look at it from a practical perspective and make sure that they take all potential issues into account before they proceed. If you're in this situation, what do you need to focus on before you press the button?

Determining the Impact

In your mind's eye, you may have pictured your ideal extension and believe that it is eminently feasible. Before you reach out for consultation, however, determine whether the work could impact others and, specifically, your neighbours.

Ask yourself some questions. When the work is complete, could it block some of the sunlight from reaching your neighbour's property, or could it come very close to a boundary wall or fence? Could they object because some of the new windows overlook their property, from a privacy perspective?

Assessing Your Patience

If you're happy with all of those situations, determine how much patience you have and how long you may be willing to wait before the extension is complete. After all, there will be a certain amount of planning permission involved and you will need to engage various contractors, working under different time frames, to help you get everything done.

Tailoring Expectations

Set your topline budget and then talk with architects and designers who can advise you if it is realistic. They may also be able to tailor your expectations and come up with an alternative, based on the figures that you give to them.

Getting Commitment

Then, talk with contractors and get their commitment to the project. Ask them to confirm if they can do all the necessary work according to the final budget and according to the projected timeline. However, it's always a good idea to have a little extra leeway in your finances, just in case issues come up as everything is underway.

Listening to the Input

Don't be afraid to revisit your plans as you gain input from all of these professionals. Remember, this is their area of expertise and they will have been involved in projects similar to yours before, so are well placed to give you the relevant advice.

Do you have more questions? Contact local home extension contractors to learn more. 

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