When work is awarded to a contractor or a home renovation company to renovate or add certain elements to a home, it is called home extensions. Usually not much planning and permissions are required when adding extensions and the budget is also considerably lower than repairing or rebuilding. Here are some tips that everyone needs to know before extending their house.
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| Home Extensions |
# Getting permissions
It is best to make sure you have all necessary permissions before work gets started. Although permissions may not be needed depending on the size and scale of the extension, but it is best to be sure. In many cases, neighbors or the local council might oppose changes involved in extensions and thus informing them beforehand is better.
In many cases, neighbors have filed complaints because extensions are blocking a part of their house. Be sure you know the legal rights you have regarding planning and developing your home. If you are acting within your rights, no legal system can harm you.
# Budget
Fixing a proper budget should be the done carefully as it is one of the most important steps in any project. When planning home extensions, sit down and decide the budget before you do any work.
If you are planning to hire a professional service, get in touch with them and discuss potential prices. If you just write down an estimated number, there is a high possibility you are forgetting to add taxes and some hidden costs that might be involved. This can lead to budgets spiraling out of control and might affect your ability to pay for the entire extension project. Just to be safe it is advised to add 10-15% to your budget in case costs somehow exceed expectations.
# Hiring professional help
In some cases, home extensions may require serious planning and execution might be equally tough. This is not a simple DIY project and it is better to hire a proper architect and construction teams. This will make sure that your house is solid, stable and safe in terms of design. In fact sometimes getting permissions might involve having your plans sanctioned by a qualified structural engineer or architect.
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| Home Extensions |
Professional construction teams will have a lot of experience and they will also know which raw materials will be better. They might also help you reduce costs since they know which best material is available at lowest price.
# Think long term
You should always think hard and long before making any permanent change to your house. Making some change that is really trending, might add to the aesthetic look of your house but there might be downsides too. It is possible that the home extensions might not be liked by others after a few years and then selling the house can become really difficult. You must only make changes which are necessary and make sure the appropriate budget and space is also available. Whenever you are adding extensions to your house, think beforehand if it will be necessary in a few years’ time.
# Insurance issues
It is important to go through your insurance plan before making any changes to your house. This is because many insurance providers might not agree to cover your home anymore if you make any extensions or change the structure. It is also advisable to get site insurance while work is ongoing.
Make sure you consult with the contractors or the construction company itself and know about any such insurance or liability plans they have. If they do not have this, it is best to not hire them for work as any injury at work may lead you to pay for damages at both your home and for their medical or life coverage.
The above mentioned points will help you if you are planning for home extension for your house.
November 11, 2016
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