One of the most frustrating problems you may face when raising a family is realising you no longer have enough living space for everyone. Your house might have been the perfect size when you first moved in, but you've gradually outgrown it as the years passed by. Now what do you do?

If moving to a bigger house isn't an option you're considering, you could try extending your current home. This is where home extensions come in.

Home extensions are construction projects that are intended to create additional space in existing homes. These residential build projects are ideal for anyone who wants to expand their living space without relocating to a new property.

Before starting a home extension project, you should know that not all extensions are created equal. There are different ways to extend your home, and which one suits you best depends on a variety of factors.

Review the following factors to help you determine which home extension is right for you.

Local building regulations

You may or may not require planning permission to extend your home, as local council requirements for home extension projects may vary depending on the area you live in. Check with your local council to find out if you'll need to obtain a planning permit from them before starting the project. 

Even if you don't require planning permission, there may be building regulations that specify what's allowed and what's not allowed. Getting yourself acquainted with these will help you avoid non-compliance issues once the project is underway.

Availability of space 

If you're like most homeowners, you prefer extending outwards because it helps to minimise disruption to your family life. Unlike upward extensions, spreading out eliminates the need to tear off your roof to create the extra space you need. On the downside, your ability to extend out can be limited by the available space. You can only create as much living space as your yard can allow. 

If you have a small yard or don't want to cut into your existing yard, building upwards is your ideal solution. However, this may require temporarily moving out of the home as the roof gets removed to allow for the addition of top storeys.

Building design

The design of your home also plays a role in determining which type of extension is right for you. For example, if your home lacks adequate structural load capacity to to support the weight of additional storeys, you may have to rule out the possibility of making upward additions to it. 

If you insist on taking that route, you may have to make major structural changes to your home, and this may increase the cost of your project substantially. 

Contact a residential building contractor for expert advice and guidance on your home extension project.

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