Extensions

You love your home but you need a bit more room for your growing family. It’s a dilemma most homeowners face at some point in their lives. If you don’t fancy the prospect – not to mention the stress and hassle – of selling up and finding somewhere bigger to move to, more and more people are choosing to stay put and improve their existing home. It’s the perfect way to add more space.

Searching for another home can be time consuming and stressful. And in many cases, the cost of moving (estate agent, solicitor and stamp duty fees) can cost as much as a substantial extension. Factor in that you’re also going to be adding value to your home, it can make much more sense to stay where you are, than go through the upheaval of moving elsewhere.

Things to consider when extending your home

There are a number of things to consider when building an extension. For example, if you live in a terrace house, access for offloading building materials could be a problem. Things like rights of way, soil conditions and trees also need to be taken into consideration. If you live in a conservation area or a listed building, there’s likely to be restrictions on the type of alterations you’re allowed to make.

How much does an extension cost?

This will be determined by the type of extension (single or two storey) and what you intend to use your new extension for; be it to add space to your existing kitchen, create a new living space or an additional bedroom. For a straightforward single storey extension, you can expect to pay between £1,000–2,000 per/m². Whatever the extension project you have in mind, it’s important to work out your budget – and stick to it.

Will I need planning permission?

It will depend on what kind of alteration you’re planning to make to your home. Single storey extensions and loft conversions shouldn’t generally require planning permission. But regardless, it’s always best to check beforehand, either with your architect – if you’re using one – or your local planning department.

Choose S&P Construction for your extension project

S&P Construction can turn your dream of a bigger, better home into a reality. For over 35 years, we’ve been helping homeowners improve their existing homes by adding an extension. We work with many architects and can help with the initial design right through to completion. We know that you may still need to live in your home whilst we work on it, and take great care to be mindful and respectful of that fact. Our aim is to minimise the disruption as best we can.