Throughout Birmingham, extending your home is becoming
increasingly popular for homeowners that have outgrown their current living
space. Although there is always the option to move house, many people are
starting to realise the benefits of building a house extension rather than
upping sticks.
In many cases, people are happy with the house and area that
they live in, but due to a change of circumstances, just don’t have enough
space any more. In this kind of situation, it is understandable that the lure
of building a house extension is much stronger than looking to move. Moving
house can be very expensive, with moving costs, the extra costs of a new
property and stamp duty adding up to considerably more than the price of
extending an existing building.
Whereas it can be difficult to find the ideal new home to
suit all of your needs, home extensions can take a wide variety of forms to
suit any purpose that you require. You may simply need a larger amount of
storage space, or in most cases, more living areas.
Here we look at some of the most common types of house
extensions:
Porches
In most cases, a porch is a small extension to the front of
the house. This being said, there is no rule saying that a porch can’t be much
larger or be built on the side or back of a building. Commonly, a porch is
quite a simple structure of brick walls, windows, a door and often a lean-to
roof. You may decide to plaster the walls of your porch and add a light,
heating and electricity sockets to make your home seem more inviting to
visitors.
A porch can provide excellent storage space for shoes and
coats, leaving you with more storage and living space in the rest of your home.
Due to their small size, most porches don’t require planning
permission, however, it is always best to check with builders and local
authorities before you start work. If your porch is separated from the rest of
your house by an internal door and is not heated, you can also avoid building regulations,
however, as with planning permission, it is always best to check rather than
facing a hefty fine.
Single Storey House Extensions
For extra downstairs living space, whether it be a new or
extended dining room, lounge area or kitchen, a single storey house extension
is often the best option.
A single storey extension is an extension that is built to
adjoin the existing property that has only one floor, unless there is a
basement built. In most cases, single storey extensions will need planning
permission due to their size. The main considerations for building a single
storey house extension is how the size of the building could impact the
neighbours, as well as how the extension roof will fit to the existing house.
You must also think about where any drains, evacuations and flues will be
positioned.
In a small amount of cases, planning permission won’t be
needed for single storey extensions, but it is almost certain that building
control permission will always be needed.
Two or Multi-Storey
House Extensions
Like a single storey extension, a multi-storey extension can
be built onto any part of the existing building, but with more than one floor.
A two or multi-storey extension adds more living space to both downstairs
living areas and bed and bathrooms above.
Due to the increased height of a multi-storey extension, it
is likely to have much more of an effect on neighbours, so it is highly likely
that planning permission will be required. As with any other house extension,
it is always advisable to check with the local planning department to ensure
that you are covered to make the planned changes to your home.
Over-Structure House
Extensions
An over-structure extension is extended from the existing
building, over the top as an existing structure, for example, a garage, living
room, dining room, or kitchen, perhaps a previously built single storey
extension. While this may sound simple, this is rarely the case. In most cases,
especially if building over a garage with single-skin brickwork, new
foundations will need to be dug, a new inner leaf added, and blockwork piers
built into the existing structure, with steel reinforcement beams added to the
top.
Due to the complications of building an over-structure
extension to your home, the rules of planning permission can be much more
difficult to define. It is most advisable to seek expert advice for planning
permission as well as building control permission.
Garage, Loft and
Basement Conversions
While conversions may not traditionally be seen as
extensions, as they extend living space, there are also house extensions. As
with other house extensions, it is advisable to consult with an expert in
planning permission building regulations to ensure that you can legally make
these home improvements
For more information on house extensions in Birmingham, you
can visit the Pantheon Construction website.
