You need more space, but you don’t want to move. Enter the house extension, modern Britain’s answer to all your cramped home woes. But not all home extensions are created equal. Did you know that there are 5 different main styles of extension to choose from? In this article we’ll give you an overview of each type, what they are, what they’re good for and the all important bit, how much you can expect to pay to create them!
Rear extensions
As the name implies, a rear extension is placed at the back of your property, extending onto the current garden or patio area. They’re typically used to create larger open plan living spaces and blend the indoor/outdoor space. A small one can usually be done without planning permission which saves some time and hassle. Smaller rear extensions typically take 3-4 months but if you’re looking for something really big then allow six months. Price wise you’re looking at £40,000 minimum for a 5 x 5 m extension but these costs rise depending on the quality of materials you choose and where you’re living. Unsurprisingly, the same extension in London will cost more like £67,000.
Side return extensions
Have you got an alleyway or path down the side of your house? Many period properties do and they’re typically home to bins and garden bits and bobs, adding little value to the overall living experience. For this reason, side return extensions are very popular as a way of extending your home. The extension itself is typically quite small in terms of how far out it comes, but runs the length of the room, so it can have a transformative effect on your interior without the need for planning permission. Lost windows in the wall can be replaced with rooflights above, which will actually let in much more daylight than a window facing onto a fence or wall. You can expect to pay around £25,000-35,000 and expect it to take 3-4 months to complete.
Wrap around extensions
Wrap around extensions combine a side return and rear extension, moving the outer walls in two directions. They’re great for extending your living space dramatically and really suit family living, creating huge open plan spaces where you can get a decent sized kitchen, dining area and seating space all in the same “room”. With so much extra space, you can also do a more thorough job of blending indoors and outdoors, using bifold doors and rooflights to create a blend and flow between garden and home. Costs for these extensions vary quite a bit as the size of the total extension can be quite different. For a ballpark, they’d typically start at around £55,000 and could take 4-6 months to complete.
Double storey extensions
Double storey extensions mean that you’d take one of the three shapes described above, rear, side return or wrap around and extend over two floors as opposed to one. The advantage of this is that you get double the space but not double the cost. Typically a double storey extension only costs 50% more than a single storey one. This is because all the costs of foundations etc. are tied into the lower floor and creating an additional floor above is less work overall. Most double storey extensions will need planning permission, so that’s something to consider when planning your home project.
Dormer extensions
What’s in your attic? Junk? Cobwebs? If so, then a dormer extension may be a great option. A dormer extension removes the pitch of the roof and creates a flat roof in line with the top of the current pitch, so you get a squared off box space that is ideal for creating things like master bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, or additional space for kids bedrooms. They rarely need planning permission and are very affordable compared with a lot of extension work, starting at £32,000. They’d typically take 3-4 months to complete, so it’s worth bearing in mind that if you currently sleep in the room to be extended you’ll need somewhere else to hit the snooze button whilst this happens.
Do you need help finding someone to help you get started with the drawings of your dream extension? Let us know, we’ll be happy to help. Our professional network is packed full of quality professionals that we trust to get the job done right.
