Everyone’s dream is to buy a house and a few years later make their home bigger and better, right? But, as is the case with trying to achieve any one of your dreams, it’s a lengthy, costly and time-consuming process.

Well, we’re here to make life easy for you and keep you in the know. Below is our guide to building your dream extension, what to look for, what to plan for, what to be aware of and everything else you need to know before going ahead with your dream.

Now, to begin…

1. Why Should I Extend My Home?

Extending your home allows you to stay in the same neighbourhood and not have to worry about adjusting to a new setting or having to change things around in your daily life.

The costs of moving out can also add up. As well as buying the house you’ve got to think of costs for Stamp Duty, agent fees and many other underlying costs. An extension for the same price could suit your needs better and be of much more convenience.

2. What Do I Consider Before Extending?

Consider the value it brings

One of the most important things to remember when you have plans to extend your living space is how much value each part of the extension will add.

This should dictate the scale of the extension too, do you build a two-storey or one-storey extension? Would it be worth the second storey or does it add little value?

How strong is the foundation you’re building it on?

As well as the value an extension would add to your living space you may also want to consider other factors such as the soil conditions on the site of your extension.

You don’t want your extension built on a weak foundation. Consider if you need to strengthen it and if it’s good enough to have anything built onto it.

Who will carry out the work?

Consider the services you may want to use.

Have this in the back of your mind so when plans are being drawn and you want to bring your extension to life. You don’t have to run around finding someone, you already have that sorted; save yourself stress and hassle.

Surrounding Wildlife

Trees and local wildlife are very important to take into consideration. You wouldn’t want to extend your living space at the expense of another’s.

Are any trees endangered? Are there any wildlife protection laws in your area?

Local wildlife in most cases doesn’t mean you have to put your extension dreams on hold; you’ll just need to design a plan that suits everyone’s needs.

Speak to your Friends and Family

Another good practice is to speak to someone who has had an extension built, they can offer some guidance. Which services to avoid, whose services to request, best practices, good materials, and problems they ran into – knowing it all helps make planning the process a whole load easier and smoother.

3. How much does an extension cost?

Variables such as soil type can impact the cost of your extension. There are general guidelines however each price will of course slightly differ. The generic prices for each square meter on a single-storey extension are typically:

  • Basic quality ÂŁ1,000 to ÂŁ1,680
  • Good quality ÂŁ1,680 to ÂŁ1,920
  • Excellent quality ÂŁ1,920 to ÂŁ2,160

A two-storey extension will not cost much more per square metre because, aside from the extra interior fixtures and finishes, you are only adding walls and floor joists — a roof and foundations are required whether your extension is single or two-storey.

4. How Can I Finance My Extension?

One thing to always remember when finding ways to pay for your extension is to always be conservative. Don’t go all out and leave yourself paying back expenses for a longer time than necessary. You want to enjoy your new living space, not be burdened by it.

That being said, here are a few options to consider for financing your extension:

Credit Card

If you need to borrow thousands rather than tens of thousands for your work, an interest-free credit card is a good choice. Shop around — the best deals offer up to 27 months of zero-rated spending.

Take out a Loan

Personal loans of up to around ÂŁ25,000 are suited to smaller projects. The loan may be enough to cover the building work and if you are fitting kitchens or bathrooms in your extension you can often buy these on finance from larger stores. Just keep an eye on repayments as they can quickly add up when you borrow from several sources.

Remortgage or secured loan

If you are borrowing more than ÂŁ25,000 you may need to remortgage your home or take out a secured loan against your home. Many building societies offer what is known as a Home Improvement Loan of up to ÂŁ200,000.

5. Managing Payments

Payments to builders, architects and for materials that will be provided all need to be taken into consideration. Saving where possible is always a good option but it shouldn’t be at the expense of quality; you want value for your money – in most cases – less money is a lot less value.

6. VAT

VAT is zero-rated on new-build domestic properties, including self-builds, but this does not include extensions.

If you are renovating or extending a property that you can prove has been empty for 2 years or more, it will be treated as a conversion and therefore be charged at the reduced rate of 5%.

The VAT concessions are only available via a VAT-registered contractor.

7. Will I need planning permission?

Depending on the scale and type of extension you are looking to build, you may or may not need planning permission.

Below is a list of extensions that wouldn’t require planning permission:

  • You can extend a detached dwelling by 8m to the rear if it’s single-storey or 3m if it’s double.
  • There are height restrictions. A single-storey extension not being higher than 4m in height to the ridge and the eaves, and ridge heights of any extension not being higher than the existing property.
  • Two-storey extensions must not be closer than 7m to the rear boundary.
  • It must be built in the same or similar material to the existing dwelling.
  • Extensions must not go forward of the building line of the original dwelling.
  • Side extensions must be single-storey, maximum height of 4m and a width no more than half of the original building.
  • In Designated Areas side extensions require planning permission and all rear extensions must be single-storey.
  • An extension must not result in more than half the garden being covered.
  • You can only do it once and the original building is either as it was on 1st July 1948 or when it was built. In Northern Ireland it is as it was built or as it was on 1st October 1973.

Our Planning Service can offer help, guidance, and support with planning applications as necessary.

8. Listed Buildings

A listed building, or listed structure, is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, Cadw in Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland.

Altering any listed building without consent is a criminal offence. Depending on the extension’s size, planning permission and listed building consent may be required.

Make sure you cover your back by understanding the type of building you have, the permissions you have or will need, and that you’re not at any risk of any sort of prosecution or any type of trouble.

9. Local Authority Grants

In most cases, it is quite difficult to obtain a grant for an extension to your living space.

Some organisations do offer some help but mostly in cases where a property’s condition is quite bad and needs to be restored.

It’s always best to enquire with your local authority to see if you’re eligible for any such grants; every little helps.

10. Are there Building Regulations?

Every construction project requires Building Regulations Approval. These are rules approved by Parliament to ensure whatever is being built is safe according to health and safety assessments.

Building control officers just ensure that at least the bare minimum standards of building regulations are in place, they don’t stand around watching what everyone is doing. The result is what matters in their eyes.

Ensure you’re not overburdening builders and workers, but they have certain regulations and practices in place to meet certain standards and regulations.

11. Is It Worth Getting a Warranty?

Warranties ensure that if a job is not done right, it can be fixed without too much stress.
Imagine the worst is to happen, a warranty gives you the satisfaction of knowing it can be made right as soon as things go wrong.

It’s not pivotal to get warranties put in place, but isn’t the extra comfort and satisfaction worth it?

12. How To Design An Extension

Designing your own extension is a very real possibility, one that can be made a reality using the help of a structural engineer.

This will allow you to design a beautiful extension of your own design, with a few tweaks to meet Building Regulations and make the design better suited to your needs.

Hiring a professional such as an Architect is another good idea.

Although it may be more costly, a higher variety of thoughts breeds innovation and a more creative, fulfilling idea.

They may draft a design and show you ideas that you may not have thought of, which ties in with your existing ideas and allows you to create something truly unique.

13. Using an Architect

For most extensions, using an architect would be ideal; even if only for the extra peace of mind.

Architectural technologists could be consulted for smaller-scale extensions as they would have all the necessary knowledge and experience to deal with extensions or projects that are smaller in nature.

In order to be a fully qualified Architect, you would need to complete the RIBA Part111 Professional Practice Exam, which is the final part of an Architect’s training.

Find someone you trust, who has the sufficient knowledge and qualifications to back themselves up; and let them make magic happen.

14. Finding The Right Architect or Designer

Requesting services from the correct person in anything can make a job so much easier; and make life so much simpler.

Good things, however, come to those who persevere.

Asking friends, family, neighbours or anyone you know who has had an extension or a project carried out by a professional can give you an idea of who you can contact; and who you should probably avoid.

Some authorities that register reliable and high-quality architects are:

  • Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
  • Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
  • Association of Building Engineers (ABE)
  • Chartered Institute of Building (IOB)
  • Institution of Structural Engineers (ISE).

It may become tedious, but it will always be worth it. The idea of having the best of the best is always a very satisfying thought; you’ve got to bring that idea to life only through perseverance and searching in the right way for the right people.

15. Who Will Manage The Work?

Finding the correct contractor, the right project manager and/or the right subcontractors, if needed will take all the stress of the build off of you and into the capable hands of whoever you choose.

The only downside to this is, of course, the cost of hiring so many professionals.

You can be as cost-efficient as possible but it’s always worth paying that little extra for a better quality service; within reason, of course.

Hiring a design and build company is another alternative, whereby the company will manage the build for you.

If you’d prefer to leave it to someone else, there is nothing wrong with that, so long as you can trust who you instruct to do this, you can sit back and let them deal with it all.

It’s worth taking a look into many different options and deciding what you want; each person will prefer something different and there are many ways to achieve the best outcome.

16. Finding The Right Builder

Finding the right person to carry out your services is sometimes a lot harder than it should be. There are so many factors that come into play.

The quality of their service, the cost, the value for money, the amount of time they would take, availability and many others.

The key factor to take into account, however, is whether you and the builder will get on.

If your way of doing things clashes with their way of doing things, it will cause a delay in the service and just cause unnecessary hassle.

It’s a good idea to follow people’s recommendations but they may not always be ideal for you.

Finding someone you trust will do a good job is the best way to go; if you can trust them, they can work as they want and complete the job to a good standard; and you know they will.

17. Finding The Right Tradesmen

Finding the right tradesmen is essential in guaranteeing your dream extension is in good hands.

A trustworthy specialist in each different part of the extension will make the whole process so much smoother and stress-free.

It also ensures everything is done to the best – and most professional – standard possible.

Seeing every part of your extension being done professionally and to the highest standard will give you the most satisfaction and allow you to truly feel your dream has come to life.

18. Safety and Disruption On-Site

Nobody likes a messy job. Clean surroundings, clean execution, and a clean finish is a very satisfying feeling. In any sort of building work, mess is inevitable however the amount of it can be controlled.

Nobody likes being told how to do their job; especially if they’re an expert at what they do.

Trusting whoever’s services you give instruction to, to work in a manner that is safe and as tidy as possible; good practices through all areas of life.

Build a rapport with the people you’ve hired and provide them with the correct facilities to make their job as comfortable and easy as possible, people when better when they’re happy with what they’re doing, it benefits everyone to be the good guy. Kettle, a cup of coffee, snacks occasionally, some good time songs, a laugh and a joke – all these things go a long way.

Make life as easy as possible for everyone, enjoy the process, it’ll make everything more fulfilling and allow you to truly find enjoyment in everything.

19. Should You Move Out While Extending?

Depends, can you?

It is possible to stay home while work is being carried out; depending on your circumstances and the nature of the work you’ll need.

In the event you can’t stay home, the comfort of knowing you are able to seek somewhere to live temporarily always pays to know.

If you’re living with a partner, or you are not in danger due to work being carried out in your home, then you can stay home quite comfortably; so long as a bit of mess and noise every morning doesn’t bother you too much.

However, if you have children or the nature of the work will make it dangerous or even slightly harmful to remain home while work is being carried out, finding somewhere to stay temporarily is not even a choice; your well-being and your family’s well-being always comes first.

Any relatives you could live with, a temporary apartment/flat or anywhere you can find that is comfortable and accommodates your needs and your family’s needs is always a good option.

It’s not nice leaving home but you have to see the good in it. A positive is seeing your home change from what it was to what it will be and it’ll come as quite a surprise.

Seeing your dream as a reality after such a long time of being away from your home will make it all the more satisfying and allow you to appreciate it more; you always appreciate what you miss.

20. Is It Better To Extend or Move?

The purpose of carrying out an extension is that it adds value.

For some, sentimental value may be good enough which makes perfect sense; you’d want it to be as homely as possible.

It’s always good in the long term, however, to see the effect your extension will have on the monetary value of your living space.

Think of your extension as a business investment too, in 20 years’ time; how much of a profit would you make? What would that profit/return allow you to do?

Whether it’s a home, a car, a person or anything, adding value to something just makes it that much more special.

If the work you wish to carry out doesn’t do much or is more costly than it adds value, moving out and finding somewhere new could be what you were after the entire time.

Once you’ve adjusted to the new area, you can enjoy life.

You don’t want to waste time extending a property and it just leaves you dissatisfied, consider what you’d want and go for whatever you find is best; no pressure at all.

21. Getting The Brief Right

Have an idea of what it is you want and be as specific as possible.

Let’s put it like this, you want to extend your home, but what is it you want? Do you want one room to be a certain size? Do you want to add a specific room to a specific area of your home?

Just saying you want your home to be bigger is too generic and leaves too much to someone else’s imagination.

You’ll have an idea of what you want somewhere in the back of your mind. You’ll have a depiction that just needs to be articulated into words, no matter how crazy it may sound or if it seems impossible to do, ensure that the brief contains exactly what you want within it; it’s your dream extension, don’t take anything away from your dream!

Whatever you can imagine, if you articulate it into words and give architects or designers an idea of what you want, they can most definitely come up with a plan that matches your dreams as closely as possible; the better understanding they have, the better the result.

22. Which Material To Choose

Too much of anything is never good. Materials, design, style, everything correlates with each other.

Choosing materials based on price

Choosing something based on price works sometimes, but if it comes at the expense of aesthetics or comfort, is it really worth it? Paying a fair price for an excellent result is more satisfying than paying less and getting less from it. Value first; an extra couple of quid could go a really long way.

Choosing materials based on design

Choosing something based on design is very important but very difficult to get right. Choosing a design that matches everything else can sometimes make it feel less special and feel like everything is still the same. Choosing different styles however or anything that is too different could make it feel like it’s not your home anymore, it’s too different to everything around it. Different is good in most cases, but not too different.

Choosing materials based on structural integrity

Choose a type of material that offers good support and strength will withstand the test of time, has very good value for the amount it costs, and matches the design of the rest of your home in such a way, that it’s not too similar to everything where it feels nothing has changed but it’s not too different so that it feels like it’s not your home anymore; somewhere in between is the best place to be, always.

Our Guideline On What To Choose

Choose material that is the best of all worlds or if it’s too much of one certain thing, it doesn’t lack in anything else. It’s not too much of one thing or too few of another.

Cheap wood that’s weak. Cheap brick that’s a bad design. Cheap plaster that can’t be applied properly. There are of course many more examples but these are a few of the bad material types.

Choose something that works well for you in every regard, even if it costs a bit more or isn’t the greatest design. If it does its job well and you can be satisfied with it, it’s for you; this differs with each person too, so choose what works for you.

23. Think About The Size Of The Extension

The purpose of an extension is to add what you already have, not change it completely. You are adding space and comfort to your home, not building a completely different home.

Getting the size right is extremely important and often not given much mind to.

Sometimes less is more. A 10mx10m kitchen might not work as well as a 3mx3m and either using the rest of the space to construct something else makes more sense than making the larger kitchen space and not using it.

Fulfilling is the focus keyword here.

You don’t want your extension to be too big and overpowering. You don’t want it to dominate your living space and come to the point of it being an eyesore.

It is an extension of your living space and should resemble that.

Nothing too big or too small, but something just about right. Enough to make your home feel more spacious and comfortable to be in.

Nothing too big so it feels empty nor anything too small whereby it feels constricted and claustrophobic; a nice in-between that matches your needs and desires perfectly.

24. Do I Follow The Same Architectural Style?

Many buildings were built in a bygone era and follow designs and themes unique to that era.

Georgian, Tudor, Victorian, Edwardian and many other types of buildings that were built in their respective eras still stand tall today and are a symbol of that era’s ingenuity.

Adding to the historical significance of a building gives credit to this ingenuity.

Adding your own style to it without changing or taking anything away from the significance of the building would make your living space unique, in every sense of the word; it also gives credit to your ingenuity.

Imagine a Victorian building, that has been extended in a Victorian style but suits the style of this modern era. Bit of a brain scrambler isn’t it? Well, you must’ve seen it plenty of times, (especially if you watch the right programmes).

It’s satisfying enough just watching it, imagine the fulfilment of being the one to have thought of and/or constructed that idea.

If your living space has any historical significance, add to that. Whatever style your living space is in, add to that, don’t take away from it.

Everything is dependent upon your ideal extension and what you desire, however,. you could still add more space and make your home better, without changing it too much.

25. Quality vs Quantity

The word quality in this sense, connotes to good standard of building and tradesmen who will perform a high standard of work (one master builder is better than 20 average workers), good quality materials, a time frame sufficient in allowing a better job to be completed etc.

Structural integrity and longevity always trump size. Smaller and stronger is always better than larger and weaker.

Think future proof and if your home would still be homely in 10 years’ time?

Of course, a 10-bedroom, en suite fitted home with a swimming pool seems very appealing, but if it’s made of mediocre quality, you’ll be satisfied in a mediocre manner.

Quality comes first, good quality wood, strong foundations, strong frames, good bricks (if necessary), well-layered plaster etc. will make your extension feel that much better; and last that much longer.

26. Is It An Extension? Or A Replacement?

There is a difference between extending a building and replacing a building.

An extension means you are adding to what’s already there. Replacement means you are changing the building completely into something new or different, with little or no resemblance to what it was.

Before going ahead with anything, ensure that it’s an extension you want and not anything else.

Not that anything else is wrong, your dream living space should be made to match your ideals however, if you want a replacement but call it, or treat it, as an extension, you’ll run into problems later on; planning, material requirements, hiring the right people etc.

Get a general idea of what you want, figure out the type of work that would need to be carried out and go about finding the right people for the job.

It might take longer to start work, but it will save money, effort, stress, and will ensure it’s your dream home; with no exceptions.

27. Where Do I Stay When The Extension Is Being Carried Out?

Essentially, you have two choices in the matter of where to live during an extension.

Move out or stay home.

Moving out

Finding somewhere to live temporarily

If you decide to move out, you’ll have to find somewhere to live. This can be costly whether you’re living on your own, with your partner or with your family.

You’ll also have to get used to living in a new environment until you decide to move back into your home.

Prepare to be away for a long while

Usually, once you have decided to move out, you won’t be able to move back in until the work has been completed. Not because you can’t, but because it may interfere with the work too much.

It could be done, but may cause an issue; the builders will be used to a routine and being in a certain setting, altering that too much may cause the job to take significantly longer.

Protect your possessions

Make sure to cover all furniture with plastic. Beds, sofas, cupboards, and even rooms in general, cover as much as you can. Prevent the dust getting into furniture and clothing and it will make it a lot easier to clean.

Effect on the work

On the plus side, moving out allows the builders to work freely.

They can turn utilities on/off without any issues, have access to any part of the house to work in freely and safely and can use utilities as they need to; with some consideration of course.

As there will be no one around that may interfere with their work, even in the slightest, it will allow the job to be completed quicker, which will save you time, stress and money.

Staying home

Dealing with the mess

If you decide to stay home, then be prepared, it will get messy.

During building work, dust and dirt get everywhere.

Doing what you can to prevent a huge mess piling up from the start will protect most of your furniture and bedding and will allow you to enjoy your improved living space sooner rather than later.

Dirt and dust may also cause health problems.

Limiting the amount that accumulates and preventing it from building up can reduce the risk of any issues – such as breathing problems developing from over-exposure to dust and bad air quality.

Consider plastering over furniture and sealing off as many rooms as possible; use what you need to and anything else, make sure it’s covered up as much as possible.

Noise

Be ready for noise.

Loud noises during the day are very common. Drills, machinery, and general chatter between the builders. All of these things are very common when work is being carried out.

You might find it difficult to have a lie-in until the work has been completed, but it will all be worth it when you can sleep easy in your improved living space knowing it’s been done to the best standard possible.

Contingencies

Whatever the case, always have a contingency in case things don’t go the way you expect.

Anything can happen, if you’re ready for any scenario then there is little that will develop into something that causes too much of an issue.

Effect on work

Being home may have a negative effect on the building process and the length of time it will take to complete the job.

Builders and workers will have to consider your family’s safety, security and leisure.

Turning off utilities, using certain facilities (mainly the toilet) and the amount or type of work they can do on certain days would be affected.

This would increase the length of time for work to be completed and there’s not really any way around it.

Be prepared for a longer job or for the builder’s routine or works to be affected.

Do everything you can to make it run as smoothly as possible, but always be prepared for anything.

How Much Value Do I Get From My Spend?

Plan ahead on everything as much as you can.

This is one reason it’s worth talking to friends and family who have had similar work carried out.

You can take their recommendations and decide whether you’d consult the services of the same people as were recommended to you.

Everyone’s idea of a good job is different. Looking around and planning what your expenses would be, the time it would take, contingencies in case of bad circumstances and anything else involved within the entire extension process will always pay off in the end.

You’ll have a reference point for everything and the work would be a lot smoother than trying to wing everything; it pays to plan, literally.

28. Be Imaginative

Be as creative as you can be! Use all your space as effectively and as efficiently as possible.

Why continually extend your living space sideways if you can extend upwards? Or out the back? Or in a manner that nobody else would think of but you?

Creativity is what makes a house – or any living space – a home, it makes it yours.

Don’t be shy with your ideas, this is your dream, make it happen.

If you have kids, ask them ask them!

What they think could give you some pretty strong suggestions; trust me, you’d be surprised.

Draft up a design and bring to life an extension that no one could or will be able to think of.

Nothing is impossible, you just need to think of it in the right way and find the right people for the job.

29. Landscaping Options

You can either build into the landscape around you or use it to your advantage without taking anything from it.

If you are surrounded by a lot of natural beauty, you don’t need to ruin any of it or build into any of it. Build around and incorporate it into your living space.

Of course, any bugs or insects would perhaps need to relocate and I’m sure they are more than happy to do so.

Trees, plants and other such things can either be an eyesore or complement architecture, you should try to find a way to use nature as effectively as possible. Or hire someone who could do it well.

Use examples of people who have constructed extensions and used nature to add to the beauty and ingenuity of their design, there’s a lot out there; innovation and creativity go a long way and can change a dream extension, to an extension you could never have dreamed of.

Of course, you don’t want to cause yourself inconvenience, so pay mind to your comfort before anything else; perhaps if you had to cut down a tree or two, you could plant them again or do something to make it up. Everyone wins.

30. Keep Your Design Simple

Simplicity is key.

This doesn’t mean reduce your plans and prevent your extension dreams coming to fruition. It means design the extension as you please, but keep everything as simple as you can; no over-extravagance.

Gold-plated, diamond-encrusted windows and doors… are they really necessary?

It’s an extreme example yes, but the principle remains the same.

However, you want your extension to twist and turn and loop and dip, think about how you can utilise your space and your money in the most efficient manner.

Keeping things simple and fit for purpose makes everything feel more fulfilling. Over extravagance and too much glamour take the joy of utility and ease from a lot of things.

Make it as fulfilling as possible so you can enjoy your dream extension coming to reality, not be burdened by it.

31. Measure and Plan, As Many Times As You Can

Measure everything as accurately as possible, get an accurate scaling of everything, then work out materials and repeat this as many times as you can until you are certain of how much of everything you will need.

Having Too Much

Too much of any material, hiring extra tradesmen or services unnecessarily and poor planning will result in a waste of money and resources.

In terms of materials, you’ll have plenty of everything, but a lot will be left over which just results in clutter.

In terms of tradesmen and services, you’ll have extra people around and have to deal with extra business for no reason, this takes time and can stress you out.

Having Too Little

Too little of any material, tradesmen or services will result in a waste of time and halt everything.

In terms of material, you’ll run out. Then you have to get them delivered. Then you have to wait for it to arrive. Then something could go wrong with the order or delivery which wastes more time.

In terms of tradesmen and services, you’ll not have enough people or the right people for the job.

If there was an issue with drains or pipes, and someone knocked into a pipe during the work, you’ve got a much larger problem on your hands; more wasted time.

Hiring a drainage expert or looking at plans around your property will give you an idea of drains, mains, electrics, gas and any other utilities you need to be aware of.

Hiring two people for a ten-man job will make it take significantly longer; that goes without saying really.

Taking your time to properly plan and understand how your extension will be completed and all the requirements involved will give you an edge.

You’ll know who to hire, who to consult, what services you’ll need, what to look out for and save yourself from a lot of issues and problems during the building process.

Of course, you may still make a mistake or two; it will very, very rarely go completely smoothly. However, it’s all about reducing risk and mistakes as much as possible.

It’s better to encounter one problem than ten.

Sure it’s ideal to encounter none but you need to be realistic and always prepare for the worst; the worst may never occur, but in the small chance it does, wouldn’t you want to be ready for it?

Proper planning cannot be stressed enough. It may delay starting the project but when you have an idea and understanding of how the process will work and how it could be carried out, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and losing too much of your hair; I know many who have been there, it’s not the greatest feeling!

32. Reuse, Recycle and Repair

Being ecological is being efficient.

I’m certainly no eco-warrior, but I do believe in efficiency; eco-warriors are pretty cool though.

Reusing or recycling old wood, stone and any other material ensures nothing is wasted. Even if you don’t use it for yourself, give it away so it can be repaired or put to good use by someone else.

By doing this, you’re ensuring you see value in things and use them as much as possible, for their purpose; even if you’re not the one who’s using them.

Conclusion

There we have it! Everything you need to know before you decide to build your dream extension. You can DIY or hire a professional, and everything we mentioned above is a strong guideline on what to look out for and what to think about.

Always remember to plan as much as you can, look at the value you’re getting for the money you’re spending and enjoy the process. It might take time to complete, but it will all be worth it in the end!

We hope your dream goes as well as, or better than you imagined and it runs as smoothly as possible!

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