Extending is a great way to add both space and value to your property. It is estimated that individual home extensions can add up to 20% on to the value of a property. When extending, most homeowners seek a long-term financial gain, in that they spend less than what is added to the market value of the home. Budget is important and when it comes to extensions the budget options don’t necessarily mean you have to compromise on quality or style. There are loads of cost-effective solutions and we thought we would talk you through just some of them here today. 

Here at Home Tales, we understand the importance of budget and we guide you throughout the design process to ensure it meets your requirements. We offer unlimited amendments, so you can experiment with different design options, as well as the cost implications of those various options. Lots of our clients will utilise our recommended builders experience and meet with him once we have designs on the table. These different design options can be cost up so that you can select a design which fits your budget. 

Space 

Most of our clients come to us with an idea of the space they want to extend into. In many cases they have a couple of options they might want to try. For example, side return only, or a side and rear. If you don’t have a side return it might be different extension lengths, be that 2m, 4m or 6m. Here at Home Tales, we show loads of details within our floorplans so that you can visualise the space and understand how the space will work. We show your kitchen appliances, islands, seating, dining, snugs! You name it, we can show it. We have put dog beds and Peloton bikes on floorplans, there is really no detail that is too small. We encourage you to think about the final design for a reason – it allows you to understand what the additional space can fit within. If you have a requirement for a 6-seater dining table it’s crucial that is shown in the plans, so you can know it fits comfortably and won’t be too dominant in the space once built. This design allows you to understand what you can fit into the different size extensions. The larger the extension, the more expensive it will be, so this method helps to ensure you are creating a space that fits your requirements, and that doesn’t end up unnecessarily big. 

Windows & skylights 

Skylights are a wonderful addition to a home extension, and we incorporate them within almost all of our designs. Large, fixed panel skylights can be more expensive than an alternative like Velux windows. If you want to save money, then opting for Velux windows is a great way to cut down the cost. They look fantastic and come in a huge variety of sizes and shapes, so it’s likely you’ll still be able to find one that fits the available space. They are also practical as they open and close, and they even flip 360 degrees to make them accessible to clean on both sides. 

 Doors 

There are a variety of garden door options available, and all come with different pros and cons. Most of our clients want large glass doors which overlook the garden. Bi-folds are the most popular as they offer that seamless transition between the indoor / outdoor space. They are fairly cost efficient in the market price of garden glass doors and a 4m stretch will likely cost approx. £8-10k. Crittal style doors are another popular style. If you want a budget option for crittal, opt for aluminium frames which are painted black to mimic the style of genuine crittal. Genuine crittal is steel so it’s very expensive to make. The aluminium frames still offer that industrial finish but come in at about one third of the cost of genuine crittal. 

Open plan 

Open plan living is becoming more and more popular and estate agents will often use it as a selling point of a property they are selling. While it might require come additional investment in the build phase, it is often worth the return on the house price. Families are looking for social, multi-functional areas where they can come together at the end of the day. We can help with design options that suit your family requirements. 

Think ahead

It’s very common to undertake additional works elsewhere in the property when you are extending. It is much more cost efficient to undertake smaller works when you’ve got the builder in, and you can add the cost to a significant contract price. The builder is able to distribute his workforce more easily and you save on costs like waste removal and materials. If you are thinking of undertaking an extension, have a think about what else is on your to-do list and see if you can add it onto your contract with the builder. The cost longer term will be much cheaper than doing it as a standalone project, and it’s also less disruptive to you too. 

If you want to discuss your project in more detail we would love to listen! Call us on 0207 043 2378 or email use hello@hometales.co.uk. You can also book a consult via our live diary here.