Are you considering to renovate and extend your home? Need more space for your growing family or for entertaining guests? Trying to find ways to make your living space more comfortable and functional to fit your lifestyle needs? You’ve probably been thinking about that home extension project for quite some time now but don’t know where to even begin. Here we pose some questions to consider and tips to get you started!

1. Which way to go – vertical or horizontal?

First up, know what you have, what you need and what you’d like to achieve. Do you need an additional bedroom or bathroom, a more spacious kitchen, an outdoor area for entertainment or an extra living space? How can you best achieve this considering the size, style and location of your current home? Depending on what is permitted, some possibilities include an upper storey addition, a single-storey side or rear extension, converting garage space or building a studio in your garden.

Before taking the plunge, consult an experienced builder to know what will work best for your home in the most cost-effective way.

2. When old meets new – how do you achieve that cohesive look?

When it comes to building extensions for your existing home, design cohesion is important. You want to achieve a sense of continuity between the old and the new, or your house will look tacky and disjointed. The challenge is how to work with the original character of your house and marry it with a more contemporary look.

Consult with your design and build team for materials, construction methods and architectural design that will complement your existing home. Talk to an interior designer to help you choose the right colour schemes, fixtures, fittings, and finishes for your newly added space that will perfectly blend with the rest of the house.

3. Creativity and functionality – how to balance with your personal style?

Creativity is not everyone’s cup of tea! If you’re like many who struggle with colour palettes, designs and layouts, best to leave this stuff to the experts. That’s not to say that you can’t transform your old home into something that defines your personal style. You’ll be surprised how professional designers can bring to life ideas that blend creativity and functionality with a touch of your own personality into your home extension designs.

4. Energy efficiency is ‘hot’ and sustainability is ‘cool’

New builds and extension projects in Victoria are required to meet compulsory energy performance ratings, construction codes and standards. Expert builders and designers will help ensure your new extension meets these requirements. Solar panels, rainwater tanks, double-glazed windows and insulation that are up to code are some of the ways you can consider incorporating in your home extension to reduce your carbon footprint.

Talk to the experts!

A home extension project is a complex, yet exciting and rewarding task! One simple mistake could be costly, so it pays to work with the experts.

At Bayside Extensions, our team of professionals can work with you from planning through to design and execution. Contact us today and let’s start talking

A home extension is an excellent solution if you want some extra room or space without having to move out and start over in a new house. It’s a project that will allow you to update your home to suit the changing needs of your family as well as add function and value to your home.

Planning home extensions is a complex task that requires a lot of work which is why there are many things to consider to ensure you turn your dream home into a reality. This is why avoiding mistakes, no matter how small they are, is crucial to successfully achieving your dream house extension.

The following are some common home extension planning mistakes you can easily avoid to help you plan and complete your project in the best and most efficient way possible.

1. Deciding On Everything On Your Own

Working on a big project such as a home extension can be an exciting project for you and your family. There are a lot of decisions you need to make in order to ensure that everything goes to plan. While the final decisions are always up to the owner, having an expert to consult with will help you eliminate even bigger and much more complicated planning mistakes which can affect the entire project.

2. Last-Minute Changes to Design and Features

When planning for a home extension, it’s important to create a solid plan and stick to it until the end. Making sudden changes will result in more time being allotted on the project, hence, an increase in costs which may be a problem if you have a specific budget.

Since you’re already working with experts, take some time to discuss the things you want to achieve and avoid during the project. Have a clear and achievable goal based on the time and resources you have. Making sudden changes could make it more difficult for you to achieve the end result that you want.

3. Working With The Wrong People

Planning a home extension is a huge job that you do not want to handle on your own. One common mistake when planning for house extension is not choosing the right experts to help you. Here are a few things you should consider when getting a professional team:

• Years of experience
• Specialty
• Scope of services covered

Do your research and hire a team who can work on all aspects of your home extension project.

Let Us Help You

The best way to avoid planning mistakes is work with experts. Our team of designer-builders can guide you from the design and planning to the construction stage of a home extension project with ease. Learn more about Bayside Extensions by checking out some of our projects or you may talk to us about your home extension plans.

There may be times when you feel you need a larger home, whether more rooms for your growing family or a much-needed space for recreation or work. If this is the case, you have two options: purchase a bigger house or enlarge your current home.

But which one is the better option?

Home Extension VS. Buying a New Home

You may think that buying a new house might be a better option than to renovate and extend your home. But there are plenty of reasons that homeowners choose to upgrade their existing home instead of moving into newer, larger houses.

For one, is it worth moving to a new place when your current home is in a good location, close to your children’s school or your workplace? If you love your neighbourhood, you don’t need to give up this convenience for a larger home when you can make your current house work for you with an extension.

Here are more reasons you should consider an extension for your family home.

Reasons to Extend your Home

1. It’s Cost-Effective.

A home extension can save you more money. Aside from the time wasted, you need to consider the additional expenses of moving house. The can include agent fees, advertising costs, and inspections. And don’t forget any government fees and taxes when you buy a new home!

2. It’s Tailored and Designed For You.

Home extensions are a fantastic way to create the space you need so you can use it the way you want to, giving you the power to design your home with the features you want.

It’s more likely that you will achieve your dream home by designing and renovating it than by relying on the chance that you will find exactly what you need on the property market.

3. It Adds Value To Your Property.

Not only will a home extension save you money, but it is also a great investment. Building a room or space that is effective to the house’s overall design raises the market worth of the property.

4. It Provides Space for Various Purposes.

Whether for family, work or leisure, having more space can improve the quality of your home life.

Expanding your home gives your growing family more personal space, which can be achieved with additional bedrooms or extra living space. You can also add working spaces, like offices and specialist workrooms, or create recreational areas such as a conservatory or an art studio.

5. It Improves Energy Efficiency.

Renovation isn’t just about changing the looks and feel of your home, but also a way to reduce the running expenses while increasing the quality of living.

When you extend your home, you can incorporate the use of modern technology to cut costs. For example, installing underfloor heating offers a more efficient method of warming a room than radiators.

There is so much that goes into projects like these, so it’s never recommended that you undertake renovations by yourself. Expert house designer-builders, like Bayside Extensions, can help walk you through the design process, management, permits, and more.

Here at Bayside Extensions, we assist with all aspects of the design, management, build and post-build maintenance. If you’re thinking of starting a home extension project, let us know how we can help by calling us at (03) 9596 0368 or filling up our enquiry form.