A Guide On What to Spend On and What to Save On During a Home Extension Project
Posted on: 27 January 2022
Home extensions projects present a wonderful opportunity for homeowners to customise their residential properties to match their current needs. For some, this means adding one or more bedrooms so that they have adequate room for older children as well as any in-laws or guests that may spend the night. For others, a home extension project would be the perfect way to increase the square footage of their house so that they can have much-needed usable space.
Whatever your motivation for hiring construction contractors for this project, you should have clear-cut goals in mind so that you can stick to your budget. A common blunder for some homeowners is not knowing what they should splurge on and, resultantly, end up going over budget. To ensure you do not become a victim of this pitfall, check out the following handy guide on what to spend on and what to save on during a home extension project.
Where should you splurge money during a home extension project?
The first thing you should direct your finds to when embarking on a home extension project is square footage. Irrespective of what you will be utilising the home extension for, be it a bump-out kitchen, an in-law suite and so on. The amount of square footage you dedicate to this project will determine whether you will have to engage in another home extension down the road, which would be a waste of money. If your backyard is too small to accommodate sufficient square footage for the home extension, you should discuss building upwards with your construction contractors. For example, adding an entire storey to the home will not only provide you with space for new bedrooms, but you can incorporate other amenities too.
The second thing you should spend money on during a home extension project is energy-efficient features. Another typical mistake that some people make when embarking on a home extension project is trying to keep costs as low as possible by overlooking double glazed windows, insulation and so on, only to realise that these oversights will affect the efficiency of the entire house. As long as you want to keep your home's energy costs low, you must integrate the same energy-efficient features in the home extension as you have in the primary property.
Where should you save money during a home extension project?
The right construction materials can save you a substantial amount of money during your home extension project. For instance, simply because the original home has hardwood flooring does not mean you need to employ the same materials in the home extension. If you are keen on an imperceptible transition from the main home to the extension, consider timber-look flooring materials such as engineered wood or luxury vinyl planks, both of which are more economical than solid hardwood.
For more information on home extensions, contact a professional near you.
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