5 Things to Consider When Building Extensions in Sydney

5 Things to Consider When Building Extensions in Sydney One way to gain more space in your home is to build an extension to your property. House extensions in Sydney are amongst the most popular renovation projects, especially in the most covetable suburbs. But what do you need to consider before you embark on such a project?

We asked local specialists in building extensions in Sydney to give us some pointers.

Your Design Plan Before you begin any kind of home extension, you must map out your design. Mapping out your design allows you to ensure that the space is utilised in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

Use an architect or building designer with experience of working with similar projects to help you to find the most practical solution.

Work Out What You Need While we’d all like extra space, creating space just for the sake of it is not the best way to get a cohesive and practical design. Therefore, you need to clarify how the space will be used. Is it going to house a new kitchen or bathroom? Will it be used as a guest room or ‘granny annexe’? Or are you extending to create a larger open plan family room? Your final design should be based on your wants and needs and your budget.

How Much Space Can You Spare?

As with all home extensions in Sydney, your new extension, while giving you extra internal space, will reduce the amount of external space. To get some idea of how this will impact your backyard, use markers or rope to map out the extension. You’ll then need to decide whether your design leaves you with sufficient external space.

The Right Building Team Once you’ve decided on the working design for your new extension, you’ll need to understand the scope of works and engage a building team. By requesting quotes from reliable home contractors, you’ll be able to see whether your design is possible within your budget or whether you’ll need to extend in stages.

While it is possible to engage every service yourself, e.g. architect, builder, plumber, electrician, it may be less stressful to choose a building contractor that can manage the project from start to finish.

Experience and Expertise A home extension project can be stressful; therefore, it makes sense to use building contractors that can manage the whole project. However, it’s also important to choose a contractor that specialises in extensions not just renovations and who has several years of experience and expertise behind them.

Ask to see examples of their recent work and seek out testimonials and reviews from past and current clients. It’s also a good idea to ensure that the company you use are part of the Home Building Compensation Fund.

The Bottom Line Before you embark on any home extension project, always make sure that you choose a company that will help you to plan your new extension in line with your needs and your budget and who will give you price and deadlines before they start work.