What are the benefits of House Extensions in Northwich and what to look out for?

Homeowners looking for more space are faced with two options: to sell up and move to a bigger house or build an extension? If you are considering a House Extension in Northwich to your existing house here are some important considerations to get clear before you employ an architect and/or builder or all trades company with experience in building house extensions in Northwich

This Guide covers the initial planning activities that need to be completed before building house extensions in Northwich:

Costs

Selling a house can be costly when you consider estate agent fees and stamp duty on your next house. Building an extension onto your existing Northwich home could work out cheaper than buying a new one and you’d also get the extra space you want.

There are no set costs for building house extensions in Northwich. Depending on the site conditions (see above) costs for house extensions vary. Obviously the size and features of your extension are factors; the footprint in square metres, how many storeys? how many windows? what type of heating? etc. On average a basic house extension could cost around £10,000 with a higher quality extension costing in the region of £25,000. Shopping around for the best price is always recommended but be sure to balance the cost against the quality of the extension’s internal and external features as well as the quality of your architect and builder.

When borrowing money for any building project be prudent and never borrow more than you need without very careful forethought. If you have savings you should seek advice from an expert if it would benefit you in the long term to use then to finance your house extension or whether borrowing is more beneficial. Borrowing options include credit cards (preferably interest-free), a personal loan or a remortgage or secured loan on your existing house. There are also a variety of home improvement loans which are available.

Designers or architects should provide an accurate quotation prior to preparation of the plans and are usually paid on completion of the plans. Builders often stipulate payment according to the stages of the project for example an initial deposit, on completion of principle building work, on interior fittings and overall completion.

Some house extensions qualify for zero VAT depending on the occupancy status of the property and whether or not your contractor is VAT registered.

Access

You might also need to consider access to your house extension in Northwich? Will it be via the house or will extra footpaths and/or driveways need to be built. This could affect planning permission so needs to be carefully planned out. Access for builders will also need to be accounted for. Will there be enough space to transport building materials from the road to the site and will there be enough space for the builders to work in?

Site conditions

Before plans for a house extension in Northwich can be drawn up the actual site of the build must be assessed for factors such as soil conditions, trees and foliage (some trees may require planning permission to cut down), flood risk, rights of way.

Do your homework

Talk to other homeowners who have had house extensions built. You can learn a lot about every stage of the process from planning through to building and completion and take on board some tips on what to include or exclude in your extension, how to cut down on costs without compromising on quality and any reputable builders or all trades companies that carry out house extensions.

Your local planning office should always be informed of any proposed house extension builds especially if your house is a listed building or if your extension contains something which includes something which might be considered unusual.

Your new house extension pay or may not require planning permission depending on a number of Permitted Development Rights including:

• The distance your extension extends from the house.
• The height of your extension and its relation to your existing property and rear boundary.
• Type of building materials (must be consistent with your existing house).
• Whether or not your house is in a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Site.

All extensions, whether they require planning permission or not, need Building Regulations Approval. A Building Warrant must be granted and applications can be made after getting the relevant information from your architect. Remember, it can take 4-6 weeks for Building Warrant approval so always apply in plenty of time. Contact your local council’s Building Standards Department for more information on how to apply

Why should you consider Garage Conversions in Northwich?

Garage conversions in Northwich are a growing trend amongst Northwich homeowners. Because of the current economic uncertainty and issues in the housing market, more and more homeowners are choosing to add value and extra living space to their current homes instead of selling up and moving. It is little wonder really a well-executed garage conversion in Northwich has a lot of benefits to offer homeowners, some of which are detailed below.

1. Adds value to the home
   A good quality garage conversion in Northwich that has been well planned and executed can add as much as 10% to the value of your home. This offers homeowners a strong return on investment should they wish to sell their home later.

2. Extra living space
   As well as extra value a garage conversion in Northwich gives your home additional living space, perfect for a range of different rooms, depending on the homeowner’s individual wants and needs. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a mega mansion or a stately home the chances are that extra living space is something that could come in quite handy.  
3. Cost effective
   The cost of a garage conversion in Northwich is relatively low when compared to other alternatives such as loft conversions in Northwich, single or two storey extensions or even conservatories and orangeries. As previously mentioned a good garage conversion can add up to 10% to the value of a property. When compared to the relatively low costs involved this is quite a healthy return on investment.  
4. Full or part conversion
   Some homeowners prefer to leave a proportion of their garage ‘unconverted’ for storage space, this is always an option especially if you have a larger garage space or if losing storage space because of a garage conversion is a concern.  
5. Doesn’t reduce natural day light into the rest of your home
   One of the issues of a new build single or two storey extensions is that it can cut off a lot of natural light to the rest of your home. Because your garage is an existing structure and doesn’t require any external works a garage conversion won’t cut off any natural light to your home.  
6. Tailor made for you
   As with all our products a garage conversion from Optimum Property is tailor made to the homeowner’s individual requirements, our design experts work closely with you at every stage of your project to make sure that you receive the right product for your home and to make the process as simple as possible for everybody involved.  
7. Doesn’t affect your council tax
   Converting your garage space won’t affect the rate of council tax you have to pay.  
8. Won’t require planning permission
   In most instances a garage conversion won’t require any planning permission because all the work is internal. However, you may still need planning permission if your home is in a conservation area or if your garage is separate from your home. We can always help you with the planning permission process if needs be.

In conclusion a garage conversion is an easy and cost-effective alternative to moving which both adds value to your home and gives you extra living space, without all the stresses that come with buying a new home.