10 Things To Consider When Extending Your Home - PART 2
/If you are looking at extending your home you may feel overwhelmed with all the things you need to consider.
Use our guide to make sure you’ve got it covered! If you missed it check out Part 1 Here!
6 Pick out the best spot
Happiness is in the simple things. If you get the layout and design of the space right, you will find there are ideal little areas to have a coffee, play with your kids and entertain friends. Find the best spots and use them for your favourite things.
7 Think about visuals upon entering
When you enter the front door can you see all the way through to the garden? That’s a nice feature. As you go through to the new space are you enclosed or does it open up and welcome you in? Are you looking straight at a sink full of dishes? Are you able to see a wood burning stove blasting away? What will your eye be drawn to and what do you want it to land on?
In the planning stages develop the skill of envisioning seeing through walls. Think about vantage point and what is on the other side and how it will be to be able to see all the way through and likewise all the way back.
8 Think about smells and sounds
Smells and sounds are powerful triggers for emotion and memory. You probably won’t have fresh bread or coffee brewing every time you walk into a room but consider the impact that negative sounds will have on your space - dishwasher, washer, dryer, microwave etc. These noises can travel and disturb others using the spaces for different purposes. Consider these implications when purchasing and planing the placement of your appliances.
9 Think about the next 5 years
It impossible to know what the future brings but if you have young children you will have a fair idea of what they may need in the next 5 years, this could be space for homework, space to play and store toys, safe and comfortable furniture, access to the garden and a ton of other considerations. Your space should be flexible and be able to adapt, 5 years isn’t a very long time so keep these considerations at the forefront of your planning.
Likewise if you don’t even see yourself and your family still being in the property in 5 years, keep in mind what other families will want and the best ways to maintain and add value to your property.
10 Think about the next 10 years
A lot can happen in 10 years! What could happen in your family? You may find you want more flexible accommodation options as your children get older, or likewise if you have ageing relatives. Every family is unique and each has it’s unique needs. An area that is now set to be a playroom or a study could end up being a bedroom, if this is a possibility think about the location of downstairs toilets and showers so you aren’t removing all possibility for the future. Of course you cannot plan for everything but if you know there is a likely scenario in your own family, design for it. You are not everyone else and this is your home.
I’m glad to have shared these pointers with you, of course there are so many things to consider when planning a home extension, this is where we can help! Please feel free to contact us to find out how we can work with you on your next project.