Top 5 House Extension Tips for those on a Budget

COVID-19 has forced most people to spend much more time at home. Many have realized expanding their home can make them more comfortable and productive. The biggest challenge many people face is being able to fit the cost into their budget.  Here are the top tips for building a house extension on a budget.

1. Research

To create a realistic budget for house extension ideas, research the cost of the materials, products and labor. This will enable you to make informed decisions about what you can realistically afford to have in an extension to your home. Talk to friends, relatives, and the building trade associations in your area.

2. Simple Design

One key for building on a budget is to keep the design. When you create complicated house extension plans, it will cost more to construct it. There are many aesthetic, cost-efficient, simple home extension ideas and designs. They can give you the added space you need at a price you can afford. It all starts with choosing the right floor plan.

3. Buy Second-hand Materials And Products

Buying second-hand building materials and products is a significant cost saving method to use when building a home extension on a limited budget. Many companies in Australia sell recycled building materials at low prices. Places like Recycled Building Centre and The Junk Map are good starting points.

4. Focus On The Things You Need, Not The Things You Want

To make your home extension budget go further, focus on building additions that give you the things you need instead of the things you want. While a game room with a dartboard and a billiards table would be fun, building a workspace, an additional bedroom, or another bathroom may be what your home needs.

5. Do the Work You Can, Yourself

Doing as much of the work as you can to build your home extension can help you to keep your costs down. Get a comprehensive construction manual, buy the building materials and seek out the advice, guidance and direction you need to make your house extension ideas come to fruition.

Where You Might Need Help

Even if you have the skills it takes to build your home extension yourself, there are certain parts of the project where you may need the help of licensed professionals. Some of those areas are:

Plumbing

In Australia, any plumbing, draining, or gas fitting work on a property must be done by licensed plumbers. They know the requirements, safety codes and permits to do the job safely.

Electrical

Australian law states licensed electricians must do all major electrical work on a home or business property. Additionally, they must provide compliance certificates that guarantee the work complies with all appropriate Australian standards. Plus, the fine for illegal electrical work is extremely high.

Building/Construction

In Australia, only professionals with the appropriate licenses and permits are legally allowed to do major renovations on and add extensions to the property.

Demolition

A license is required to do certain types of demolition. Only the license holder or their employee may do the partial or complete demolition of structures using controlled, pre-planned methods or procedures.

Conclusion

If you need help getting started, contact the experts at Oneflare for house extension tips for people on a small budget. Building the right type and size house extensions can help to make spending more time on a home more comfortable, productive and fun. Take a little time to discuss home extension ideas with your family. Together you can create house extension plans that meet everybody’s needs. It can be a ground floor extension or adding an upper floor. Make sure to speak with your neighbors and the council in your area to ensure the home extensions you want to build are within local regulations. Your neighbors, family and friends may gladly pitch in their skills and labor and help lower the average house extension prices.