With Brighton being the every growing city it is, house prices are on the rise – and the cost of moving home now running into thousands of pounds – it’s no wonder that having a house extension is an attractive option to many.
But which of the different types of house extensions should you go for?
We can talk you through your options, taking into account why you need the space, what your budget is and the property you wish to extend.
To get you thinking, though, here’s an overview of the three most popular types of house extensions.
Single Storey Extensions
These are very much the classic house extension.
In the past, single storey extensions tended to be fairly simple flat roofed ‘boxes’ bolted onto the rear or side of a house.
In recent years, there has been an increasing preference for pitched roofs. These can offer a more aesthetically pleasing finish and greater longevity.
But the flat roofs days are far from numbered. They are used by many contemporary architects to stunning effect, and changes in roofing technology mean that a good flat roof can now offer a very long life.
Depending on the placement of your windows it is sometimes difficult to achieve a reasonable pitch. Although there are ways around this, they do come at a cost, so it’s wise to keep an open mind when deciding on your roof.
A more creative alternative to the simple box is the L-shaped extension. This adds space to both the rear and side of your house. With a little creative internal wall alteration, these can greatly change the flow and living spaces of your home’s ground floor. And to remarkable effect!
Two Storey Extensions
There’s actually a very strong argument for building out and building up at the same time.
Two storey extensions give you that extra utility room, or more space in your kitchen, on the ground floor. But they also add on an extra bedroom, or a home office, upstairs.
And, while it’s not exactly ‘two for the price of one’, the cost per square yard gained with a two storey extension is significantly lower. This is because a large proportion of your spend on an extension goes on the groundworks, foundations and roof.
In general, adding an extra storey will only add around a third onto your costs.
It may, however, throw up a few more issues that require negotiating.
For instance, you are more likely to encounter planning permission hurdles, as the height of your extension can cause loss of light or other amenities to neighbouring properties.
Another factor to bear in mind is how will you get to the extra room upstairs? It takes careful planning to avoid creating a dark corridor that leads to your light, new room. And sometimes it may be necessary to take space from an existing bedroom to give access to the room.
Orangeries
It is time to lay our cards on the table and admit impartiality here: we love orangeries. There we said it!
Although harking back to the past, when they were used for growing citrus trees in a protected environment, orangeries can be designed to look strikingly modern, to offer timeless appeal or to evoke period elegance.
Whatever style you opt for they will open out your house to the garden and add more than a splash of luxury. In fact, they couldn’t be further from those simple boxes that we opened our review of extensions with.
These are conservatories with extra class. They offer an extension that usually feels different to the interior of the rest of the house, traditionally involving lots of brickwork, timber and large windows within the construction, as well as being topped by an elegant glass roof.
It’s not all style, though. If the height of first-floor windows poses a problem to your extension plans an orangery can sometimes offer the perfect solution.
Which Type Of House Extension Is Right For You?
Sometimes the easiest way to decide what’s best for you is to start chatting to some experts. And that’s where we come in. We can show you how we have extended other people’s houses, help you review exactly what you need the space for and start looking into what’s possible with your space.
(And we promise not to push orangeries too hard!)
Get in touch with our team today on 01273 539124 or email info@woodhartgroup.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.
