An In-Depth Guide to Everything You Should Know About House Extensions

Thinking of building house extensions? You’re not alone. Over the past couple of years, Australians have taken on projects to beautify their homes, turning their living spaces into the abode of their dreams. It’s estimated that in 2019, Australians spent close to $30 million in renovations and extensions. 

Before diving into such a major undertaking as house extensions, we’re here to help you learn more about extensions, their benefits, costs, and important considerations. 

What are Home Extensions?

A home extension provides you with more living space within your property. This extension often requires giving up some yard space. It’s different from renovations, which entail updating or restoring portions of your property but not necessarily adding more living space. It’s different from home additions as well, which involve ‘building up’ or adding another level to your home. A home addition increases the height of your living space without sacrificing any outdoor space.

Are House Extensions Worth Investing In? Top 5 Home Extension Benefits

Why consider a home extension in the first place? Let’s look at some of the top benefits of expanding your living space:

Adds or increases property value

You can view a home extension as an investment as it can help increase your property’s value. By expanding the living space of your property, you’re essentially boosting your home’s selling price. For example, adding another bedroom can add around $50,000 to $80,000. How much building an extension can add to your property will depend on factors such as the current value of your home, the size of the extension, cost of permits, and quality of materials used.

Furthermore, a home extension can enhance your property’s curb appeal and make it more enticing to any potential buyers.

However, when planning for a house extension in Melbourne, you need to consider how much you’re willing to spend versus how much you’re expecting to gain from the extension. Ideally, you’d want to set a budget for your extension that’s approximately 2% of your property’s value. Spending too much for an extension may cause you to over-invest and risk losing profit when you sell your home. 

Gives you more living space

Most often, people move to a new house because their current home doesn’t offer them more living space. Perhaps, your family is growing or your needs are changing. Regardless of the reason, a home extension gives you more living space that can be customised to fit your needs—without you having to move house. 

An extension offers plenty of options for you to add space. You can reconfigure your floor plan, add an extra bedroom or bathroom, add a game room, incorporate a new walk-in wardrobe, or expand your kitchen. 

Customisable according to your needs

Let’s face it—when you purchase a house, it’s not always the dream home that you’ve envisioned. Adding a home extension gives you the opportunity to create your dream home through bespoke design. 

When planning for an extension, you can discuss your design preferences, such as materials and overall architecture, with professionals to make your dream house a reality. Basically, your extension is a space that’s designed with you and your needs in mind. 

More convenient and no need for you to move out

While moving out may give you access to a larger space, it can be such a hassle—especially if you love your current location. You’ll have to do a lot of research to look for the best areas, the best mortgage offers, and whether or not your options fit your budget. Moving house also means changing schools, service providers, and redirecting your post. 

Utilises or maximises available outdoor space

If you have an excess or unused outdoor space, a home extension is one of the best ways to make it more functional. Aside from adding value to your property, you’re extending your interior living space. Plus, you can use that excess space to create an area that you really want whether it’s an extra room, a patio extension, an expanded kitchen, an alfresco dining area, or a conservatory.

Key Considerations When Planning for House Extensions

What exactly do house extensions entail? Planning for house extensions help ensure that your project will stay on budget and run smoothly, have the qualities you want, and meet your area’s building regulations. Here are some of the important factors to consider when planning for an extension:

Permissions and building regulations in your area

Navigating your area’s permissions and building regulations can be tricky and even confusing. To make sure that your project is compliant with local building regulations, always consult with a professional architect or builder. Professionals are well-versed with your local planning authority and can help you obtain the necessary permissions, as well as create a design that meets local building requirements. Aside from building regulations, you also have to factor in local fire regulations. 

The scale of your extension

How big do you want your home extension to be? You also have to think about how much space is available for the extension. Figure out how much space your extension will need and map out the size of the space that you’re planning to use to see how the extension could fit into that area. 

How the home extension will match or contrast with your home’s existing design

One of the biggest issues homeowners come across when building an extension is whether or not to match the new space to our home’s existing design. While you can of course stay true to your home’s design and architectural style, you can also consider building an extension that will contrast with how your home looks. If you’re unsure of what you want, you can discuss with your architect to learn more about important design and architectural considerations. 

Neighbours

If you’re thinking of adding a second storey extension or a second-floor balcony, then you need to consider your privacy and whether or not you’re overshadowing your neighbour’s property. If your second-floor extension is too big, your extension’s permissible size may be limited to prevent overshadowing your neighbour’s property.

Roads and visibility

Motorist visibility can also affect the scale of your house extensions. If it’s too big or gets in the way of motorists, the length or size or your extension will be limited. 

Access

Prior to building house extensions, you need to account for access of the construction materials and equipment. Discuss with your architect and builder how the construction materials will be brought into your property. Will they be brought in using cranes or do you need to secure permission from local authorities to have sections of the road temporarily closed? Also, talk to your neighbours in advance to ensure that there will be no issues later on. 

Budget

House extension costs can vary greatly. You need to figure out how much the project will cost and make sure that you have sufficient funds to cover it. From there, you can discuss with your architect the options you may have so that you can build a space that fits your budget. 

Time

Like extension costs, how long the construction will take can vary from one builder to another. If a project ends up taking a lot of time before it’s completed, it may affect your daily routine and your budget. Ask your architect and builder for an estimated time of completion so you have a general idea of how long the construction is going to take. 

Hiring professional architects

Architects understand your needs and they can help you plan for a space that’s efficient, functional, and future-ready. They can also bring your home extension ideas to life while helping you stay within budget and account for your design preferences. 

How to find the right architects or professionals

When finding the right architect, you need to make sure that they’re able to give you the design you want. This entails doing a lot of research. Once you’ve created a list of architects you want to work with, check their websites to see their portfolio and find out more about how they approach design. Make sure that your architect is able to communicate well with you to avoid having problems later on. 

Now, word-of-mouth is a good way to find an architect but it’s not always the best way for you to find professionals. What works for someone you know may not work for you. To determine whether your architect is a good fit for your project, you need to conduct interviews. Preparing a project brief also helps guide your search, as well as your interviews.

You also have to make sure that you’re working with accredited and insured professionals. This will help guarantee that your project is up to code.  

The benefits of working with professionals when planning for home extensions in Melbourne

The right architects can make a world of difference to your project. They can help match your vision with a design that’s suited for your needs. They can create designs that will allow you to maximise your available space without compromising your style preferences. You’ll also have access to project management services, as well as the architect’s network of other professionals who can help bring your vision to life.

Other important considerations you need to think about include the type and quality of the materials you want to use and whether they match or contrast with your existing living space. You also want to consider the direction of the extension. Do you want to build up or do you want the extra room to face your garden? Are you thinking about house extensions that face the road?

How Much Does a House Extension Cost in Melbourne?

The cost of building extensions can vary greatly. In general, the cost of extending house can run around $2,000 to $4,000 per square metre. The cost of extension will also depend on where you’re planning to have the room extension. Ground-floor extensions can cost around $2,000 to $4,000 per square meter, while second-floor extensions can range between $3,000 to $3,500 per sqm. 

The type of extension also impacts overall cost. Depending on the finish you want (basic or budget to high-end), you may have to shell out anywhere between $2,500 to over $25,000 for a bathroom, for example, while kitchen extensions can cost between $10,000 to over $35,000, depending on the quality, materials, and type of finish you want. 

Archicentre Australia gives a good ballpark figure of just how much an extension costs. Building an extension to an existing structure can cost anywhere between $1,900 to $3,600 per square meter. However, this estimate doesn’t include professional fees.

You also have to factor in other expenses, such as fees for plumbing and electrical work, labour or professional fees for tearing up your old kitchen or bathroom, and furnishings. 

The best way to go about this is to get your design and vision drawn up by an architect then gather quotes from several professional builders in your area to get a ballpark figure of the costs. Once you’ve compared quotes, you may then want to ask for a more detailed or itemized one once a specification or material schedule is prepared by your architect. Note that some quotations may come across as more expensive, but the price may reflect the quality of materials and workmanship. However, these factors are highly likely to add more value to your property.

Wrapping Up

House extensions are a major undertaking that require a lot of planning and preparation. Working with the right professionals can ensure that you’re bringing your vision to life. SQM Architects understand your vision and can help you design house extensions that are practical and functional without compromising your style.

We offer tailored design solutions for projects of different scales and styles while ensuring that they are completed on time and on budget. We leverage our over 10 years of industry expertise to create bespoke designs that put you and your needs first, from planning to execution.

At SQM Architects, we respect each client’s budget, which is why we offer clear, transparent pricing. We offer flat rate fees so you’ll have a better idea of how much your project costs and won’t be saddled with hidden fees.

Discover how we can help bring your dreams to life. Talk to us today and schedule a free consultation.