What Builder and Home Planner can do to Expand your Home
There can be any amount of reasons why a family home becomes too small. For most, it is because the family itself has grown or is about to increase, but it might also be just a preference that complements an old desire to convert a modest home into a dream home. Whatever the reason is, a builder or home planner can answer call for the expansion of home space from an increasing number of home owners, bringing their array of expertise to individual projects.
There are two principal ways to expand a home, and both are equally capable of satisfying the needs of the home owner. In North America and/or UK, house extensions are very common amongst families who require extra room both upstairs and downstairs. However, loft conversions are also an option, particularly for a family member that requires an extra living area away from the typical bustle of household living. Both can serve the needs of modern living, and both offer a chance of creating something fresh and new, which is designed from start to finish by modern builders and not by the original of decades earlier.
A simple change in life circumstance can inspire or necessitate a change in living area, but for so many of us, the costs involved in purchasing a new home and moving are too high. An expanding family can include the arrival of a new member, and the resulting need for a nursery, or perhaps the arrival of a relative that prompts the need for extra privacy. While it may seem that urban areas work against the idea of extending the home, this is not actually the case. Millions of people all over North America and the UK add area to their abode by extending into their gardens, onto a gable end or developing a loft from a simple storage area into a bedroom, study or even apartment.
For the most part, there are just two factors that influence someone when deciding between a loft conversion and house extension. The first is purpose and the second is lifestyle. While there are advantages to both options, a house extension is generally chosen because of a need for extra room for everyday living. So, a kitchen is extended to allow for greater culinary freedom or a living room to provide extra comfort when the family is gathered together. It is also ideal when that extra bedroom is needed.
Often an extension results in extra space on more than one floor, which effectively doubles the extra living area. An extra bedroom upstairs can provide an opportunity to expand the dining room downstairs, and give the chance to finally create a dining area of the design and grandeur that was always wanted. A table for 6 can be replaced by a table for 10, with the extra light from larger windows creating a sense of openness that the cramped, dark old version lacked. If the extension is to allow for a larger kitchen, then the space can also be used more creatively, with dining spaces at an island and more space for modern ovens, fridge freezers and storage cabinets.
The principal reason for converting a loft into a living space is lifestyle, with many choosing it in order to create a place to escape the normal family stresses. While the kids argue over which TV channel to watch, parents can get peace and quiet without leaving home. Lofts normally stretch for the length of a house, which means a new master bedroom complete with en suite and lounge area can be accommodated. Perhaps even a study can be added at one end, or a music room. The need for this might not be strong, but the desire for a is.
Naturally, the skills involved in extending a home without affecting the neighboring buildings are well established amongst expert builders or home planners in North America and the UK, who have been meeting the responsibilities that come with extension and conversions in urban areas for decades.
It is not unusual that, when it comes to the intricacies of getting planning permission for desired extensions or loft conversions the expert builder or home planner can advise on the best options available and how to make that new dream home a reality. There is always a way to overcome the challenges that any situation might throw up.