5 things to consider when planning a house extension

Everything from conception to completion

House extensions are a great way to make your home more comfortable for a growing family, or add value leading up to sale. Whatever the reason, you want your project to be as smooth and carefree as possible. There are several things to consider before you begin your home extension project:

• Time frames can affect your day to day life.
• Costs can vary widely between builds.
• Council fees can add more to the final cost.
• Heritage homes need extra special care and attention.
• Obstacles can be overcome with some expert advice.

[free_consultation]If you're looking for a seamless house extension process backed by 40 years of construction experience, contact Supa Group for your free consultation.

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1. Time frames

Chances are, if you're thinking about a home extension, you've already put money aside for the job. But no matter how well you have saved, there is one thing you might be poor on: time.

House extension time frames can can take anywhere up to 12 months from beginning to end. Depending on your local council body, additional town planning can add another 6 to 12 months to your build. Thankfully, this time will yield a far more comfortable and valuable living situation for your family. 

[tip_box]The home extension process goes through four main stages:

1. Research and planning: This is when you knuckle down and do your homework about what you want to achieve. Consider engaging a design and construction business like Supa Group. This should take 2 - 4 months.
2. Pre-construction: This phase is where you seek out the relevant development application (DA), organise tradespeople and purchasing materials. This will take around 2 months. Lot size and planning overlays that require council consent can add another 6 to 12 months to the process.
3. Construction: If everything goes to plan, this phase tends to equate to 6 weeks for every $60,000 budgeted for the build. Expect to wait upwards of 6 months.
4. Post-construction: When works are complete, we will request a handover meeting. Prior to that, your home will be inspected for any defects. When the handover meeting has occurred the building surveyor will attend to do the final inspection and the final certificate will issue. 
5. There is a defect warranty period of 2 years and a structural warranty of 10 years.[/tip_box]

At Supa Group, we make home extension projects seamless. We ensure that every step of the process is executed to the highest quality, meaning less interruptions for you and your family.

2. Costs

When it comes to home extensions, cost is the biggest deciding factor for most families. Depending on the scope of works, your new house extension could in the order of $130,000 for a ground floor extension, and $250,000 for a second storey extension. 

While this may seem like a lot, a house extension will add massive value to your home, and transform your standard of living.

[tip_box]Costs of build

According to realestate.com.au, these are some average costs of common home extension projects:

• Bathroom: Around $17,500
• Additional bedroom: Around $18,000
• Kitchen: Around $40,000
• New flooring: Up to $200 per square meter
• Deck or patio: Up to $420 per square meter*[/tip_box]

*These prices are for a very standard, basic builds. For more detailed costings, get in touch with Supa Group on 03 9458 1666.

Unforeseen costs

There are some unpredictable costs that may arise during your home extension. Professional costs, such as engineering and building surveyors, are intangible yet are so important to making sure your extension is built to last, and complies with all council and building regulations.

You family may also need to seek new accommodation during the course of the build, if it is an extensive project.

3. Council processes

Local council fees are like taxes - the cost of living in a community with all the benefits that we enjoy every day. The City of Melbourne has detailed information about what's required before undertaking home extensions.

• Before you build, there are building permits and regulations requirements to meet.
• Planning permits are required for additions and demolitions of residential properties.
• During the build, you'll need parking, construction and waste management permits.
• As a rule of thumb, add another 15% onto your total build to cover these bureaucratic fees.

Navigating your local council requirements is easy with expert advice. At Supa Group our design consultants are experienced at understanding these requirements. Contact us on 03 9458 1666 to learn more.

4. Heritage homes

Many Australian suburbs are made up of homes with heritage or historical significance. Visit the City of Melbourne's heritage and planning resource for more information. 

• Outside of the Melbourne CBD, a heritage overlay exists for of many parts of the city. A planning permit will be needed for any renovation to occur on most properties that have heritage or vegetation overlays.
• These regulations will also extend to demolitions, painting, and construction of fences around heritage dwellings.

If you're unsure about your home's status, get in touch with Supa Group.

5. Project roadblocks

As with any big project, there are obstacles that can stall your home renovation project. Some are foreseeable, some may come as a surprise. Common pitfalls can include:

• Poor, dangerous or irresponsible workmanship, leading to fines and complete project restarts.
• Infrequent work from hired contractors putting you far behind schedule.
• Contractors being pulled away to bigger and more lucrative jobs.

The solution to these problems, and the other considerations described above, is to employ the help of professionals. Expert tradespeople and designers are worth their weight in gold. If you want your get your dream project off to the best possible start, look for a construction company that offers the lot.