Maybe your family has increased, and you want to boost your living space or increase its resale value. Those are some of the reasons you’d want to do a second storey extension of your current house. Second storey extensions are a very affordable means of enlarging your living space while retaining your precious outdoor space.
But many homeowners hesitate because they don’t have enough information on how to go about adding a second storey extension in their home. Here is what to expect when you decide to do a second storey extension.
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Professional opinions are necessary.
When it comes to adding a second storey to your house, you can’t just wake up and decide you need to do it. Experience counts for a lot. You have to consult with a professional with enough understanding of building regulations, planning constraints, and knowledge of the site conditions. These factors determine if the extension is possible, safe, or detrimental to the existing foundation.
You need to get the necessary approvals.
Whether you are adding a second storey extension or a ground floor to your house, the proposed construction must comply with the state’s building codes and regulations. That means you need to understand the requirements, such as height restrictions and other things required for your project to get approval.
In some cases, there may be landscape or vegetation overlays associated with your property which means that any changes you wish to make need to be first approved by the state council. If such overlays exist within your property, you have to liaise with them and go through a formal planning process. Working with a professional design consultant is the best to navigate these processes efficiently.
You may have to shift temporarily.
Depending on the scope of the work, you may have to shift temporarily during the construction. Discussing with your project manager about everything you should expect of them and vice versa is necessary to plan early. It may be a wise idea to take a holiday tour while the construction goes on to give the workers the space they need. Remember that your home will be a construction site, and you need to abide by the Occupational Health and Safety requirements.
You have to ensure the safety of your possessions.
There are some possessions you need to store offsite during the construction. Keep in mind that anything can happen during construction, so you need to keep your valuable items secure or away. Construction sites are always a target for thieves, especially if there is no one guarding the home at night and the family is away. Have a plan on how to secure your possessions during the construction.
Ensure you get insurance protection
It is best to ensure you have adequate insurance protection before you begin construction for a second storey addition. Note that most home insurances do not cover any damages during renovations or additions to the existing building. It is recommendable to extend your insurance policy in such a case.
Plan for unexpected costs
A second storey addition may not be costly, but you need to plan for unexpected costs. Remember that you may need to re-plumb the entire system, rewire your electrical system, update services, among other extra costs.
