House Extensions

Add Value To Your Property

With property prices in London at now high rates, many homeowners look for extra space are asking themselves if it's good to purchase a new house. Alternatively, many are taking the decision to stay put in their properties, and add house extensions. Such a scarcity in space and land has launched a wave of new house extensions in the capital, which has in turn, added property values even more.

A house extension can increase the value of a property by up to 20% in some parts of London, which is precisely why many homeowners decide to stay put in their areas. "As a renovation company running in some of the richest parts of London, most of our clients are more than happy with their property, and have no intention of moving out", says Andi Pepaj, director of APT Renovation. "House extensions are a stunning way to enhance space, improve the quality of life and add value to a property".

Space For A Big Family

The harmony of a household has a direct impact on the amount of space a property has, especially if the family is big. The larger the property, the less likely it is that petty feuds will break out over who is using what and what area is being occupied. An additional bathroom can transform the whole household, and removes the problems of having to check on how long one spends relaxing in the bathtub. Also, an extra bathroom can add up to 6% in value.

The added space that house extensions provide mean that family members are more eager to want to spend time in their home rather than treating their property as a place to rest. They can be transformed into relaxing rooms and divertissement, fitted with combined sound systems and technology. With more and more people working remotely, the study appears to be a necessity for digital entrepreneurs, letting individuals make the most out of their capacity.

Glass designs

There's also been a recently discovered preference to modernising existing properties with likewise designed house extensions. These glass designs represent the new trend in modern architecture, and can change living spaces by easing large amounts of natural light. Not only does this brighten up the place and make it homelier, but it also gives the appearance of even more space.

Many properties deceivingly come across as being small because of the style, so knocking down an internal wall or two is an extremely effective way to enlarge the interior space. Adding 10% new floorspace can get 5.1% more value on the market. This can also create a modern feel, which is why most of the modern properties ad open-plan layouts, with airy features. The two pillars for modernism are space and light, and this is steadily being reflected in the driven house extensions that are taking place everywhere in the capital.

Kitchen extensions

Kitchen extensions have turned to be the most popular types of home renovations in London properties. A new kitchen can add up to 6% in value to a house, and is most of the times the first thing people look for when purchasing. As people become more inspired with their culinary routine, the kitchen area is now one of the central social spaces as opposed to the front of the house. This is why open-plan kitchen diners are now in demand, and are sometimes added to the rear end of the house.

A Rear Extension

A rear extension takes advantage of the outside space and increases the indoor space by adding the flooring or materials that can be found in the garden. Moving the irrelevant space from the outside to the inside can result in an important increase in living room, accordingly encouraging household members to assemble more in this part of the property. Having this type of additional space is not only more useful for families, but is fitting the type of lifestyle that many people want these days.

James Dickson and his wife Nicky of Lysia Street wanted to increase the space in their property, most primarily by way of a renovated kitchen that allowed access to the garden. APT Renovation managed to give the property a full renovation and create a beautiful contemporary kitchen, complete with state of the art skylights to enhance the natural lighting.

Conservatories and orangeries

Conservatories and orangeries have a reasonable price on all house extensions, and are both similar in the meaning that they also blend together the exterior with the interior. They are all-purpose in terms of practicality and can be transformed into dining rooms, studies, garden rooms, sun rooms and children's rooms, to name a few. Both alternatives let residents enjoy the sights a garden has under a relaxing surrounding, despite of what the weather is like.

Storey Extensions

Normally, single storey extensions will go ahead without problems, although sometimes, planning permission may be asked. When it comes to multi-storey extensions, there is much more to take into consideration, including the influence the works will have on neighbours. This type of house extension can be protracted and can cause the wrath of complaints from the neighbours. The larger the project, the more research it will come under, as the works can lead to less privacy for those living in the vicinity. This is why getting building control permission is important, and a planning permission is almost a certainty.

Multi-Storey Extensions

Multi-storey extensions represent the most drastic of transformations of a property, and can pave the way for extra bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms, ideal for a growing family. Creating a new bedroom of 13 square metres has the capacity to ad value of a terraced property by up to 10%, and two new bedrooms in a semi-detached home is likely to see a 13% increase in the general worth. Homeowners that already have three bedrooms can increase up to 10% in value if they take the decision to go for a fourth.

Shows like Grand Designs have shown to people the real extent of what contemporary architecture can ad to a property. In respect of house extensions, not only is the range endless for creativity and design, but the same is accurate for functionality. According to Andi Pepaj, homeowners are now more sophisticated in their tastes; "we have seen a real movement towards elegant modernism, and this has an impact on the lifestyle aspirations that are predominant all over the city".