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When your home begins feeling too small, there is a pivotal choice in front of you. Either extend what you already have, or build something entirely new.
Both options promise more space and give you plenty of customisation potential, but these are both delivered very differently. Deciding whether to build new or add an extension boils down to understanding what you can realistically achieve with each approach, while being mindful of certain factors.
Before committing to a new home extension or building from scratch, it’s important to assess everything that you’re working with. Consider the structural framing of the building, its bones, if you will, with an impartial and thorough walkthrough. Some challenges may seem incredibly difficult, but involving an architect can help you gain far more clarity of whether it’s achievable or makes financial and logistical sense.
Having said that, those awkward, narrow corridors can be opened up to offer far more space; those low ceilings can be stretched higher; those walls can be knocked down to create an open-plan living and dining space. Properties, even those with unconventional layouts can be completely reimagined through thoughtful, intelligent design.
Contemporary extension techniques offer a convenient workaround, allowing for a dramatic, value-adding transformation while preserving the character of your existing home. This balance is a hallmark of residential specialists like FRESH Architects, who advocate for designs that combine “creativity, functionality and enduring quality,” whether the vision is a modern family hub or a sensitive countryside cottage restoration. Involving qualified experts early helps you evaluate whether your property has this untapped potential or if starting fresh is the more viable path.
Top Tip: Get a structural survey (a Level 3 RICS Building Survey) done early. Knowing about any hidden issues with foundations, damp, or subsidence helps you make an informed decision before investing in detailed plans.
Extensions allow you to maintain your existing setup, and you avoid the hassle of moving. You get to keep all the best bits of your established property and building work can often take shape around your day-to-day life.
Cost-wise, extensions typically require less upfront investment. As you’re building on existing utilities and foundations, there’s far less upheaval, and planning permission for extensions often faces less resistance, especially if staying within permitted development rights.
Contemporary extensions also allow homeowners to exercise a surprising amount of design flexibility. From loft conversions to wraparound or glass box extensions, these can completely reinvigorate the flow of a home, and change how it functions. Clever structural work can remove obstructive load-bearing walls to create more open spaces. Finishing touches are also important for extensions, with brands like Farrow & Ball offering richly pigmented paint colours that bring character to extension spaces, however big and versatile.
The beauty of extensions means that improvements can be incrementally tackled room by room. For instance, you may begin with a kitchen extension, then convert the loft once your budget allows, and costs are kept much more manageable on the whole.
Top Tip: Consider how an extension will affect your outdoor space. The best designs balance indoor square footage with maintaining a usable garden area.
Starting fresh, with a proverbial blank canvas, gives you unlimited creative freedom and control. Every room can be positioned and laid out exactly where you want it. You maintain all the decisions around circulation, flow, natural light exposure, space, and everything that homeowners consider when buying new properties.
Building a new house from the ground up might be expensive, but they’re considerably more economical than you might expect. Without any underlying structural constraints to work around, construction work becomes inherently more straightforward. Given that you can design every element, you can often make decisions that result in better energy efficiency and lower long-term running costs. Furthermore, the VAT exemption on construction costs for self-build projects can make them cheaper than major renovations, which, if properties require extensive rebuilding, can make the whole ordeal financially advantageous.
From a design perspective, it’s hard to argue against self-building. If you want a ground-floor bedroom suite, or a self-contained, north-facing annexe with plumbing and power, or a spacious converted loft space that doubles as a workshop and lounge space, you have the means of making this happen. All needs, both immediate and future, can be easier to accommodate when designing and building from scratch.
Top Tip: If you're considering a new build, explore whether your current plot allows for development. Many properties have garden space that could accommodate a new dwelling, possibly giving you options for selling the existing house separately.
Consider whether you want to remain where you are or whether you truly want to move somewhere completely new. If you need to be where you are currently for work or school, and also love your neighbours, your location, and the character of your home, an extension preserves those valuable factors. Conversely, a new self-build project suits anybody who’s ready for a brand new start and isn’t locked into a specific location.
Disruption is another concern; extensions can work around your daily routine while self-build projects allow you to stay in your current home until they’re completed. Having said that, you may need to sell your existing home to fund the project.
Fundamentally, the final outcome matters most of all. Extensions suit homes where the existing layout has potential but hasn’t yet been fully harnessed. On the flip side, new self-builds suit situations where the existing floor plan isn’t that conducive to your needs, or when the property requires such a large amount of work that rebuilding is more financially viable. This is where consulting wall removal experts like Studio Structure comes in handy, whether rebuilding or making way for an extension. Proper assessments and calculations are necessary to ensure the process is safe and compliant, even if achievable financially.
Top Tip: Request detailed cost breakdowns for both options before deciding. Compare like-for-like square footage, and factor in all associated costs including planning fees, surveys, and professional services.
Ultimately there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing a new self-build or an extension. Some properties need deep extension work that honours their character while expanding available living space, but others have reached the end of their usefulness and deserve to be replaced with something new and effective for contemporary living.
The best approach is to gather expert opinions from multiple parties, understand the current constraints you and your property face, and the possibilities in front of you. Be honest about your budget and lifestyle needs. With the right guidance, either option can deliver, giving you the home you’ve always imagined and wanted.
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