The Advantages of Choosing a Second Floor Extension Over a Conventional Home Extension
Posted on: 18 April 2017
Adding an extension to your home is a wonderful way to increase your living space without going through the hassle of moving homes. However, while adding an extension to our home is less bothersome than switching homes, it is far from a simple process, and choosing the type of extension you require can be more difficult than you might imagine.
Second storey home extensions are becoming an increasingly popular choice or homeowners across Australia and allow homeowners to build up rather than out to create an extension on top of their single storey home. These second storey extensions are not simple undertakings, and will take considerable amount of time, effort and money to complete; however, they have a host of advantages over conventional, ground-level home extensions that can make them well worth the extra effort.
Space saving
One of the chief advantages of choosing a second floor extension is that you get to keep (almost) every inch of your pre-existing ground space. While some second floor extension designs may require small amounts of ground space for the construction of structural supports and staircases, they can be located in lesser used areas such as alleyways and underused front yards.
Money saving
Second floor home extensions are generally much less expensive to commission and build than conventional, ground level extensions. They do not require extensive laying of new foundations, and you will not have to hire expensive land surveyors to ensure that new land is fit for building.
This is not to say that a second storey extension can simply be slapped on top of your home without some preliminary investment, as you may need to pay money to have your existing foundations and/or load-bearing walls strengthened in anticipation of the extra weight. However, these modifications are still less expensive to commission than new construction and generally take less time to complete.
Aesthetically pleasing
Conventional, ground level extensions can make a formerly elegant home appear lumpy and misshaped, especially if they are constructed with minimal regard given to the aesthetics of your original home. Second storey extensions, on the other hand, are designed to blend into the original aesthetics and architecture of your home, and a well-constructed second storey extension can look indistinguishable from the older, original parts of the home once completed.
Increases your home's resale value
Converting your single storey home into a two storey house with a second floor extension can dramatically increase the value of your property, especially if the extension is built to resemble an original part of your home. This increase in value can often be much more valuable than the money you spend building your extension (getting quotes in advance from real estate agents can be useful for determining the value of your finished extension).
Second floor extensions, as previously mentioned, also take up minimal additional ground space, leaving you with an attractive amount of ground-level land which can further increase the value of your property.
To learn more about second floor extensions, talk to contractors like Vickers Home Improvements.
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