Home extensions vs loft conversions - what’s right for you?
Can’t decide whether to extend your home or do a loft conversion?
You’ve decided you want (or need!) to increase space and add value to your property but which option is going to be best for you and your home?
There are a few things to consider:
Which option is going to add the most value?
What do you need the extra space for? An extra bedroom? More kitchen space? A utility room?
How much will it cost, and what is your budget?
How much disruption can you cope with?
Home extension
With a home extension, you can literally add any room you need to your home. A kitchen, a bathroom, a utility, a WC or a bedroom. Or perhaps just more living space in general. How much you can extend by will depend on planning policies in your area, the space around your property and what your budget is.
A single storey extension will cost around £1,500 per square metre. Factor in around £1,100 per square metre for upper floors if you’re doing a double storey.
In terms of value, a large single storey kitchen extension could add around 15% to your property whereas a double storey extension to create an extra bedroom (a master suite) could add around 20%. (See here for more information on how much property value home extensions can add).
Extending your internal space is going to mean reducing your outdoor space. For most people, having more space inside to accommodate a growing family, or to just have some extra living space, is worth the reduction in garden size . But what if that extension means you’re going to lose a parking space? Not only could that have a negative impact on your day-to-day life, but you may run into issues in the planning stage. It’s something to consider - and that’s where a loft conversion might be more suitable.
Loft conversion
Loft conversions can add huge improvement to any home where extra space is needed, particularly now when so many people are working from home. A loft is usually dead space which you probably only use to store things you haven’t used in years! Converting it into a master suite could cost less per square metre than extending, increasing house value by as much as 20%. If it’s under a certain size it will probably come under permitted development which means it won’t require planning permission. It also won’t eat into valuable space like an outside extension.
In general a loft conversion is much cheaper and more straightforward than building a brand new extension. But, the more sophisticated the loft design is, the higher the cost and level of disruption. A loft conversion would cost around £35k for a 40sqm conversion with a dormer.
The choice
It’s a tricky decision to make and depends on so many different factors. But an experienced architectural designer will be able to help you determine which option is best for you and what you need.
If you’re based in the East Midlands and you’d like to book in with our Nottingham team for a free, no obligation design consultation where we can chat through the pros and cons of loft conversions and extensions for your home, please give us a call on 0115 874 8570 - or hit the button below.
You can also find out more about home extensions and the fees we charge here.
If you’re not quite ready to get started, or you’re based elsewhere in the UK, please feel free to check out the rest of our Advice Centre - and connect with us on Instagram and Facebook for tips and inspiration.
Other useful articles
5 things you need to do when planning a home extension
The true cost of a home extension