How To Design And Build Your Own Extension
If you are lucky enough to live in a home which has space to extend, you may be considering doing just that.
However, like most of us at the moment you may not have the money to do it through a professional organisation.
There are a few ways you can still add an extension by yourself; saving money, making sure you get what you want, and having fun along the way.
Here are steps you will need to take to get your new extension up...
Design First things first: What sort of extension do you want? Conservatories are popular, sunrooms are a nice cross between extension and conservatory and extensions are the most comprehensive.
Once you have decided what you want and where you are going to put it, you need to measure everything out.
Be as accurate as possible and take into account thickness of walls and depth of foundations.
Your design needs to be made as if it is someone else that is going to be following it.
That way you will be most accurate.
Planning Permission Now that you have a design on paper, you need to get planning permission.
This involves filling in a load of forms for your local authority and proving that you own the land.
This should take some time, but you have to get the permission: it's the law.
If you don't they can come and tear your new extension down.
Smaller jobs like double glazing repairs don't need planning permission.
Source Get all your materials from builder's yards.
You may want to rent some machinery too while you're at it, as mixing concrete by hand can be a bit tough.
When you source your materials you need to ensure you have things like a hard hat and tarpaulin to cover your structure if it rains.
Build Building is dangerous so make sure you read up and watch videos of how to do things before you get started.
Your build might go something like this: Draw out your guide lines with spray paint or string and dig your foundations.
Fill your foundations with concrete and sub structure.
Put up your frame up including the roof.
Put up your walls and tile your roof.
Put your windows in and start doing your wiring and pipe work.
All that's left after that is insulating, plastering and rendering the exterior.
If you build a conservatory you will need to get a prefabricated set of uPVC windows beforehand.
These will come with instructions for doing it yourself.
Safety Never undertake a building project without some level of experience.
If you don't have a significant amount of experience working with these techniques and materials you may need to bite the bullet and enlist the services of a professional.
However, like most of us at the moment you may not have the money to do it through a professional organisation.
There are a few ways you can still add an extension by yourself; saving money, making sure you get what you want, and having fun along the way.
Here are steps you will need to take to get your new extension up...
Design First things first: What sort of extension do you want? Conservatories are popular, sunrooms are a nice cross between extension and conservatory and extensions are the most comprehensive.
Once you have decided what you want and where you are going to put it, you need to measure everything out.
Be as accurate as possible and take into account thickness of walls and depth of foundations.
Your design needs to be made as if it is someone else that is going to be following it.
That way you will be most accurate.
Planning Permission Now that you have a design on paper, you need to get planning permission.
This involves filling in a load of forms for your local authority and proving that you own the land.
This should take some time, but you have to get the permission: it's the law.
If you don't they can come and tear your new extension down.
Smaller jobs like double glazing repairs don't need planning permission.
Source Get all your materials from builder's yards.
You may want to rent some machinery too while you're at it, as mixing concrete by hand can be a bit tough.
When you source your materials you need to ensure you have things like a hard hat and tarpaulin to cover your structure if it rains.
Build Building is dangerous so make sure you read up and watch videos of how to do things before you get started.
Your build might go something like this: Draw out your guide lines with spray paint or string and dig your foundations.
Fill your foundations with concrete and sub structure.
Put up your frame up including the roof.
Put up your walls and tile your roof.
Put your windows in and start doing your wiring and pipe work.
All that's left after that is insulating, plastering and rendering the exterior.
If you build a conservatory you will need to get a prefabricated set of uPVC windows beforehand.
These will come with instructions for doing it yourself.
Safety Never undertake a building project without some level of experience.
If you don't have a significant amount of experience working with these techniques and materials you may need to bite the bullet and enlist the services of a professional.
Source...