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Home Extensions: 10 Things You Need To Know

After building beautiful home extensions all over Perth for the last decade, there’s a few things we know. Some of the things that you might not know about home extensions might be here in this list;

1. It takes time

Sadly for people who contact us in November, hoping to have their renovation done by Christmas, it’s usually bad news. There’s quite a bit of planning that goes into a home extension or major renovation.

Firstly, you need to get an idea of what it will cost for what you want to achieve. This is something we give all prospective clients in our building process. Once you are happy with the approximate cost, our draftsperson or architect will draw up your plans. Often plans are needed from Engineers and other specialists as well.

Estimating a home extension takes a few weeks too, as actual quotes are sought from the myriad of trades that are involved in the project. Then, if Council permission is required, it will add time for their review and approval. Only then can a building project get underway –our clients agree, building feels like the fastest part of the process!

2. There’s rules, rules and more rules.

With local Councils heavily invested in any changes that happen in their local community, there are rules upon rules that home renovators have to comply with. A lot of the rules relate to impact on the neighbouring houses. You might be surprised to know that where you once had a window positioned in your existing home is no longer allowed in a new renovation. The only solution is to work within the guidelines, and to choose a home builder who has experience in dealing with your local Council Planning department and the Residential Codes.

3. You can fit your budget.

Many people are reluctant to contact a home extension and renovation builder because they don’t know what their renovation will cost. We understand that it’s nearly impossible for a prospective client to understand the costs of a renovation, so we are here to help you. Whilst you might have reservations about sharing your finances with a builder, it works to your advantage if you are willing to discuss your budget. After all, we are here to work with you to get the most value for your money. It’s sensible to have a limit, and then the home improvement can be designed to fit the financial budget you’ve set.

4. You’re building an asset.

Most of the money we spend on lifestyle accoutrements depreciates quickly. For example, a new car is a lovely thing to have, but it will quickly lose value. A holiday is a great experience, but you are really just left with memories (and maybe a credit card debt!). A home extension is one of the few expenditures you can make that will give your lifestyle and assets a real boost. It’s not money wasted, it’s money well spent.

5. There’s more than one way to extend a home.

You might have an idea of how to design your home extension. Perhaps you’ve even sketched out a few extra rooms. The fact is there is an endless number of ways to design a home extension. In fact, when we first visit clients and listen their ideas, we will often suggest an approach they’ve never thought of before. For example, we had a client’s home on a corner block in Wembley Downs. We suggested moving their driveway from one street to the other, effectively gaining them over 50m2 of living space on the valuable Northern side of the home. They were stunned – they had no idea their driveway could be repositioned.

6. Your day-to-day life will be improved immensely.

The benefits of extending a home can often be overlooked when in the nitty-gritty of budget planning and getting building quotes. Doing a renovation or home extension gives enormous benefits for everyday living, making each day happier and enjoyable for everyone. Just imagine;

A beautiful new kitchen space, with room for everything and everyone, designer benchtops to admire and a place for the family to congregate
Storage room for everything – including unsightly school bags out of the way!
Brand new bathrooms that always look clean
Windows and doors that open and shut smoothly
That lovely new home smell!

7. You’ll forget the pain.

Any major home extension is going to require a bit of inconvenience. Whether you move out or live through the renovations, you’ll experience a bit of pain, even if it is just a sandpit for a backyard (for a while) or dust from tile cutting. But once it’s done, all the little irritations will be forgotten and your new lifestyle begins!

8. You’ll actually enjoy the process.

There’s really enjoyable aspects to renovating and extending your home. There’s decisions to be made about colours, tiles, finishes, fixtures, appliances and décor. For those of us who love browsing through home magazines or pinning away on Pinterest, it can be an exciting time to make your own home selections! If the thought of choosing every aspect of your home interior design fills you with fear, it’s a great opportunity to involve an interior designer for a bit of guidance. At Exactus Homes, we can introduce you to a design consultant to do a bit of the running around and make recommendations for you.

9. You’ll make friends with the tradies!

Renovating or extending your home is a great opportunity to meet the friendly, hardworking tradies contracted by Exactus Homes! You might be lucky enough to hear our Apprentices belting out the latest pop tunes as they sing along to their favourite radio station. You might hear the story of how our long-term Carpenter is married to a Rio Olympian. And you just might end up being entertained by the stories and jokes shared on site.

10. You’ll be so happy you did it.

We can safely say we’ve never had a client regret their home extension project in Perth. With a lovely new living space, an increased home value and a great experience behind them, they’re happy to recommend Exactus Homes to friends and family. In fact, we have at least five clients (one in Mosman Park, two in Floreat, one South Perth and one in Woodlands) who have done their “Stage 1” renovation with Exactus Homes, and continued to “Stage 2” because they enjoyed it so much!