Maybe the plan was to move to a bigger house… however current economic circumstances have removed this option for many people. The next option, and often times the best option, is to look at how to create more space in your existing house.
What sort of space do you need, where do you need it, how should it integrate with the rest of the house, and what impact will it have on the existing house in terms of light, space, comfort, disruption, and value?
Here are 12 critical questions to consider when planning your house extension project in Ireland:
- What sort of space do you need – living room, kitchen, playroom, utility room, downstairs bathroom, home office, open plan kitchen/dining/living room? Consider the long-term issues as well as your immediate problem, and consider how a prospective house buyer might value and appreciate what you are considering.
- What are your options in terms of where you can extend, and how suited is this to your space requirements? For example, having an attic conversion as a playroom for small children doesn’t make great sense.
- What impact will the extension have on the existing house and garden? Consider how the extension will impact on light within the existing house, for example, and how you will compensate for this.
- Do you require planning permissions? In Ireland you are allowed to extend by up to 40 sqm (430 sqft) of additional floor area at the back of your house without planning permission, subject to certain