The Three Most Important Things to Consider for a Second Storey Extension

Adding a second storey to your home not only increases your living space, but also your home’s value as well.

However, extending your home is a huge undertaking and, therefore, it requires thorough thought put into it before you commission its start. The following are the top three most important things to consider when planning a second storey extension to your home.

Feasibility of a Second Storey Extension

Is extending your home upwards feasible? The following are some of the things that determine the feasibility of this undertaking:

Your Foundation

The current foundation of your home was designed to support the weight of your house. As such, a second storey puts extra weight on the foundation, which might compromise its ability to uphold the structural integrity of your home.

As such, you should have a reputable builder or architect check out the foundation to determine whether it can support the extra weight.

Design

When contemplating the idea of adding a second storey to your home, it is important to look at the bigger picture. How will the addition affect the proportions and aesthetics of your house? Will you have to change fittings such as doors and windows? Will the house retain its visual appeal?

Take a mental picture of what you envision and let a designer translate it on paper.

Where Will You Put the Stairs?

This is something that homeowners looking to extend upwards tend to pay little attention to. However, it is a big consideration. Unlike what you might think, stairs take up a considerable amount of space.

According to the Building Code of Australia, stairs meant for residential must meet the following requirements:

• The stair steps cannot be taller than 190 mm, or shorter than 115 mm
• There should be a landing at least after every 18 steps
• There should be at least 2 meters of headroom
• There should be no more than 125 mm between banisters

Note that these are just some of the general requirements that your stairs have to meet. Your local council laws might even have requirements that are more stringent. The bottom line is that you will likely need more space than you are anticipating, which means that you might have to revise your extension plans.

There are also cases where there isn’t enough space available to accommodate stairs that are compliant to regulations, which puts the entire project in jeopardy.

Permits and Regulations

Before you do a second storey extension, you will require planning and building approval, meaning that your project must comply with the local neighbourhood plan, as well as local zoning regulations.

There are also times where you will need a developmental approval, a plumbing approval, or a ‘sitting variation’ to construct within the boundary setbacks of your property.

Additionally, depending on your location, your second storey might also have to satisfy additional building standards, especially in areas that are prone to fires, floods, and cyclones. As such, upon finalizing your design, you will have to seek approval from your local council.

Thee local council will determine whether you can proceed with the build or not. If they approve your design, these are the main types of permits that they are likely to give you:

• Planning Permit

This permit evaluates whether your extension fits in with the rest of the builds in the neighbourhood, in addition to any potential negative effects it might have, such as invading your neighbour’s privacy.

• Building permit

This permit certifies that your project is in adherence to proper building techniques and materials.

Costs of Adding a Second Storey

Extending your home is one of the costliest home renovations you can take on. The actual costs depend on the amount of work that you want to be done. According to Hi-Pages, this cost varies between $1,850 and $3,300 per square meter.

Many things cause the huge discrepancy between those costs. For example, if you have to rework your plumbing and wiring, you will incur greater expenses. On the other hand, if you choose to reuse your old roof, you will bring down those costs considerably. Additionally, labour costs also vary greatly between regions. For example, costs of labour in Sydney are much higher than those of other cities.

Nonetheless, regardless of the budget estimate that you come up with, consider adding a 20 per cent buffer to account for unexpected expenses and contingencies. Obviously, the resulting figure might seem too high; however, think about how much it would cost you to move into a new home, the chances are that extending your home is considerably cheaper.

Timeline and Disruption

Adding a second storey to your home is a process that takes a lot of time. For example, architectural planning alone might take up to 45 days, while the building phase might take up to 120 days. That is more than 5 months.

It goes without saying that this might be an extremely inconveniencing period for you and your family. While some builders claim that they can perform the extension while you are still inside, chances are you will grow tired of the constant noise and presence of builders pretty quickly.

Therefore, you will have to consider accommodation alternatives, which costs money.

Take Your Time

Adding a second storey to your home will add a great deal of comfort and convenience to your life. However, it is not a simple project; it will require a significant amount of planning, time, and money to pull off. Therefore, you need to put a lot of thought into it before deciding to go ahead with the project.

Make sure that you have a consultation with an architect first, as they will give you a knowledgeable scope of what the project entails. This will allow you to be better prepared financially and mentally when you decide to start building. An architect will also help you come up with a good and feasible design for the extension.

When you are ready to start construction, put effort into finding a reputable builder for second storey extensions. The quality of your builder determines the subsequent quality of your project. As such, ensure that the builder that you choose has a track-record for high-quality work. Godspeed.