Find out how to gain extra space and potential income from extending your home.
Thinking about extending your home rather than move or to create extra space to generate rental income. In the first instance, when we think of extending our homes, we think of garage conversions, single-storey extensions and home office with the increased focus of people working from home. However, there is a multitude of ways to add extra room space to your home. We're going to take a look at some of these options. It all depends, however, on what you're looking to achieve.
The first example we're going to look at is the tiny house movement which has become very popular in recent years. It is also a way in which you could create an additional income with the likes of Airbnb and the increased interest in domestic travel given the current climate. This could be a cost-effective and innovative way to earn an extra income by creating a holiday let in your garden if you have space.
Take a look at the following links to see what it's possible to build:
Several sites cater to this niche of tiny home rental and holiday rentals in general. Everybody has heard of Airbnb, why not become a host and generate income from creating extra space in your home.
Get some inspiration, have a look what's out there and being rented out:
Single storey extensions come in a range of forms.
When it comes to extending your home, you might want to take an easier approach and have a look at the world of prefab home extensions. It is a faster, cleaner and cheaper approach than the conventional option. Have a look at dura base who have a multitude of styles of single-storey extension ideas. There are also hard roofed conservatories which could give you the extra space you're looking for if you want to expand your home rather than move. A hard roofed conservatory is a lot more versatile than a conventional conservatory as it can be used all year round and won't be so prone to becoming too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter these rooms can be used as a lounge/dining space which may also free up a room you use for this purpose already as an additional bedroom/home office instead depending on your needs. With costs such as stamp duty, legal and agent fees when selling your home, this could be a more attractive option. Mainstream double glazing companies tend to offer solid roofed conservatories to complement your home matching materials to remain in keeping with your property's style. Take a look at the following links for examples.
A garage conversion could add additional space to your home or create a self-contained studio for an elderly relative or even as an Airbnb or rental property. The options are endless and dependent on what you want to achieve the cost for a standard garage conversion ranges from £5000-£8000. This is also the most cost-effective way to add additional space to your home. You are also unlikely to require planning permission in most cases as a garage conversion is usually classed as permitted development. You may need to apply for planning permission in a conservation area, but this is very rare.
Finally, we come to one of the most costly options, which are loft conversions. Loft conversions can be very complex and time-consuming.However, with the property development game becoming more innovative, it is now possible to have a fully functioning signed off loft conversion added to your home in weeks rather than months by going for a prefabricated option. Companies that have been paving the way with this are London's Landmarks Lofts, and the ever-popular Moduloft featured on Sarah Beany's 'Double your house for half the money'. Moduloft has many case studies for you to look at and draw inspiration from to see what you could potentially achieve with your project.
Home offices are becoming increasingly popular with people tending to work from home more so these days. In general, you won't require planning permission to create an office in your garden. The costs can vary depending on what you need. GBC buildings for leisure provide a good entry-level garden building that can be used as a garden office from £2563 with the current offer they have on. CostCo provides a garden cabin ideal for an office that includes delivery and installation for a very reasonable £2899.
Another thought is whether you'll require an electric supply or access to WiFi, which is more than likely. You'll probably find a WiFi extender will do the job of supplying WiFi to your garden office. If this doesn't work then investing in a portable hotspot might be a good idea. BT offers the Mini Hub BT70, a handy mobile router with up to 8 hours battery and provides safe, secure, super-fast internet for up to 20 devices. The 15GB data plan starts from £15 PCM. For further information take a look at
Always use a qualified electrician to install the electric from your home to your office building as you could face a fine if the electrical workmanship isn't certified. It's also good to get several quotes to anticipate how much your project will cost.
If your needs are simple and you just need power for a laptop and lighting you could always invest in a laptop power bank paired with a good quality rechargeable lamp could cater for this. For the main lighting, you could install a remote control solar powered pendant light. These can cost as little as £27, take a look at the Lixada Solar pendant light on Amazon.
Do you require facilities such as a small kitchenette for tea/coffee making to keep home and work life separate.
The ideal kitchen for a office comes in the form of the sunnerstsa from IKEA. Take a look at:
This paired with the mini tillreda fridge will help to take care of your tea and coffee requirements during the day.
As you can see from this article, the possibilities of creating extra room are endless and are more accessible than ever thanks to new technology which allows for this
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