You are certain of one thing, however, and that is the fact that you are outgrowing your current home. What you are unsure about is whether or not you will be able to afford an addition to your home. Before deciding how much you can afford to add to a room, you must have a thorough understanding of all of the associated costs, some of which you might not be aware of.
This concise guide to the costs of extending your home is intended to assist you in preventing any omissions and ensuring that you give careful consideration to all of your available choices. The following step is to look for a qualified professional in your area who specializes in home additions.
Comparison of Do-It-Yourself Construction to Employing a Contractor
Many homeowners who want to extend their homes decide to build them themselves, becoming what is known as “owner builders.” This could end up saving you money, however, there are a lot of other costs and obligations related to the law that you must be conscious of. To name a few of them, there is the expense associated with acquiring an owner-builder permit, as well as continuous construction permits and inspections, as well as insurance.
Getting a quote or an estimate from a local contractor can take a significant portion of the guesswork out of calculating the costs associated with adding on to your house. Because of this, you may want to start by contacting one or two local builders to get quotes or estimates.
Before deciding which construction company to use or whether to get an owner-builder permit and take on that obligation yourself, it is better to make a list of the big expenses in materials and labor before you determine which contractor to use. This will allow you to make an informed decision. The following are some of the most important factors to take into consideration:
Is there going to be any digging involved? In that case, before you proceed with anything else, you need to determine how much money that will set you back.
Create a List of the Fundamental Components of Your Building
These may include cement work for your groundwork, framing components, interior and exterior cladding, roof panels, insulation, and other expenses involved with your basic structure. Beginning at the bottom and working your way up is the same strategy you will use when you begin constructing things.
If you measure the square meters of your house extension and use an online expense calculator, you can get a fairly accurate ballpark figure. However, your list will assist you to get a firm idea of any additional costs that could be involved in your venture.
Create a List of the Materials That Will Be Used for the Interior Finishing
For instance, do you have your heart set on a floating floor made of wood, or do you plan to carpet the new space in your home? Because there are substantial differences in the price levels of flooring materials and the associated costs of installation, you might want to think about a few different options before making a decision.
Don’t forget to factor in the cost of any necessary lighting, electrical work, or plumbing. Even if you have a permit allowing you to construct your own home, you will still be required to hire a certified plumber to assist you in completing the aforementioned tasks. All of these costs should not be overlooked.
When you are compiling the costs of the house extension, you will undoubtedly think of a lot of additional things that you need to include. Do not give up hope if, after tallying up all of the costs, you discover that they are beyond the scope of your budget. There are many different options available to you that will save you money. For instance, if you want more space for living and dining, perhaps all you require is an extension of your patio.
The Fees That Are Charged For Adding On To Houses In South Africa
An 80 square meter ground floor house extension can cost anywhere from R480000 to R960000, which is approximately R6000 per square meter to R12000 per square meter. The price range is determined by the type of construction and the value of the finishings. A home addition to the second story will typically run about fifty percent more than one added to the ground floor.
It’s possible that when you first bought the house, you didn’t give much thought to the possibility of your family expanding, or that you simply lacked the financial resources necessary to construct a larger home at the time. At this point, you might be confronted with a predicament: the question is whether or not you should move to a larger home or construct house extensions.
Moving can be quite pricey, and you’ve grown attached to your current residence. If this is the case, you might want to think about extending your home. However, how much does it set you back? If you would like to know how much it might cost to extend your house, you should talk to some professionals in your area.
Why Should You Think About Extending Your Current Home?
Why go to the trouble of extending your home when you could just sell it and buy a bigger one? The following are four compelling arguments in favor of considering an addition to your home:
- You don’t have to find a new home if you’re happy with the neighborhood you’re currently in.
- Don’t settle for something that’s merely “okay;” instead, make the adjustments that you feel are necessary.
- It’s possible that adding on to your existing house will be less expensive than moving to a larger one.
- It’s possible that you feel attached to where you currently live and do not want to move.
Keep in mind that moving requires both financial and physical investment on your part. The first step is to put your current house up for sale and then start looking for a new place that better suits your needs. If you currently live in a home that is smaller than what you would prefer, the price of a larger home will be higher. When you take into account the expense of moving, the fees charged by the bank, and any other associated costs, the cost of adding on to your house will almost certainly be more affordable.
How Much Extra Does It Set You Back to Extend Your Home?
You won’t be able to get an accurate estimate of how much it will cost to extend a house until you have plans drawn up and know the dimensions of the extension as well as what will be part of it. An extension on the ground floor measuring 30 square meters typically costs between R180000 and R360000, which comes out to approximately R6000 per square meter to R12000 per square meter. This can give your house an additional two bedrooms and a bathroom.
When it comes to extending your home by building a second floor, this is very doable provided that it was planned for from the beginning. But if it wasn’t planned for, it may not be the best option because there are major reforms that will have to be created to the bottom floor as well, and the cost of the building project might end up being significantly higher.
Because there will be no need for new foundations or anything like that, an extension that was initially planned for a second floor might turn out to be even more cost-effective than was initially anticipated. When compared to an extension on the ground floor, this can result in cost savings of up to thirty percent.
Other House Extension Expenses That Should Be Taken Into Consideration
- The heating system and the air conditioner
- Adding a bathroom or kitchen will result in additional expenses.
- It will be more expensive to use quality materials and finish them.
- The price of having plans drawn up as well as the fees charged by the municipality
- The extension will be furnished once it is finished.
Home additions are waterproof shells. After completion, they will not be move-in ready because they will not include any furnishings, window coverings (such as blinds or curtains), lighting fixtures, or other items. If a bathroom or kitchen is required, the expense of installing plumbing and other fixtures specific to either room must be factored into the overall cost. How much will it cost to remodel either the bathroom or the kitchen?
The typical cost of renovating a bathroom is:
- R20,000 to R40,000 is the price range for an affordable bathroom.
- A bathroom of an average size and fittings of middle-range quality will cost between R40,000 and R80,000.
- A luxury bathroom can cost upwards of R80,000.
A necessary step in renovating a bathroom is tearing out the existing one. If you decide to extend your home, the bathroom builders that you hire won’t have to remove your old fixtures; however, you can expect to incur additional costs.
For instance, the plumber will be responsible for installing pipes and the sewage system. A new wiring system, along with updated lighting and power outlets, will need to be installed by an electrician. As a result of these costs, installing a brand-new bathroom might end up costing about the same as performing a standard bathroom renovation.