Cost-effective upgrades, renovations or additions make all the difference to market value when it comes to selling your home.
The British housing market is still reeling from COVID, so anything you can do to stand out in the crowd works in your favour.
That’s where wrap-around extensions might provide a fantastic solution. A wrap-around extension combines a rear and side extension, extending the back and the side of your property. In other words, it makes your existing home wider and longer.
In this blog post, we’ll delve into wrap-around extensions, their advantages, a few possible uses, and what you should consider before getting the shovels out.
Benefits of a wrap-around extension
Wrap-around extensions don’t just look great and give your property ‘that something extra’. With careful planning and design, you’ll build a functional living space for anyone who requires it.
A playroom for your kids?
A spare room for guests?
A dedicated space for your furry friends?
The sky’s the limit! Here are the most apparent benefits that a wrap-around extension could bring to your home:
- Increased functional living space – Wrap-around extensions significantly increase the usable living space of your property by extending both the rear and side of the house, allowing for larger, more versatile rooms.
- Enhanced property market value and appeal – A well-designed and executed wrap-around extension can significantly boost your property’s market value and appeal to potential buyers by offering a modern, spacious and flexible living environment.
- Simple to create open-plan and roomed spaces – Wrap-around extensions provide ample space and flexibility to create open-plan layouts and separate, defined rooms, depending on your preferences.
- As multi-functional as required – You can use the increased space provided by a wrap-around extension for various purposes, such as a kitchen-diner, living room, home office, playroom or additional bedrooms, depending on your needs.
- Cost-effective – While wrap-around extensions are generally more expensive than single-storey rear or side extensions, they offer a cost-effective solution for significantly increasing living space compared to moving to a larger property.
- Tailored and personalised to you – Wrap-around extensions can be designed and customised to suit your specific requirements, tastes and lifestyle, ensuring the new space perfectly complements your needs.
- Suitable for ground floor extensions – Wrap-around extensions are an excellent option for creating ground-floor living spaces that cater to the needs of less mobile or disabled individuals, as they can be designed with accessibility features and level access in mind.
Extending to the rear and the side simultaneously has the potential to give you everything you need when it comes to spending time with your loved ones, keeping up with the latest shows, relaxing in a peaceful corner or entertaining your favourite guests. When it essentially pays for itself in terms of market value increase (plus a little extra, in most cases), what’s not to love?
Potential uses for a wrap-around extension
As we touched on earlier, one of the key advantages of wrap-around extensions is the wide range of potential uses. Where you might be more limited in other extension approaches, a wrap-around extension can be used for almost anything, such as:
Open-plan kitchen
A wrap-around extension provides ample space to create a spacious, open-plan kitchen with a seamless flow between cooking, dining and living areas.
Kitchen/diner
Extending both the rear and side of the property, a wrap-around extension allows for a generous kitchen/diner that can accommodate a large dining table and provide a comfortable space for family meals and entertaining guests.
Spacious living room
A wrap-around extension can create a spacious, light-filled living room with plenty of room for comfortable seating, entertainment systems and storage, perfect for relaxing and socialising.
Kids’ playroom
With its generous floor space, you can use a wrap-around extension to create a dedicated playroom for your children, providing a safe and engaging environment for play, learning, socialising and creativity.
Study area/home office
A wrap-around extension can incorporate a quiet, well-lit study area or home office, ideal for remote working, studying or pursuing hobbies.
Garden room
Your can create a beautiful garden room in your wrap-around extension that blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living, providing a relaxing space to enjoy views of the garden.
Extra bathroom
You can use the additional space provided by a wrap-around extension to create an extra bathroom, such as a ground-floor shower room or a luxurious family bathroom, improving convenience and functionality for larger households.
Downstairs bedroom(s)
A wrap-around extension can accommodate one or more downstairs bedrooms, which can be particularly useful for multi-generational living or to provide accessible sleeping quarters for those with limited mobility.
Remember, these are only ideas. They might not suit your needs. Perhaps consider a mix of rooms or multi-functional spaces that function as different things at different times.
The most important advice? Don’t feel limited!
Considerations for homeowners
Does a wrap-around extension sound like the perfect addition to your home? Wonderful. Let’s quickly run through a few essential factors for your consideration.
First, assess whether your property is suitable for a wrap-around extension. This is a vital initial step, as some homes might not have enough space (limited either physically or through the home’s planning regulations) or enough structural support (such as historic properties or renovated buildings).
Another vital consideration is how the wrap-around extension will affect the natural light that enters your home. You don’t want to accidentally find the rest of your home shrouded in darkness – that negates all the other benefits. In the same vein, think about the views and privacy of your neighbours and yourself – will your neighbours be able to see straight into your new downstairs bathroom or bedroom, for example? For all these, think about where the windows should go and how they should be positioned.
And that brings us to the final major consideration, and the one most homeowners dread hearing mentioned: planning permission. Depending on your area’s Permitted development allowances and restrictions, a wrap-around extension may or may not require planning permission. It’s crucial to ensure that your proposed plans comply with all laws (local and national) and building regulations, saving time and money when it comes to adjustments and approvals.
Let Design Living Space secure your wrap-around extension
With all this in mind, getting professional designs, drawings and planning advice is the best way forward. You’ll get dedicated guidance directly from people who know the industry inside out. The result is inevitably saved time, reduced costs, a detailed design plan and an optimal final build.
That’s where Design Living Space’s team comes in. With 15 years of market experience, our complete design and planning package is tried and tested. We’ll provide the architectural drawings, get the approved structural calculations, obtain all the necessary permissions and permits, and even connect you with trusted local professionals who deliver the highest quality work at the best price. In short, we offer peace of mind, making your experience less stressful and more beneficial to your family, health, and many other priorities.
For more information about what we offer, please don’t hesitate to reach out and book a consultation. We’ll research your area and home, providing a bespoke experience tailored and ready for you, ensuring worry-free success. You can contact us at enquire@designlivingspace.co.uk or by calling 07914 249 229. We look forward to hearing from you.