Four questions to ask before considering a second storey addition
Like most Sydney properties, going up instead of out is often the only way to gain the extra space you need. Adding a second storey addition to a home is a smart home improvement idea that can double the floor space of your house without the hassle of moving.
Most Sydney homes can support a second storey addition, but it is a significant undertaking that shouldn’t be considered lightly. Asking yourself (and your home builder) these questions will help you determine whether an addition of this style and size is the right fit for you and your family.
What should I expect this to cost?
It will depend. Your designer should visit your home and discuss your plans with you before providing a free design appraisal.
Factors influencing the cost will include your location, and whether your home is in a fire risk or heritage area. There might be restrictions on what materials or building styles can be applied to your home. The designer will also consider ease of access to your property for workers and heavy machinery, the size and slope of your land, the nearby trees, and the allowable building height.
The shape and scale of your renovation will also play a large factor. An addition with more square metres of floorspace is going to cost more than one with fewer. A renovation with more complicated architectural features, or rarer and more difficult to use materials, is also going to increase the price.
The final, full cost will become available to you once your designer prepares a Proposal document. This includes your plans, artist impressions of your renovation, and a timeline.
What Should My Second Storey Renovation Look Like?
You may start by getting design ideas from other homes and considering the kinds of areas that would make your daily life more practical and comfortable. What are the problem areas in your home that can be fixed with a renovation? What specific problems with your home are you trying to solve? What do you want from your renovation?
These questions help you understand your needs and provides a builder a place to start designing your addition. Designing and building a second storey addition is a collaborative process between your design team and your family, where your renovator works to solve the problems you present using your chosen look and feel.
Your renovation will end up looking like how you and your designer envision, within your budget and the local laws. Be sure to consider your choices carefully and weigh-up reasonable alternatives, so you are not enticed by them too late in the process to change your mind.
At the end of the day, your renovation should reflect what you value, and also leave your family satisfied and happier at home.
How and Where Do I Find a Home Builder?
This is unquestionably one of the most crucial choices to be made when adding a second storey to a home. Second storey additions in Sydney are significant undertakings requiring a great investment of time, money, and energy. A designer and builder who specialises in additions and has ample experience will be able to provide a high quality service from start to finish.
Once you find a designer and builder, take into account their reviews and testimonials. Do their clients claim that they maintain a timetable, deliver high quality work, and produce distinctive, custom designs that genuinely address their home’s issues? Are the clients satisfied with the results?
Ask if they offer a free design appraisal. If so, it costs nothing to see a designer in action at your home, and they may give you critical advice on how to begin and what exactly you might want for your renovation.
Where Will I Live During Construction?
If possible, most people opt to stay in their home during their second storey addition, as this minimises additional costs and changing schedules around to suit a new location. This is possible if the liveable space can be securely cordoned off from the jobsite as well as considering other safety concerns.
Read our guide here to learn about living at home during a renovation.
If it isn’t feasible to stay at home, often clients stay with family or friends. Bear in mind where the kids go to school, rules about pets, and adjusted travelling times.
With all this in consideration…
If you’re looking for a designer and builder for your second storey addition, get in touch with us here or give us a ring on 9417 5777.
