INNOVATIVE DESIGN
It can cost less than you may think to incorporate a bit of the ‘wow’ factor into a design…Vaulted ceilings can add a feel of grandeur, and if the structure has a gable end, this open plan roof is easy to achieve with the installation of a simple ‘ridge beam’. For a hipped roof, this ridge beam can be supported by a single solid timber truss (timber trusses can be designed to look traditional or modern). High level Roof-lights can bring more light than windows alone, and this extra light can add to the feeling of space. Mezzanine or split level floors, galleried landings, stud-work columns, all these features can add interest to an otherwise straightforward design.
I believe that remodelling & extending to simply increase floor area alone is only a halfway house in terms of what can be achieved. By including features or simply finding a clever design it is possible to create a space that looks both interesting and inviting internally. By putting some thought into how an extension will best compliment the main house it is attached to, and some effort into sourcing the best possible matches for masonry and roof coverings, you can create a new structure that will sit well and look good externally.
Whilst most of my clients know what they are trying to achieve, I will always go that ‘extra mile’ to try and improve & perfect their own basic idea’s.
MATCHING
Adding extra space will almost always add value. But sale-ability increases value, and all this can be helped (or hindered) by your homes overall appearance. Even a well designed extension can look poor if it doesn't really match the original house it is part of.
A layperson may not realise why they prefer the look of one house to another, but the single most important aspect when extending is getting things to look right....you may have the best design, and the best builder, but if no-one has put some genuine effort into sourcing the correct roof coverings or face bricks then the results will reflect this...You may never know just how good the work could have looked if you had insisted on a better matching brick or roof tile...once its done its done.
Another basic error which is fairly common, is the construction of additional roofs which have a different pitch to the main buildings existing roof….good matching and ‘weathering’ will never stop these additions from looking like a badly designed afterthought.