Sometimes, homeowners find it necessary to make changes to their home structure. This could be for a number of reasons that include, building an extension, knocking through walls or just making slight changes in order to re-energise the home look. No matter the reason for making the changes there are things that you need to consider in advance of completing these types of projects to make sure it goes as smooth as possible.
Materials
There are many different materials that you could potentially require to make changes to your home which could include, concrete, water-proofing membrane or even bricks to just paint and decorations. If you are looking to complete a big project like actually build an extension or conservatory then you should list out the material types that you need in advance and then do some searching on the internet. The internet is clearly a really powerful source of information and there will be lots of advice, tips and guidance out there and case studies. If you are looking to purchase items like steel, this changes in value quite significantly over time (similar to oil and gas), therefore it is important to take the potential rise or fall of the project cost into consideration when going down this road. You should add a little buffer to your financial projections for the project in case the material prices change or you need any more (due to a mistake during construction or even a miscalculation).
Am I Approved?
Before embarking off on one of these projects, you should ask yourself if you are approved to carry this out or not. Despite this being in the comfort of your own home, you are not actually authorised to run ahead and make some structural changes without having the correct levels of approval. This will involve the authorities considering the impact of your changes on the environment and even the local community. They may decide to write to people that live round about your home to seek their opinions on the changes before granting your approval (or not).
Home Value
Depending on what it is you are changing in your home this could positively or negatively affect the value of your home. For example, if you are knocking through a wall to join two rooms together, you are removing effectively a room which some people may not like if they are going to purchase your home (although you are effectively making a room larger). It may not suit all types of people; therefore, the home value could be affected either way. The quality of what you have completed is extremely important as to positively affect the home value. If shabby workmanship is completed and there is no longevity to the changes then clearly this is bad. Don’t always go for the cheap option and look at alternatives.
Make sure to consider these things when making structural changes to your home.
