Do you ever watch Grand Designs and wish you could build your own home? Would You Like to Try Your Hand at a New Extension? Some of the projects cost a fortune, but there are things you can do to make extra space like a loft or a house extension.
There’s loads of information on the internet about DIY building and when you read through it all, you can see it’s hard work, but it isn’t impossible to build your own extension.
Where to Start
Firstly you need to check with your local planning department about the rules and regulations involved in a self-build project. Some home extensions don’t need permission, but there are other regulations to think about.
The Foundations
Once you have the permission to build then you need to clear the space you plan to use. That means getting rid of weeds and any large rocks or pieces of rubble that’s in the soil. When you’ve cleared the space it’s time to dig the foundations (you can hire a digger for this) and install any drainage pipes that might be needed. Once that’s done you can pour the foundations.
The Walls
On top of your foundations, you’ll need a damp proof membrane which is placed on top of a layer of sand and then some insulation. Now it’s time to pour the concrete floor. When it’s dry it’s time to become a bricklayer and build up the walls. You’ll need to fit cavity wall insulation and use ties to fix the walls to the walls of your existing home.
Once the walls are up a carpenter can create the roof structure and then the roofing membrane can go down and your roof covered.
Next, fit windows and doors. The extension is now ready, so you will need to knock through into your existing home and arrange for plumbing, electrics and any carpentry that needs doing.
The Tools
Obviously, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but these are the basics. If you love DIY and you’re good at it then no doubt you’ve got tools and equipment at home, maybe they are stored in different places? If you’ve got a large collection then maybe they are getting in the way.
A good solution is to hire a self-storage unit. Then you can safely store all your tools and equipment in one place so they are easy to find. Store-Safe has affordable storage units which you can rent for as long as you like. The units are clean and dry and you can access them 7 days a week.
Like to know more? Give us a call on 01782 785 370 or fill in the form on the contact page and we’ll get back you for a chat.