The 7 mistakes and how to avoid them - No 5

Are you harbouring the thought of extending or renovating your home?

Taking the decision to design and then deliver a sizeable change to your home can be a big financial, emotional and time consuming prospect.

Make sure you have done your research before you start on your journey. I have gone through this process with clients many times and have found that there are seven very common mistakes that people make that can prove costly to correct.

We can help you eliminate these at the best time; before you begin!

5 The Lack of Long Term Thinking - Maximising Independence

It’s tempting to build, or modify, a house to satisfy our immediate needs, but if you haven’t considered how the space will be used in the future you may find yourself torn between your dream home and your dream life.

You want to keep the two united for as long as you can, so think ahead to make the design adaptable to the changes you expect.

As architects we talk about spatial loading.

Can your home accommodate more children, pets or extended family? Will it be able to cope with the strain of them growing inside the enclosure? Are there any disabled guests or elderly relatives you would want to offer comfort and safety in their visit?

People are living longer than ever, so if you plan to remain in your house through your golden years, consider where you place your bedrooms, do you have walk in showers and whether you may need lifts installed. It may seem a long way off but maximising independence is a lot cheaper to accommodate during the initial design and build phase than it is later on when space is at a premium and when additions attracts VAT.

Share your lifestyle with your architect so they can integrate your dreams within the preferred solution.

“Maximising independence is a lot cheaper to accommodate during the initial design phase”