Extending your House.

A well designed extension can radically improve a property and add value. Additional bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, a spacious new kitchen flooded with natural light are an investment which can increase the value of a property by more than the cost of carrying out the work.

A badly designed, inappropriate or just botched extension can seriously devalue a property.

You could also consider less radical changes. Internal walls can be knocked down or put up, and bigger windows can make a house appear more spacious. However, in order to really add value you really need to increase the floor space.

Some things to think about:

• Be strategic: Extra bathrooms and large kitchens are usually good investments in family-sized homes, and a garage in a busy, urban area will also add value.
  
• The room that usually benefits the most from enlarging is the kitchen. Adding a kitchen/diner creates the farmhouse kitchen most people want and provides extra space. The old dining room can become an office, playroom, or an extra sitting room. Kitchen extensions also provide the opportunity to extend upwards - an additional bedroom can be built on top at the same time.
  
• Loft conversions are another good way of enlarging your house. Victorian or 1930s houses are ideal for these because of their high roof pitches. A loft room will also require less planning and building requirements than a bedroom
  
•  Modern versus Traditional. Although a modern extension can look good on an old house if done well, if you are considering selling on it is important to appeal to the average buyer's taste. It may be advisable for an extension to match the architectural style of the existing house