Lenny

If you are looking at creating more space in your home, there are two main options open to you: building a conservatory or adding a home extension.

These options both have their merits and disadvantages, and the one you will likely choose will depend on your personal taste, need, and budget. However, when you take the time to compare both options, you will find that one trumps the other in terms of features, function, form, and even cost.

So, in this article, let’s delve in and provide the information that will help you make an informed decision on the one to pick for your home.

What is the difference between a conservatory and an extension?

If you are looking for a way to create more usable space in your home, both a conservatory and an extension will serve that purpose. Either choice will give your home a unique, new look, while also affording you and your family the much-needed space. But what are the differences between the two?

Conservatories:

• Conservatories are typically attached to the back of the house, but where there is no space at the back, any other position will work.
• Conservatories are primarily built of glass, with the structure being about 80% glass and 20% other material like steel, wood, or aluminium.
• A conservatory is usually built to match the structure and style of your home, and in such a way that it looks like an original part of the house and not an afterthought. Even the windows and doors are specifically selected to match what is already on the house.
• Conservatories come in all manner of sizes, shapes and styles, but has to be smaller than the house so it doesn’t look like something that was added after construction. That said, you can always find a conservatory installation that suits your preference and budget.
• A conservatory will provide your home with access to the natural rays of the sun, making the room ideal for virtually any purpose – as a living space, working space, gaming room, or even indoor garden – based on the thermal properties of the glass used.

Extensions:

• An extension is usually built anywhere on the house and can be built upwards (in the loft or attic), downwards (in the basement), or anywhere else you need the extra space as long as there is land or unused space to accommodate the construction.
• An extension is usually constructed from the exact same material used in constructing the house, making it seem like an original part of the actual structure.
• Regardless of where the extension is constructed, it can be used for virtually any purpose, except as an indoor garden. The extension can be used as a living room, bedroom, bathroom, home office, game room, kitchen, and so on.
• Depending on the laws in your neighbourhood, an extension may require that you apply for and receive planning permission before construction commences. You will however, require building approval or its equivalent before you can add an extension to your house.
• Because of the materials and scale of work, constructing an extension will cost a lot more than constructing a conservatory, and this can be a critical factor if you have budget constraints.

How to decide whether to build a conservatory or an extension

If the main purpose of your home improvement project is to create usable space, it may be difficult to decide exactly which of the two to go for, unless your personal taste and budget is making you lean towards one direction.

But where there is nothing to influence your decision and you don’t know which way to lean, consider the following factors.

What will the space be used for?

Your choice of whether to go for an extension or a conservatory could be influenced by the purpose for which you are carrying out the home improvement. For example, if you simply want an extra room for practical purposes, then you may want to consider investing in an extension, but if you want extra space that can serve dual purposes, a conservatory is a right way to go.

Where will the new room be located?

Another important factor that will play a role in your decision is the location of the extra room. Typically, an extension is constructed to be completely indoors, although there are cases when an extension is constructed separately from the main house. However, if you want a place where you can enjoy warmth and comfort during the day, then an east-facing conservatory, or a north-facing conservatory is what you want. And because a conservatory is made primarily of glass, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the outdoors, something that may not be possible in an extension.

Which one looks the best?

Another factor to consider is aesthetic value. Admittedly, both options will increase the value of your home and afford you more usable space, but if you are really interested in form, then a conservatory will add more aesthetic value to your property than an extension.

What is your budget?

Finally, the amount of money you are willing to spend on the project will play the biggest role in your decision making. As already established, building a conservatory is not as expensive as building an extension. The number of materials used in constructing a conservatory is smaller and less expensive than that of an extension. So if you are looking to create usable space without breaking the bank, want you want is definitely a conservatory.

Renovating your current home is a good idea if you want to breathe new life into your home or transform the look and feel of your personal space without relocating. It is also the ideal solution if you have a growing family and love living where you are.

However, home renovations involve a lot more than is shown on TV. There are a number of things that should be put in place if you want your home renovation project to be a success.

If you are looking to transform your current abode into your dream home, here are some essential factors and steps that will help you plan a successful renovation and create the exact home you have always wanted.

Determine how long you intend to live in your current home

The length of time you have left in your current home will determine the scope of your renovations. If you will be living there for a few months or years more, then you will likely not need to make big changes, unless you intend to put the house up for sale when leaving. In that case, you want to carry out renovations that will boost the value of your house, as well as solve your immediate upgrade needs.

If on the other hand, you intend to live in the house for many more years, or it is something you want to keep in your family for generations, then you will have to consider renovations that add more space, improves structure, and makes allowance for current and future trends.

At the end of the day, your decision will likely affect your choice of materials, and consequently your expenses, as you will want to get quality materials that will stand the test of time.

Determine the current and future needs of your family

This is where home renovation gets a bit more personal. Before investing in home renovations, you have to first determine how your plans will affect you and the people living in the house.

For example, if you live with an elderly family member who prefers to “age in place”, that is live at home rather than move to a facility, or if you have a family member with physical disabilities at home, then you have to take these factors into consideration when planning for a renovation. For instance, you may have to opt for having a bedroom and toilet facilities on the down floor and install handholds and ramps at all the right places.

Another thing to consider is your personal status at the time of renovation. If you are single with intentions to get married, you want to renovate and get a home that will fit in with your new married status and is a place where you can raise a family. You don’t want to spend huge sums of money renovating only to relocate after getting married or when a child comes.

Determine what your new house will look like

Before striking the first hammer or contracting a master builder/ contractor, it is important that you have a firm idea of what your new house will look like. Having some ideas beforehand will make it easy for you and the contractor you will hire to accelerate the design and renovations process.

Thankfully, it is very easy to get Auckland house renovation ideas online, such as by looking going through house and design magazines, spending some time on Pinterest, and doing a simple Google search. Be sure to review your ideas with your designer so that you can get their professional input.

While the aesthetic value of your renovated house should not be underrated, it is equally important that you factor in how it will affect the balance of your neighbourhood.

For instance, if your neighbourhood has a tailored design structure for every house, going outside this uniform design will affect the aesthetic balance of the place. This is partly why some types of renovations require that the owner get permission from the local council.

Find out if you need permission to carry out renovations

As already pointed out, some types of home renovations require that you obtain permission from your local council. This particularly applies to major renovations that will either affect the structure of the house or the planning of the neighbourhood.

Finding out if you will need planning permission or building consent for your renovations work is simply a matter of engaging your local building council. If your planned renovation requires approval, you will need to submit an application that contains the new plans and design specifications.

If you plan to hire a contractor or master builder for your renovation work, this individual or their agency may be able to help you get the necessary paperwork and building consent approval.

Determine your renovation budget

There is one final thing you need to put in place to avoid jeopardizing your renovation plan – that is your renovation budget.

Many homeowners have gotten stuck midway home renovation because the renovations expenses got away from them. But this is a situation that can be avoided when you make a proper renovation budget.

To get started, first find out how much materials cost, how much labour will cost, and determine any other miscellaneous expenses you will have to deal with. When you have all the necessary information, add at least a 20% mark-up in case an unforeseen cost crop up.

Be sure to work with your contractor when creating a budget so that you take all the necessary costs into account.

In the modern world we live in, the seriousness of climate change cannot be ignored. No matter where we look, we’re given repeated and serious warnings from climate scientists, so for those who are wanting to make a positive difference, your first port of call should be to make your home more eco-friendly. Doing so will help reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the planet, so here are a few things you can do to make your property greener.

Insulate Your Home

Making a small but subtle change such as insulating your home can not only cut down your heating bills, but ensure you use less fossil fuels too. As well as having insulation installed in your attic, you can also purchase draft excluding products such as door seals and window tape which can help keep your home warmer, and mean you’re doing your bit for the environment.

Be Savvy with Water

You may not realize it, but the amount of water you use in your home on a day to day basis can be having a negative impact on the environment, therefore, cutting back on how much water you use can make a real positive impact. Whether it’s by cutting back on how long you spend in the shower, or turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth, you will notice a decrease in your water bill at the end of the month. You can also go one step further and look into a water filtration system for your home from a site like the Discount Filter Store. This will help you cut out your use of plastic water bottles which are damaging for the environment.

Waste Less Food

For those who love to cook, the last thing you want to do is throw away any tasty leftovers into the garbage can. There are lots of things that you can do to waste less food, such as planning your meals in advance, freezing leftovers, as well as composting your food. By only using the food that you need, you will save a ton on emissions that come from transport and production.

Use Energy Efficient Lightbulbs

When it comes to lighting your home, the type of lightbulbs you use can also play a part in how much you’re shelling out on your energy bills each month. Rather than sticking with the traditional lightbulb, why not swap to energy efficient ones? Not only are they more environmentally friendly, they can last twice as long, meaning you won’t have to frequently change them.

Perform an Energy Audit

If you’re serious about reducing your energy consumption, performing an energy audit should be your first port of call. Hiring a professional to come and examine how much energy you use can help change your habits for the better.

Global warming is a real issue that needs to be taken seriously. While we all want to feel comfortable and relaxed in our homes, it’s important that you take notice of climate change and take on board all the tips listed, helping to make your property more environmentally friendly.

Many home improvement projects are best tackled during the spring or summer months. However, there are a few that either arise because of colder conditions or make sense to do because they’re indoor projects only.

Here are four home improvements that are ideal for the winter.

Remove Ice Dams on the Roofing

When it snows, it’s important that the snow is removed from the roof as soon as possible. Not only because of its combined weight but also due to the fact that its moisture can cause damage to the roofing and internal walls, eventually. The added moisture in the home can cause mold, water stains and other damage to drywall, structures, and more.

Along with the snow, ice dams can develop on the roof, which keeps the snow in place. As a result, the snow cannot be easily removed and ends up a wet slushy mess that stays on the roof. It’s best to get professionals in to perform the ice dam removal if your roof already has this issue.

Reseal the Windows to Prevent Drafts

It’s only when the temperatures fall significantly that you may even feel how drafty it really is.

The first thing to do is to add some V-seal. This is a form of stripping to lock out cold weather. It goes along the sashes to create an improved seal. Also, when placed correctly, it won’t prevent the window from being opened to get some cold, fresh air into a room.

If you find any gaps around the sills or near the frame, using caulking that’s available from any good DIY stores will resolve this issue. It gets fed into the gap or cracks to create a new seal. It won’t be very pretty, but it can be removed when it gets to springtime again.

Using shrink film for an improved seal over the windowpanes is a sensible idea too. You can find some other useful window tips here.

Interior Painting Instead of on the Exterior

Interior painting is a great task to get done during the cold months. It doesn’t make sense to attempt to paint the exterior and brave the chilly morning unnecessarily!

If there are several rooms to paint, choose the one that’s going to be the least inconvenient at the time when you’ll be working on it. For instance, if it’s the entryway, then don’t do that in the run-up to Christmas Day. However, if it’s a study or home office and it’s possible to relocate work activities to the dining room table for the time being, then that’s a great option.

Bathroom Remodeling

A bathroom remodeling is going to be more extensive depending on if it’s a complete remodeling project or you’re just swapping out a washbasin.

It’s also important whether it’s a house or an apartment with multiple bathrooms limiting the inconvenience of a complete remodeling project that could take a while to finish.

Another consideration is whether frozen water pipes might hamper any plumbing works related to a remodeling project. In areas where the temperatures really drop in the winter, it might be sensible to hold off until it gets above freezing.

Be selective about the winter projects for home improvements. There’s not many that suit this time of year.

The right office space is more important than you may initially realize as a young entrepreneur, but if you ignore it, the effects of any mistakes you may make will resonate for as long as you choose not to invest another heavy budget into correcting them! To avoid such scenarios to begin with, consult the following tips for designing a functional office space.

Work with an Experienced Corporate Contractor from Day One

Office design and construction is not a job that most general contractors in the residential sector can help you much with. For this reason, you should be sure to work with an experienced corporate design and construction specialist from the very first day to take advantage of their immense experience with similar projects. For example, Corporate Contractors Inc. is a comprehensive corporate construction business that can undertake each and every aspect of office design, construction, maintenance and renovation. Their comprehensive service and massive experience are going to be the main factors in ensuring functional, error-free and cost-effective design for your new office.

Smart Budgeting and Efficient Design

If you are designing your own office, then the very first thing to remember would be the fact that unlike a rented office space, you are going to use it for a very long time, under most circumstances. Therefore, budgets should be stretched if it adds value to the office space. To determine the cost-efficiency of any design choice that may increase your initial budget, ask yourself and your partners, the following questions:

• What value will it add to the office?
• If it is indeed valuable, can it be considered as something that’s cost-efficient?
• Are there chances of increasing revenue generation by implementing an additional element into the design?
• Are there chances of gaining positive reputation by implementing the new element?

To put a better perspective on what we are discussing, let’s take the example of a solar roof. A lot of offices nowadays have solar roofs, so that they can generate their own power, to a degree. It reduces energy bills, and the green architecture positively affects the company’s reputation as well. All of that however, will only be valid if the location is sunny enough to take advantage of the solar roofing.

Natural Light

One can effectively change the artificial lighting anytime they want or need to, although that can get expensive. However, the placing of your windows is going to be permanent. Consider ventilation, natural room lighting during the day, and even shapes that accentuate your office’s base design.

If you do not consider your window placements during design, artificial lighting will be necessary even during the day, which will in turn, waste energy and increase expenses. It can also have a very positive effect on employee mood and productivity if they can work in ample natural light.

The main idea behind avoiding mistakes in office design is to provide special attention towards design and construction elements that are permanent in nature. Aside from that, guidance from experienced corporate contractors can also be extremely important.

Are you thinking of doing a DIY Solar Installation?

Not only is solar good for the environment, but it can also be good for your wallet. You can get a federal tax credit for installing solar on your residence.

Whether you do the installation on your own or have someone else do it, you still get the tax credit, so what are the pros and cons of doing it yourself? Continue reading this article to find out.

Pros of Going DIY

If you’re a DIY lover, it might be hard to think about going with a professional company. There are pros to going DIY, and here are the top pros.

Less Expensive

Solar panel installation isn’t inexpensive, and using a DIY solar kit can help you cut costs.

When you buy a solar kit, you only have to take care of the expense of the kit. There’s no labor to take care of, and you’ll only be putting your time in on the project, so if you’re tight on cash, this might be your best option.

Quick Installation

If you’re excited to get your solar in place, all you have to do is run to the store and grab a kit to get started.

On the other hand, if you’re using a professional installation company, you’re going to have to wait until they have time in their schedule to come to take care of the installation.

Depending on how busy the company is, they may not be able to get around to your project for weeks or even months in some areas.

Cons of Going DIY

Now that we’ve looked at some of the pros above let’s get into the cons. If you’re not a DIY pro, these cons can be a big problem.

Difficult to Get Set Up

While you can YouTube just about anything to see how to DIY your solar installation project, the setup process is still difficult.

If you aren’t familiar with electrical work and construction, you could run into some serious and dangerous problems.

You need to know how much solar you need even before you’re able to start on the installation. Once you do have your system and you’ve figured out if it is the right amount of solar for you, you need to know how to connect the panels and inverter as well as knowing how to route the wiring properly.

If you don’t know how to work with electricity, you may even up starting a fire or experience an electric shock.

Possible Limitations

When you’re installing solar panels on your home, you’ll find that most of the kits you can buy at the store are meant to be used off-grid. Before you try to connect your solar panel to the grid, you need to get any permits and a professional sign-off.

If you still want to access electricity from your local utility company, you’re going to have some problems until you get the permits and the sign-off took care of.

DIY Solar Installation – Yay or Nay?

Now that you know more about DIY solar installation, you can make an informed decision on whether or not doing a solar installation on your own is a good idea or not.

While some people might be handy, that isn’t the case with everyone. Knowing where you fall in the DIY or not to DIY category will make this project much easier.

Do you want to learn more about solar and other interesting topics?

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