A house must change with the people living in it and to most families in the UK, extending the house is the most viable method of creating a growth in the house. Among the various options available, a double storey extension is one of the most popular choices.
It maximises the living space and it also increases the selling value of your property as well. This guide will bring you up to date on all you need to know about costs, planning, and design in order to take your project with confidence.
Everything You Need to Know About a Double Storey Extension
A double-storey extension is normally made in the form of an addition to the side or back. This means, unlike a single storey extension, you can add both ground and first floor at once, and you have much greater flexibility as a family rebalances their home.
The ground floor extension is often used by many homeowners to make an open-plan kitchen, dining or family area, whereas the upper level has been used to add more bedrooms, a home office, or even a luxurious en-suite.
It is a kind of extension that is especially effective when families have to expand and do not want to change the place, or in the neighborhood where the prices of houses are too high to afford any extensions.
Investing in the levels of the home simultaneously allows to attain a balance between design and functionality, so that the property does not look like a patchwork.
Why Homeowners Choose a Double Storey Extension
These are the choices of whether to venture into the journey of the double storey extension which is usually based on pragmatism and investment. Cost-effectiveness is one of the strongest reasons.
Raising upwards and a ground floor extension is often lower in cost per square metre compared to two independent extension projects at different time periods. Basically, you can enjoy common grounds, roofing and materials and save on long-term cash.
Read more about the double storey extension cost.
The increase in children can often bring families into a tight, or the family can need it as a multi-generational home. A double storey extension gives you an opportunity to redesign the plan of your house completely.
The lower floor may also be a socialising spot, with contemporary open-plan style leading to the garden, whilst the upper floor may provide the privacy of extra bedrooms or work areas.
Besides the utility advantage, there is the monetary advantage as well. Estate agents often emphasize how a well-planned extension to double storeys can create an added market value to a given property, which is usually a worthwhile long term investment.
Design Options to Maximise Space Across Two Floors
It is not only about incorporating space, but allowing spaces to seem to be part of the rest of the home. The homeowner now tends to seek an easy transition between the old and the new incorporating material, finishes and architectural elements that bind the extension to the original structure.
In the case of the ground floor, the most popular ones are open-plan layouts. Big sliding or bi-fold doors leading to the garden can pour natural light into the interior, and the elements like kitchen islands or the eye-catching dining areas become the centre stage of the house.
Utility rooms, cloakrooms, and additional storage can also be hidden very unobtrusively at the same time so that the principle spaces remain free of clutter.
The upper floor of a double storey extension provides endless possibilities. Most of the homeowners are moving towards master suites with walk-in wardrobe and eat-in suites or they can create a second bedroom where two children can walk into a bathroom together.
In the case of people working at home, there is space and silence on the stairs, where there is less traffic compared to the ground floor.
Notably, the design must also be future proofed. The investment is further worthwhile in the long run as lifestyle evolves, and flexible layouts that enable rooms to be reused, e.g. a bedroom can be converted to a study. By hiring an expert architect, you will have that vision brought to life in a realistic and aesthetically-pleasing design.
Planning Permission Rules for Double Storey Extensions
One of the most important aspects of building a double storey extension in the UK is understanding the planning rules. In comparison to smaller single storey extensions, a double storey extension may need a formal planning permission, although some may be covered by permitted development rights provided they satisfy stringent conditions.
To illustrate a case in point, the permitted development regulations indicate that double storey rear extension should not go beyond three metres past the original house and should not be within seven metres of any boundary facing the rear wall. There are also height limits that make sure that the new roofline does not encroach upon neighbouring properties.
When your property lies within a conservation area, it is a listed building or when it is already extended substantially, you are more likely to need planning permission.
In such instances, your application will be assessed by the local planning authority in such a way that the design does not clash with the nature of the surrounding area.
It’s also worth noting that building regulations approval is required for all double storey extensions, regardless of whether planning permission is needed.
This would make sure that there is structure integrity, insulation, ventilation and safety standards that are upheld in the project.