There really is nothing more impressive than seeing the results of a perfectly executed second storey home extension, with the occupants enjoying so much more space, greater livability, giving an uninterrupted view and sitting in your new entertaining area watching life go by. Take a look at a few of the photos below and you will see what we mean!
There could be a couple of reasons that you opt for a second storey extension as part of your home renovation project.
Like we say, every home renovation project has different requirements according to what the owner is looking for, and the homes themselves are different as well which means a unique approach to every home renovation, and second storey additions are no different. In fact, a second storey addition will usually take considerably more planning and time that an ‘on-ground’ addition just due to it’s height, engineering and other requirements, but this should by no means discourage you from tackling a project like this, especially with an experienced builder to take on the task for you.
- The first reason is simply space on groundIt’s no secret that house blocks are shrinking year by year, with developers looking to maximise their investments by cramming in as many homes as possible into one space. The average quarter acre bock is long gone and there is hardly enough for the obligatory game of cricket after Christmas lunch! Part of the movement though is a shift toward low to zero maintenance blocks as people get busier and busier and have no time to maintain their yards, and for some people a smaller block is the perfect scenario – less time maintaining their yard, more time out having fun! Either way, limited space on your block may be one reason that you need to go up instead of out when considering your home renovation.
- The second reason could be the dynamics of your block of landA very steeply sloped block could be a challenge, requiring a lot of engineering and design costs, plus then the earthworks and other requirements to make it suitable for an on-ground extension. Earthworks can get very expensive very quickly! Other types of blocks where your home is sitting on the only real cleared section on your block, and again a lot of earthworks could be needed just to get the foundations right.
- The third reason could be the construction type of your homeIf you have an older block style home that has very solid bones it could be much easier to add a second storey to due to the rigidity of its construction than a smaller timber home for example. Homes of a very solid construction nature have plenty of scope to add the strong type’s of beams required to support a second storey, while many other home’s will require removal of interior linings to insert supporting uprights to cope with the extra load. A licensed builder will be able to give you a good idea of what is required, but again they can only see what they can see and engineering will always be required to make sure the home is standing for many years to come!
- The fourth reason could be – because you can!As we have mentioned, a second story addition really ads that ‘wow’ factor that is hard to get from other styles of renovations. For the extra work and cost above a regular extension, seeing the final product and then experiencing all the second story extension has to offer in regards to improving your lifestyle really is something that has to be experienced to be believed.
Whatever the reason that you are looking at a second storey extension, please get in touch so we can help explore the best options for you.
Here’s just a few of the homes we have added a storey to below…