24 May 2017
The average Brit will move home up to ten times during their lifetime; however, a forever home is a better home.
Every time you move home, there are an abundance of inconveniences you must tackle, including packing up your belongings, cleaning your home from top-to-bottom and, sometimes, finding a new school for the kids. Also, you will have to pay all the fees that come with moving furniture and, of course, purchasing a new property, including survey and solicitor fees.
Moving home is stressful and, typically, very costly, which is why you should consider extending your property before deciding to move. After all, if you can create the extra space you need while keeping your kids settled and your favourite shopping and dining spots on the doorstep, why wouldn't you?
Some of the advantages that come with extending a property rather than moving include:
Financial security in an ever-changing property market
As the UK real estate market continues to fluctuate, by purchasing a new property you risk being affected by sudden changes in property prices which could result in you losing money. However, by sticking with one property and bettering it over time by extending and renovating, you're giving yourself a sense of financial security in an ever-changing market while adding value to your home.
You get the best deal
With fluctuating property prices, mortgage negotiations are unpredictable, too. By choosing to extend your property rather than moving, you avoid having to negotiate hefty mortgages which could result in you paying an extortionate amount for a new property thanks to unstable interest rates.
Your belongings can stay where they are
According to The Telegraph, moving home is one of the most stressful life experiences you can undertake. With that, packing is an incredibly horrendous task that can prove emotional, and extremely time-consuming. By choosing to extend your property rather than moving, you can keep everything where it is for a hassle-free experience. If you're determined to refresh your home, try a timely clear-out rather than a complete pack-up and move to give your home a new lease of life.
An extension isn’t as costly as you might think
In the UK, most properties have generous extension allowances which mean those looking to create more space in their current home can do so easily with a kitchen extension, double extension, or loft extension. If your home is a listed or heritage property, the process may be a little more complicated; however, it is still possible. Extending is a more affordable way to improve your home. Typically, a house extension costs around £1,200 – £1,500 per m2 while the estimated cost of moving home is £8,500, not including any extra expenses if you're purchasing a property of a higher value than your current one.
For the same cost as moving home, you could add 6m2 to your existing property.
An extension offers unlimited possibilities
If you were to move home, it's likely that you'd need to improve your new home, too – after all, very rarely is a property perfect from day one. In which case, you might as well save on the cost and inconvenience by knocking down walls and extending your existing home to create a tailored space that meets all your requirements. Whether you're looking to create an open-plan kitchen-diner that's perfect for entertaining, a home office, or a second bathroom or bedroom, a home extension works.
In most cases, your ambitious property plans can be met with a simple house extension rather than moving. If you're considering a house extension, contact us to speak to one of our specialists and, amongst other services, find out more about our kitchen extension and loft conversion services.
