An Architect's Guide | Building Rear Extensions

Mattinson Associates Architects on the Isle of Wight have put together a guide when building a rear extension. Building a rear extension can be daunting and overwhelming in monetary and emotional terms. When you’re doing work to your house, it is important to get it right the first time around so to help, we have compiled an Architect’s guide for building rear extensions.Light: 

• Natural light can help define a beautiful, welcoming space but can also help boost productivity, vitamin D levels and can improve sleep patterns. For your new extension, this might mean including some flush finish bifold doors or maybe some carefully considered roof lights that can flood the room with light throughout all seasons. Light is so important and can truly awaken a space and energise those within it. 

Materiality: 

• When starting an extension project, do your research. There are so many incredible materials in the world so be bold with your choices! Each material has good and bad qualities so it’s important to look into each material extensively to manage your long term expectations. For example, timber has great acoustic qualities and brings a warmth to a building but it can look tired as the years go on without suitable wood treatment and bricks are timeless are can help create a variety of detailing patterns but matching up existing brickwork of an older property with an extension can often be difficult. Edge Online have a great materials library if you’re looking to browse some eco options.

Sustainability:

• Your new extension must take no more from the planet than it needs. This not only means careful material consideration but perhaps you install a thicker, triple glazing system for heat retention or maybe you reuse some existing materials on site. If you’re looking to get a little more creative, there have been some great projects recently that use rubble from the existing building and mix it in with concrete to create a beautiful terrazzo finish. 

Size:

• A mistake made often when extending a house is making it too big. All that space might seem appealing on paper but it’s easy to forget that the cost of materials, bills and labour will also increase in making a space larger. The best way to avoid designing poorly used spaces is to design with flexibility in mind that creates clever smart spaces. Think inbuilt cupboards with a mini desk inside, a small nook that can be used as a playroom, office or reading space. Quality over quantity always. 

Employ an Architect:

• An Architects input is invaluable on building projects. Not only will employing an architect increase the monetary value of your home, but they will also design a holistic scheme and space that grows with you throughout your life. Architects can also increase the emotional value of your home and your quality of life by understanding the way you live and by streamlining the house to work with you not against you. If you want to see more on how to chose an architect, follow the link to one of our blogs. 

Still, looking for some advice? Contact us.