The Point Of Planning Properly: Why A House Extension Can’t Be Half-Done

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There are few things more rewarding than sitting in a newly-renovated home. Having done all of the work that was needed and looking around you, it all feels worth it. And as we picture doing this, it’s not unlike those episodes of TV shows which open with an intriguing scene. The scene ends, and when the next one begins we see a caption on screen: “Several Weeks Earlier”.

As you contemplate that first scene, you wonder “what happened to get them from where we last saw them to this?”. And as the episode unfolds, questions are slowly answered. When you look at a point in your future, when you’re relaxing and watching TV in a new extension, you need to think about that. Yes, it’s rewarding to be there with all the work done. But how will you get from here to there?

“Several Weeks Earlier”: Get Your Master Plan In Place

The first thing you need to do when you decide to build an extension is ask yourself some basic questions. “What?” is the first one. What is it going to look like? What do you want to put in there? You may have some big plans for it, but are they feasible? You’ll only know when you plan it. So the next questions are the “How?” ones. How much will it cost? How will you get it looking like you want it to look?

danville_planning_commission_-_with_residentProper planning prevents poor performance

Some of the more ambitious plans will involve borrowing to pay for the work required. If you plan to do a lot of the work yourself, then you mostly just need to fund the materials, although you may need a survey carried out. So if you do need to borrow, “Who” are you going to ask for that money? Comparing the amounts you can borrow, and deals you can get, using services like LendingTree is important.

At this stage, you may need to “reality check” your plans. Can you afford all of the things you want? Will you have to make sacrifices, and learn how to do some of the basic work yourself? Compromising so early on may feel like defeat. But it’s a world or two better than being four weeks in and realizing you’re going to need to change plans.

A Few Weeks In: Are Things Going To Plan?

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, to semi-quote the poet Robert Burns. It’s a nice way of putting it – you can make what looks like a watertight plan, but does it survive real life? External factors like weather, health and the reliability of people you hire are aspects beyond your control. So if you find that you’re running behind schedule, you may need to amend the plan.

It’s not desirable, for example, to have two teams of workmen in the property at the same time. They may get in each other’s way and spend time arguing about who should be where when. At the same time, the longer you have people working on your house, the more it stands to cost you. So if things are running behind schedule, consider if there are parts of the plan you’re not wedded to. These can be changed or scrapped.

Nearing Completion: Don’t Be Tempted To Rush Now

Athletes, on seeing the finish line, tend to break into a sprint to get there first. If you’ve ever called a business at 4pm on a Friday, you’ll be familiar with the distant tone of voice on the other end. In short, people are prone to see beyond the finish once it is in sight. And this makes them half-do things.

rushing_is_dangerous_any_time_-_any_place_-_nara_-_515318Still true today…

You’ll even find yourself saying it: “Okay then, one final push! Then we can live in this.”. And that’s rather the point. You will be living in it, hopefully for some time. Against that long future, what is a few weeks of work being done right versus a few days rushing it? And certain things – like wiring, plumbing and structural soundness – can’t be rushed. Other things, like painting and finishing, can in that they aren’t safety-focused. But they still matter.

As basic a rule as it is, “do things right” needs to be the motto all the way through. Otherwise, when you look again at that opening scene to the TV show in your head, things won’t look right. Why does one of you have a bandage on your head? Why is the wind blowing in through the wall? What’s on fire? These are not the questions you want to be asking – so ask the right ones now.

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