Homes are like anything else you own, no matter how well cared for, at some stage they may need more than just maintenance, they need a full home renovation to bring them back to their former glory. Or, you have found that due to changes in lifestyle or requirements, the layout of the home just doesn’t work for you anymore, or, of course, you just want to update your home to the tastes and styles that suit you. And why shouldn’t you – you deserve it!

A full home renovation can be as simple as paint, or some exterior work to a full strip out and redesign of the home, there really is such a huge variance in scope. That’s why when we are asked ‘how much does a full home renovation cost?’ we always make a point of developing a full home renovation design brief so we can be sure of exactly what you what in your renovation, so we can get the cost absolutely correct. We know the cost of a full home renovation is definitely one of the points people consider when considering their renovation, so we want to respect you and your time by making the effort and taking the time to cost things properly.

At Smith & Sons, when we are talking about a full home renovation, we generally consider this to bea total change in the look and feel of the home, rather than adding an extension or second storey to the existing dwelling. Sometimes a full home renovation requires a restructuring of the flow of the home by removing/adding/changing wall positions and creating different spaces that you require. Like we said before, sometimes people are just after a ‘freshen-up’, while at the other end of the spectrum. Where we are literally removing the interior of the whole house and starting again, resulting in nearly a brand-new home!

What we love about full home renovation is the feeling that people like you get walking into their brand new home which has been designed and built just for them. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a space that is just ‘yours’, and looks and works exactly how you want it to. The kitchen is in the right spot, those breezes coming in the right way, and your favourite chair catches the early morning sun just like you want it to. Suddenly again your home feels like home again, and you love it!

At Smithies, we take care of every aspect of your full home renovation, from your initial ideas to construction and completion. Our unique Design-Plan-Construct process will walk you through each step of the process with ease, so you will know what’s happening now, and then what’s next. You won’t be left with unanswered questions but will be kept up to date with constant communication. Our goal is that your full home renovation is a seamless process, with you only having to worry about what colours you want and when you can invite your friends over to see the finished product!

As we have mentioned, some of the different types of home additions we see are:

Single-storey additions: One of the most popular and least costly kinds of extensions, this involves building a single storey room onto the side or rear of the home. Well-liked for opening up the home to the garden and the relative simplicity of the project. These are great for uses such as a bedroom extension, office extension, entertaining area extension and much more.

Double or Multi-storey Additions: These projects can be significantly more expensive than a single-storey addition and tend to face more issues when looking for planning approvals. On different floors, you can choose between adding new rooms or simply maximizing the potential space of different rooms. An important part of this kind of extension is ensuring that it meets the characteristics of the existing home, including materials used and room form.

Second Storey Additions: If you can get approval, adding a storey can be the single most effective way of giving your home extra space. You can literally double up on the floor space available on a one-storey home will keeping just as much outdoor space. This is an expensive and extensive option but can be a great choice if you don’t have a lot of room to move out onto a smaller residential block. These are covered in another category HERE, but second story additions are generally much larger and more complicated renovations when there really is not a lot of room to move out, or you are trying to capture breezes or views that extending on the current lot won’t achieve.

Lift & Build Under: This is still classified as an addition— just building downwards. This either involves lifting the home up and building in underneath the home and really can have a raft of benefits. Many homes already have a concrete pad underneath but are not quite high enough so that once the home has been lifted, it is simply a case of filling in space with walls, an so on. Alternately, sometimes excavation will need to take place to get the required height underneath the home.

The best place to start if you are thinking about a home addition is to talk to a builder and ask if they have any ideas about what can be achieved as they may well have seen (or renovated) a home like yours before and can offer some practical solutions. If not, they should be able to put you in contact with a good home designer that could assist you in achieving more room with a home addition.


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