Second Storey Extensions
The best value for money home renovation !
WHY ?
In our opinion a second storey extension gives the owner better value for money than any other home extension or addition, but there are design requirements.
The extension needs to built on the existing structure ONLY it will greatly reduce construction costs as no concrete and often brickwork is required. When first floor additions extension are designed that include small extension areas added downstairs this makes the addition uneconomical
No moving costs. No real estate commissions. No stamp duty. These can easily add up to $50,000 or more
If designed & detailed correctly you can change a small 3 bedroom home into a large 5 or 6 bedroom mansion that will greatly increase the value of the home.
WILL YOUR HOUSE BE STRONG ENOUGH
The existing house structure must be strong enough to support the next level. It's our experience that 95% of all homes are structurally adequate to support the extra level, we just use different methods of construction. But don't worry ALL councils require a certificate from an engineer to be submitted with the plans when applying for planning approval to prove your house will be strong enough. We are confident that we can tell you instantly if you house will be strong enough, then design the extension to suit and get an engineer to certify everything
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE SERVICES - ARE THE WATER PIPES & POWER OK ?
Its important to check the quality of your existing services such as power, water, sewer, stormwater, gas and phone lines. Many building companies claim these services are often no good so you need to knock the house down and start again. This can be true but in the vast majority of projects this is NOT the case. We have excellent building practices in Australia that are tightly regulated, despite what you sometimes hear in the news and most services are usually in good order. We check all of these services with everyone one of our projects and sometimes we do upgrade the mains power, sewer mains and alike. However we have never built a new home in lieu of an extension just because of the quality of their existing services is poor. It's usually because of other reasons that people decide to knock-down rebuild rather than extend or renovate.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL THINGS I NEED TO THINK ABOUT ?
There are numerous construction items that require special attention when designed & building a second storey additions. They include items such as :
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2nd storey additions require good organisation and access to a large carpentry team to ensure the waterproof stage is reached quickly, minimising the chance of leaks. 2nd storey additions are therefore not usually suitable to owner builders or smaller on-site working builder companies.
For second storey additions to work well the builder needs very detailed planning, a dedicated hard working team of carpenters, attention to detail and above all patience. If the weather looks bad the project needs to be delayed at the appropriate time to minimise any leaks.
There are many items to consider that are unique for second storey extensions and OMara has been building projects of this nature for over 50 years
HOW DOES THE BUILDING PROCESS WORK
After signing building contracts we will not commence work on-site for a couple of weeks until a large amount of materials have been delivered to site so that no delays occur waiting for materials.
We usually start work on a Monday and the construction process will be completed as quickly as possible to waterproof the house, involving the following steps;
| 1. Delivery of materials 2. Relocation of aerial power service (if required) 3. Strip roof tiles / roof and dispose or store on site for reuse 4. Cut back roof timbers 5. Pack up wall frames and install floor joists 6. Install internal drainage for first floor bathrooms 7. Install new air-conditioning ducting as required | 8. Install new sheet flooring 9. Install plastic membrane and specialised waterproof tarp 10. Crane up, stand frames & trusses using special fixing methods for 2nd storey additions to minimise leaks during rain 11. Install fascia & gutter 12. Install roof tiles 13. Fit windows & sark wrap the walls |
At this stage the house is now waterproof and the chance of any leaks to the ground floor is greatly reduced. Only very minor leaks in very heavy rain or storms should now occur.
A special builder floor sheet tarp is made specifically to suit each project to cover the entire new sheet floor. This builders floor sheet will remain on-site until internal linings after which it is cut up and disposed of. This is a critical process to maintain waterproofing of the existing home during construction
We usually reach this waterproof stage within a few weeks. If the project includes pitched rafters rather than trusses or metal roofing it may take longer to reach this stage.
BUT YOU NEED MORE STORAGE
NO problem.
Second floor extensions are a great way to add more storage space economically.
Most additions do not cover the entire lower level of the existing home leaving some of the existing roof.
This roof space can now be used for more storage, as everyone needs more storage space.
We can strengthen the existing roof structure to support extra weight, install flooring & easy access doors, add new lights and even vermin proof the area enclosing this new storage area.
This can also be concealed and use special locks & doors making this area very secure and hard for criminals to even find.
As usual there are special things to consider (e.g. air-conditioning, condensation, etc) so best to ask our office for more details
BUT MY HOUSE HAS OLD BRICKS THAT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE
No problem. We have many ways of solving this problem
- We can find a brick that is close and ensure the design includes features to hide the difference in colour & texture
- We can render the existing brickwork and use a lightweight cladding product that has excellent insulation properties and greatly reduces construction costs
- We can use other products and design elements to ensure the finished project will result in the look of a new home and not like a box on a box has been built
Its not really that hard, just need to have the idea's and experience of previous projects to solve it the problem
HAVE YOU THOUGH ABOUT THE VIEW
Many homes in the Sydney, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Hornsby and Hills area are built on blocks that by adding another level will take advantage of great views of the surrounding area.
We regularly build extensions that have been designed with raked ceilings, large glass windows or balconies that take advantage of the extra height exposing new views that the owners never thought were possible.
There are council design restrictions that need to be considered so best to contact our office if you have any questions in this area
BUT WHAT'S THE COST OF A 2ND STOREY EXTENSION ?
