\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUpdated:<\/p>
19.4.2022<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Share on:<\/h4><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>E<\/span><\/strong>xtending your house or adding another storey is a great way to reimagine your home so that it meets your evolving lifestyle needs.<\/p>\nWhy not just find another home that suits the bill? Maybe you love your home\u2019s location, it has strong sentimental value, or you\u2019re simply not keen on selling (and moving!) anytime soon.<\/p>\n
On the flip side, you may have bought it knowing full well it\u2019d be perfect \u201cif we just renovated the [insert space here]\u201d.<\/p>\n
Either way, if your dream home was just out of reach, or your lifestyle has changed since you moved in, these structural renovations will get you a step closer to what you have in mind.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/i><\/div>We\u2019ll quickly run you through:<\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n- The reasons why you\u2019d choose structural renovations<\/li>\n
- What to expect with structural renovations + examples<\/li>\n
- How to choose between a house extension or storey addition<\/li>\n
- Pros and cons: extension vs. storey addition<\/li>\n
- 5 things to consider to get a great result<\/li>\n
- Key takeaways.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Use this piece to get familiar with the possibilities and considerations for reimagining your home, then utilise the resources at the end to start your research.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Home-office.jpg\" "\\"Home")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>A dedicated home office means no more WFH from the kitchen bench (or lounge!).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Reasons why you\u2019d choose structural renovations<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>The reason \u2018why\u2019 you\u2019re renovating can be the saving grace for maintaining a positive attitude throughout a sometimes long process. It\u2019ll all be worth it, especially if you\u2019re doing it for reason number 5!<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s some common reasons why Kiwis do structural renovations:<\/p>\n
\n- To modernise a living space to incorporate indoor-outdoor flow<\/strong> (great for those wanting a smaller structural reno)<\/li>\n
- To add an extra living room or bedroom<\/strong> (helpful for a growing family)<\/li>\n
- To add a dedicated office space<\/strong> (handy for WFH and students)<\/li>\n
- To move a bathroom or the kitchen<\/strong> (useful for older homes with dated floor plans)<\/li>\n
- To add a self-contained dwelling<\/strong> (fantastic if you\u2019ve got young adults or in-laws living with you).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What\u2019s involved in structural renovations? <\/strong><\/h3><\/div>It\u2019s impressive seeing how structural renos can take bones of a building and reutilise them as a base for something incredibly new. It stops short of a rebuild, however, they\u2019re still substantial renovations.<\/p>\n
So, what can you expect when doing structural renovations?<\/p>\n
Reno: Living room extension out to patio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Your builder will start with foundations, then move from the slab onto walls, trusses, the roof, then wrap it for weathertightness. Once it\u2019s weathertight, they\u2019ll start demoing the internal wall (slightly different for a conservatory). This type of reno can be carried out while living in the house.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reno: Bedroom added off of living room<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Your builder will start with the subfloor, demo the exterior cladding, strip it back to frames, then build frames for the new room. Once it\u2019s weathertight, they\u2019ll frame out a door in the pre-existing living room wall. A hallway might need to be considered depending on the layout.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reno: Sleep out or self-contained unit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Your builder will approach this like a new build. Expect to discuss plumbing, running water and sewerage if you are going for a self-contained unit with a bathroom and toilet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reno: Additional storey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Your builder, architect and\/or structural engineer will address the foundation, roof and framing to assess the loading bearing capacity and go from there. In some instances, rather than changing the structural integrity of the lower level, it can be jacked up whilst a new lower storey is built with the requirements to house the existing structure as a second story.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Home-demo-and-renovation.jpg\" "\\"Home")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
E<\/span><\/strong>xtending your house or adding another storey is a great way to reimagine your home so that it meets your evolving lifestyle needs.<\/p>\n Why not just find another home that suits the bill? Maybe you love your home\u2019s location, it has strong sentimental value, or you\u2019re simply not keen on selling (and moving!) anytime soon.<\/p>\n On the flip side, you may have bought it knowing full well it\u2019d be perfect \u201cif we just renovated the [insert space here]\u201d.<\/p>\n Either way, if your dream home was just out of reach, or your lifestyle has changed since you moved in, these structural renovations will get you a step closer to what you have in mind.<\/p>\n<\/div> Use this piece to get familiar with the possibilities and considerations for reimagining your home, then utilise the resources at the end to start your research.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> A dedicated home office means no more WFH from the kitchen bench (or lounge!).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The reason \u2018why\u2019 you\u2019re renovating can be the saving grace for maintaining a positive attitude throughout a sometimes long process. It\u2019ll all be worth it, especially if you\u2019re doing it for reason number 5!<\/p>\n Here\u2019s some common reasons why Kiwis do structural renovations:<\/p>\n It\u2019s impressive seeing how structural renos can take bones of a building and reutilise them as a base for something incredibly new. It stops short of a rebuild, however, they\u2019re still substantial renovations.<\/p>\n So, what can you expect when doing structural renovations?<\/p>\n Reno: Living room extension out to patio<\/strong><\/p>\n Reno: Bedroom added off of living room<\/strong><\/p>\n Reno: Sleep out or self-contained unit<\/strong><\/p>\n Reno: Additional storey<\/strong><\/p>\nWe\u2019ll quickly run you through:<\/h2><\/div>
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Reasons why you\u2019d choose structural renovations<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
\n
What\u2019s involved in structural renovations? <\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Second-storey-views.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>