Extensions - suggestions and advice welcome

Hello everyone I'm a long time lurker first time poster!
I purchased my home a few years ago and am now in a position to extend. I've attached a photo of our current floor plan. I intend to extend into the car port area as it's under the same roof as the rest of the house and continue backwards toward the verandah.

It's a wee little 1985 brick veneer, 3 bedroom house. Small living room and little kitchen. I think I've done things the wrong way round - I've had a new colorbond roof put on as the previous tiles were leaking and the bathroom was re-done at the start of the year after finding major leaks. I'm not entirely happy with my bathroom and had issues with tilers etc so it has definitely rocked my confidence. I've learned a lot from that experience though... educate yourself, get numerous quotes, check everything 7 thousand times and ask questions.

I'd like direction, if i may, on how to start my house extension process. Keep in mind I don't have a design layout as yet. I'm not creative and can't imagine things in my head very well. Do I start with a draftsman? It's quite overwhelming and I really don't want to stuff this up.

I'm in no rush and expect this process to take many many months. I want to have a really clear plan in place before moving forward with anything. I just don't know how to start the ball rolling.

Thank you in advance for any feed back you can give me.

first you need an accurate plan of the existing house and a list of what you want to achieve...eg how many bedrooms, bathrooms and living areas do you need and what do you want to do with the verandah ... we need more information about the house eg what are the floors and
verandah built out of?... how many steps are there up to the front door and the back door/verandah and more information about your location..eg what is the width and length of the whole block, is there any slope, where is north, do you have any good or bad views and describe your local climate ... i've attached a copy of the plans for you to check the dimensions (ignoring wardrobes) of each room ... are there steel posts or brick columns around the carport and some photos and/or a Google Earth photo of the roof would show the correct roof shape
i can make a rough plan of what you might like so you can get a better understanding of what's possible and that's usually enough to get some rough estimates of costs from a builder and then you can have a building designer, draughtsperson or architect make final plans to apply to Council for approval

Hello thank you for your reply. I've been quite busy and have not had time to respond.

Our block size is 20m across and 40m deep. Ideally I'd like to add; a master bedroom with small walk in robe and an en-suite, a larger kitchen with open plan dining and living area and a larger laundry. I'd also like a deck/alfresco area out the back as well. My issue at the moment is getting it all to fit and working on sizes. I'd prefer to avoid windows on the western side (carport side) as our block is sloping and there is a house there (this is our low side). The vision in my head is to move the front door to the far western side (carport side) and to have it flow through to an open plan lounge room and kitchen. We have enough room for side access even if we extend into the carport area and we definitely need to regrade the driveway and re-establish a retaining wall along the low side.

The floors are cypress pine with the bedrooms having carpet on top and the kitchen having tiles. The back deck is treated pine and will be pulled down pre build. It is not salvageable at all and the extensions will take over that area anyway.

The block is a sloping block. 5 steps up to the front door and three steps out the back. Photos attached. North is more or less toward the back boundary.The block slopes toward the West with our Eastern side being roughly 2.5m higher. The block slopes toward the back North-Western corner where a big willow tree is. The carport is under the same roof as the house and is fully bricked in with a colorbond fence facing the street and nothing on the back end. Photos attached. There is a nice paddock and views of the ranges to the west but this area will be developed within the next 2 years. We're in the hunter region of N.S.W and this area always seems windy but warm.

i would think in terms of at least a year or more not months for such a big job and there are numerous options but i would keep the original front door and central access to all the rooms (allowing the old carport to be used for extra separate rooms avoids potential structural problems) and despite being very experienced renovators i would employ a builder to organise such a big job but first check with council to find out what's allowed, have a rough floor plan drawn up then consult a builder to identify any structural issues and then finalise plans and your draftsperson should be able to guide you through the application process...the draftsperson can make numerous other suggestions but here's some basic ideas to start with

Hey melandBlitz

Good luck with your project.

Here is a link to a blog that gives details about the different stages of a custom home build. Extensions follow a similar process.

These are the first couple of steps you'll need to follow:

1 - Have a building survey done (internal & external).
2 - engage a designer to draw a concept only
3 - The designer will develop a concept based on your brief and planning limitations.
4 - Then you'll have enough information for more accurate costing.

There are two types of designers you can hire - an architect or a building designer.

Here's a comparison of the two;


Architects
Architects are all-rounders, brilliant at bringing a vision to life. They use classic design principles to create beautiful designs. They usually work on larger, more complex projects. Charging about 10-15% of the total project cost, they can provide a completely hands-off experience for the client, managing everything from concept design through contract administration.

However, they tend to be not-so-great at cost estimation. You will need to close on expected construction costs as the design evolves. Turnaround time on drawings can also be less than optimal.


Go to a building designer if you are super clear on what you want and need someone to draw it up.
If you have a complex brief with some outline ideas & photos and need someone to bring your vision to life – an architect is the person for the job.

Building Designer (Draftsperson)
Building Designers offer a more functional, cost-effective, and speedy service best suited to more straightforward projects. They usually cost about 5-8% of the total project cost and stick to just drafting. Although, some companies do manage planning and permits too.

Building Designers typically do not offer services like interiors or contracts administration. If you have a very clear brief, vision, and ideally floor plans – a Building Designer is more suited to your project.
They also tend to be weak at costing, and designs can lack flare.

Whether you engage an Architect or a Building Designer, it’s best to work with professionals who have done similar projects in your local area. Ask to speak to old clients and be sure you know who you are dealing with before committing.

Working with draftys involves a lot more hand holding. It sounds as though an architect may be best suited to your project based on the brief you provided. But it really depends on your overall budget.

Hope this helps.