Extending your home is a big decision, but for many people can be a better way to accommodate a larger family than moving to a bigger house.

There are many reasons to extend your home – you may have a new baby on the way, needing a new bedroom ad space for toys, you may have an elderly relative moving in with you, so may choose to build a ground floor granny annexe, which is specially designed for someone with reduced mobility.

For some people, it is just that as much as you love your home and your local area, you could just do with a bit more space – maybe you are fed up of having a tiny poky kitchen where everyone has to squash past each other, and hanker after a large open plan space. Or maybe a playroom for the kids would solve all of your toy storage nightmares.

When planning a new extension, the first thing to do is to establish what you want from it. Once you have done this, you may have several options, depending on what space you have available. Planning maps from https://www.themapshop.co.uk/planning_application_maps.htm may be able to help you make a decision, as well as utilising what space you have.

For example, if you aren’t using your garage, why not use that space to enlarge and open up your kitchen? Or how about turning your attic into a large bedroom and ensuite bathroom? A conservatory or orangery is another good way to extend, and with rooms like these you also have the bonus of letting a lot of light int the home.