SECOND STOREY EXTENSIONS
The best value for money home renovation !
WHY ?
In our opinion a second storey extension / first floor addition gives the owner better value for money than any other home extension or addition
Why is this correct ?
If the extension is designed correctly it can reduce the need for numerous other trades and make use of the existing structure to support the extension reducing construction costs
Extensions also eliminate 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 home that will greatly increase the value of the home.
In our opinion, second storey extensions are not suitable for owner building
WILL YOUR HOUSE BE STRONG ENOUGH
Is your home structurally suitable to support a second storey extension ?
Most homes are but it should be check by a qualified and experienced builder to make sure. Some homes with brick piers only as support may not be suitable. Some may just be in such poor condition that is not practical to spend money extending to the home. Sometimes access to site makes an addition uneconomical. Maybe to upgrade existing house services is too difficult. There are many factors that need to be considered that may not seem obvious that a builder should check.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE SERVICES - ARE THE WATER PIPES & POWER OK ?
This item is very important and includes water, sewer, stormwater, gas, power, air-conditioning and heating. When building a second storey addition considering ALL services, new and old is critical not only to reduce construction costs but to be safe reduce problems in the future.
- WATER. Is the service old galvanised pipes, copper or plastic, where is the main and incoming line, is there sufficient pressure, what needs to be moved ?
- SEWER. Is old earthenware pipes used or new PVC, where is the main, stack, vent, gulley and incoming line, is there sufficient fall, what needs to be moved, is Sydney Water approval or inspections required ?
- STORMWATER. Is old earthenware pipes used or new PVC, is there a main or easement, where does the stormwater go to, is there sufficient fall, is a new tank/pits/drain required, what are the likely council or bushfire requirements?
- GAS. Is there any natural gas available to site and is so where is the main, if bottles are required where can they be located for refilling, what size main & branch line is required to suit the owner requirements for cooking/fireplace/BBQ/heating/hydronic, are there any bushfire or BCA special requirements ?
- POWER. Is there single or 3 phase mains existing, do the mains need to be relocated or protected during construction, what circuits are available in the meterbox and does it need to be upgraded for safety or compliance, what are the BASIX requirements, are smoke detectors existing & compliant, is the existing house wiring safe, check condition of downlights & need for upgrade, what needs to be moved & provided for trades during construction
- AIR-CONDITIONING. What is the condition of the existing system and does it need upgraded, if so to what system and is sufficient power available, what ducting needs to be relocated during construction, does the design allow for new ducted system, can a split system be installed at any stage including cassette or robe systems, is floor or wall grills an option, what about raked ceilings, location of outdoor unit, return air and fan coil has been considered, can the roof structure support the unit or does existing or new work need to be upgraded, where will need ducts be installed and is there sufficient room ?
- HEATING. Is the gas or wood fireplaces, new or old sufficient, compliant and safe for during construction and upon completion including the flue, hearth and distances to walls, are there any gas heat points, check hydronic or sub-floor heating ?
- OTHER SERVICES. Check any new or existing special requirements for data, phone, alarm, TV, internet, ducted vacuum, window or skylight power, fans, ducting to exhaust fans.
ALL of these questions need to be answered for EVERY project to minimise problems during or after construction by an experienced builder or building designer.
The first question people usually ask is can we live at home while the work is being completed. Of course we would prefer owners leave the house for the whole time we are on site but with the shortage of rental properties available in Sydney at a reasonable price it is often not practical.
Therefore the majority of our clients choose to stay at home during construction. Second storey extensions are often less disruptive than a traditional extension as workers enter the job via the scaffold and thru the roof rather than in the front door or dig up your yard for new concrete. We will likely kill your grass when storing materials, will make noise early in the morning but we will not fence you in, we clean up daily and will maintain a safe and secure entry to your home.
It can be good to organise a holiday or stay with relatives for a few weeks if the noise gets too much or if you have small children but otherwise you are welcome to stay at home during construction, most of our client’s do.
INTERNAL WALL REMOVAL
Many clients request internal walls to be removed to open up the existing house to create a more open plan feeling. Sometimes we need to maintain a “bulkhead” for practicality but removal of internal walls are nearly always possible. An experienced builder will need to inspect the site conditions and an engineer design may be required.
When completing the second storey extension we will install the new beams during construction. Then after this work is completed and the owners have moved upstairs to the new area we can then remove the nominated internal walls easily with all the structural work already completed.
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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First floor additions require good organisation and access to a large carpentry team to ensure the waterproof stage is reached quickly, minimising the chance of leaks. First floor additions are therefore not usually suitable to owner builders or smaller on-site working builder companies.
For first floor 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 first floor addition and OMara has been building projects of this nature for over 60 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.
STAIRCASE
The design and specification of staircase is critical for all second storey extensions. Ideally the location of the stairs should be close to the front door for ease of access. We usually decide on the location of the stairs first, with owner consultation and then design the second storey extension around it. There are many factors to consider including landings, ease of going, winders and the effect on nearby windows. Stairs can be open or closed treads. Stringers can be standard, cut or mono and made from timber or steel. Stair treads can be finished with carpet, floating flooring, real hardwood or even steel. There are also a huge range of balustrades materials and design available including plain or stained timber, decorative steel, stainless steel cable, glass or wrought iron. We can also design & install specialist joinery under the stairs or a small study cupboard. Stairs can also in spiral in design or be an attic style ladder. The other option is to have a passenger lift included in the design. This make access to the upper level easy and is a great resale feature. A lift is also less expensive than you would think, as long as it is considered carefully in the design stage. O’Mara can include any staircase of any design to suit your requirements for the project.
BUT YOU NEED MORE STORAGE
NO problem.
If storage is a problem a second storey extension can help solve your problems. We can obviously add built in robes, walk in robes, linen cupboards, storage cupboards and specialist joinery to the new addition or existing home. However we can often add roof storage to unused area of the existing house roof.
This can be access doors, attic ladders or spiral stairs. We can install roof supports to strengthen the existing house structure, install flooring for ease of access, seal the roof area against vermin or install lighting. We can also skylights, velux or dormer windows, subject to council approval requirements.
WHAT IF MY HOUSE IN A BUSHFIRE AREA ?
You can always extend and renovate your home in a bushfire area but there are various rules depending on the bushfire (BAL) rating for the site. Sometimes the solution is easy and only requires a few minor inclusions (such as fire resistant hardwood & cladding, fire rated window glass or gutter-guard). Higher BAL rated bushfire risk areas have more requirements, especially in the highest BAL rated FZ - flame zone areas. This includes special fire resistant material to be used as fascia, eaves and under all roofing, fire rated window shutters to all external openings and no external timbers can be used. There are also extra practical items you may wish to consider that are not mandatory but can improve your fire protection such as additional water tanks, hose reels, sprinklers or bunkers but they need special consideration. The risk of bushfire should be considered at the initial design stage to reduce construction costs and have protection methods that are practical and easy for everyone to use
Contact our office for some free advice on how best to protect your home in a bushfire area when extending or renovating your home.
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 ?
SO WHAT DO I DO NOW ?
THE CONCEPT DESIGN
AFTER THE CONCEPT DESIGN
