Things to Consider Before Starting a Home Extension

Dreams of a beautifully expanded home have been drifting through your imagination for months, and now the moment has come to bring them to life. 

The question becomes: how do you transform that private wish list into a tangible extension crafted from timber, stone, glass, and all the refined finishes that make a space truly sing? 

Home extension designers like RFT Solutions have shepherded countless homeowners through this journey. Their expertise turns ambition into architecture and helps your home addition progress with direction.

1. Get Clear on Your Goals and Extension Program

Before any drawings, quotes, or decisions come into play, you need a crystal-clear vision of what you want.

“Be really clear on your goals, both aesthetic and functional, and try to prioritise them.”

This clarity helps builders and architects evaluate options based on how you want to live, not just the square metres you think you need. When you’ve defined the emotional and practical reasons behind the extension, your builder can come up with even better solutions you may not have considered at all.

Think about:

• What problems the extension is solving
• How you want the new space to feel
• What’s essential vs. what’s nice-to-have
• How the room fits into your long-term plans
• A strong program sets the tone for the entire project.

2. Understand the Domino Effect on the Existing Home

Most people think about an extension as “adding space.” What they don’t realise is how that new space affects the rest of the home.

It’s easy to picture the new space you want, like a fresh family room, without thinking about how it will interact with the existing floor plan. But extensions don’t happen in a vacuum. They influence the rooms beside them, and that ripple effect means more upgrades than expected.

When you add a room, this impacts:

• Adjoining rooms
• Doorways and traffic flow
• Natural light distribution
• Flooring transitions
• Plumbing or electrical rerouting
• Air-conditioning and heating systems

Extending just one area means upgrading several others. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s something to prepare for.

3. Set a Transparent, Realistic Budget

Extensions come with layers of cost, and one of the smartest ways to budget is to break everything down. You can try creating an à la carte cost menu, where every upgrade or feature is listed with its own price:

• Primary bathroom remodel
• Kitchen cabinetry options
• Material upgrades
• Structural changes

This lets you see what you can add, remove, or swap based on your budget.

Checking in with friends who’ve been through the process can help, just remember, “people rarely share what their project truly cost.”

Remember to add a contingency (usually 10–20%). Unseen issues, material delays, and domino-effect upgrades almost always surface during an extension.

4. Know the Site Restrictions & Permit Timelines

Permits are one of the biggest sources of schedule uncertainty.

Depending on where you live, approvals can take:

• 4 weeks in some areas
• Up to 1.5 years in others

Delays depend on:

• Zoning rules
• Heritage overlays
• Setback restrictions
• Height limits
• Easements
• Council workload
• Neighbour objections

Understanding these restrictions early helps you avoid unrealistic timelines and unexpected costs.

5. Decide Whether You Need to Move Out

You may not consider this early on, but once construction starts, living on-site quickly becomes uncomfortable. Between water and power disruptions, scattered nails, workers in your yard, and dust everywhere, staying put can be far from ideal.

Living in a house during construction means:

• Constant noise
• Dust everywhere
• Access issues
• Limited bathrooms/kitchens
• Trades coming in and out daily
• Safety concerns for pets and kids

Many contractors even prefer clients to move out because it makes scheduling and site management far easier.

6. Confirm the Construction Timeline

Your extension timeline includes:

Weather, trade availability, material shortages, and scope changes all influence timing. Extensions nearly always take longer than homeowners expect. Planning for flexibility helps prevent frustration.

Conclusion 

Just like the first spark of inspiration that got you dreaming about an extension, your project should end with the same excitement. Only now grounded in clarity, preparation, and confidence.

Before you officially proceed, be sure you:

• Define your goals
• Review your budget
• Understand your site + council requirements
• Consult architects/designers
• Prepare for lifestyle disruptions
• A little groundwork now saves a lot of stress later.

Once all the details are sorted, everything clicks into place and the build feels exciting instead of stressful.