Professionals Real Estate 
A lot of people in Australia love to do renovations and its estimated that about $500 million is spent on this each month. So you are not unique in your thinking that renovating is a good idea.
Once you decide you want to go for an extension then you have to decide, are you going to go up, or down or out to the side?
Approach your extension with an open mind that what you are planning for may not be feasible or cost effective. You may really want to go up but an extension expert may advise you that it’s way too costly or just not feasible.
Going up with your extension:
There are some good advantages to going up besides gaining the extra space. It is also a way to give you more light and you are not using precious space around the perimeter of your home. An upper extension may allow you to enjoy beautiful views, but you will have to sacrifice some space on the lower level to accommodate the stairway that will be needed.
The upper extension may mean that your current roof will have to be removed unless you are fortunate to have some substantial attic space already in place. There is also the extra weight that is going to be created with the upper extension, and it will have to be determined whether the structure of your home can withstand this. Your renovation experts will determine what is necessary for this and if they need to work around any limitations that may be evident.
Going out:
You may have an option of extending out which could enhance your street appeal. This could add some real value to your home. Plus you don’t have to deal with the roof removal as you would with an upper extension. The challenge here will be to match the décor of the existing structure. The engineers will have to pay close attention to the slopes as excavating can run into a lot of money.
Going under:
This will probably entail excavation which comes with a substantial cost. How much will depend on the amount that is required and the type of soil and rock that has to be dealt with. Be sure to include in the costs the damp proofing that will be needed.
Being prepared:
No matter which extension you decide on keep some extra money aside to handle the unknown. To be safe you should set aside an extra 10% of the budget for costs that weren’t expected.
Don’t get carried away:
Of course you want the ultimate extension but don’t over capitalise. You want to be sure that should you decide to move that you are going to get the money back from your extension investment. Start your extension with a clear mind knowing that it is a necessity and going to provide you with what you need by way of extra space.
