Cost of extending your home

The cost of building a home extension depends greatly on it's size and style.

You can add a small conservatory or a simple lean-to for under £5,000, whereas a two story extension will cost in excess of £50,000.

A simple basement conversion can cost anything between £20,000 - £35,000. Lofts are usually considerably cheaper at £12,000 and upwards.

The cost of basic brick built extensions can be estimated at £50 per square foot or £500 per square metre. However, you will then have the cost of any new fixtures and fittings on top of that.

Irrespective of your plans or budget, it's vital to work out exactly how much your extension will cost before you start. Of course, you can't foresee unexpected problems but you can prepare for them. You should always set aside a contingency fund to deal with added costs that can, and often do, arise.

Whatever you do, don't try to build something that you can't afford. Hundreds of people in Britain are living with part built extensions because they didn't have the money to deal with an unforeseen problem during the building process.

Simple money advice to help get your finances in order.