How much do you reckon it would cost you to move house? It usually depends on the value of the properties you’re moving from and to, with all those horrible fees calculated as a percentage. Plus Stamp Duty if you’re unlucky.
Moneywise reports that the average cost of moving home for 2012 is about £9,000. It rises to just over £16,600 in the south east and it’s only a few quid short of twenty grand in London. Upping sticks is no joke from a financial perspective, never mind all the stress and hassle.
What if you need extra space at home? Do you really need to move? Perhaps you could look at extending into your loft but building is also a costly business. Disruptive too.
Have you thought about an outdoor room? If you have a garden it might be a realistic and cost effective option. And these days outdoor rooms are miniature works of art, exactly like a room in your house but outdoors, great to look at and about as far from a shed as you can get. From tiny to huge, they’re insulated, sound proofed, made from sustainable materials, fully equipped with sink, shower, loo, kitchen and WiFi if you need them… you name it.
I Googled it and found plenty of outdoor buildings websites showing the kind of effect you can achieve when you get the experts in. Many even support you through the planning process, which is great for peace of mind if you need planning permission. Some include tools to calculate the outdoor space needed, and the cost.
If you’re particularly handy at DIY, can understand building regulations and translate a one dimensional design into reality, you could build your own outdoor office, play room, spare bedroom, entertainment room, party room or whatever.
I’ve even seen an entire garden building for sale on Ebay, put up without planning permission then carefully removed when the owners lost their appeal. You can even download ready-drawn professional, planning compliant plans online.
Excellent post – it’s always worth a snoop around http://www.lowimpactliving.com/ and their community for green and sustainable ideas that don’t cost a bomb