When you purchase your home, it is wise to try to buy a property that suits your needs rather than extending it in an attempt to turn a cottage into a castle and, in the process, destroy the character and features that attracted you to it in the first place. 

However, life always brings about change, so if you do decide that an extension the answer, the most obvious solution is usually to build to the rear or side of the house. This normally produces the most usable and relevant space. 

When adjoining to the host property, a carefully sited and designed extension will maintain the architectural “rhythm” and symmetry of the building it is associated with and be subservient to it, thus avoiding compromising the overall shape, scale and proportions of the main house.

However, this does not necessarily mean that you cannot be bold and embrace contemporary styles. When done well, a modern design works much better alongside an old building than a poor pastiche, but do try to use a harmonious materials palette.

Remember that past generations rarely tried to replicate what had gone before and instead followed the fashions of the day. This approach should be considered and is also more likely to create internal spaces that suit modern lifestyles.

An often-overlooked means of gaining extra space is to construct an outbuilding in the garden, where space allows of course. With an older building this may be the most cost-effective and least disruptive solution. We can create garden rooms, office pods and studios built to suit the clients they can serve as an office or studio, or provide overflow accommodation, complete with kitchen and bathroom.