Key steps for building a veranda

You wish to extend your house by building a veranda? This is a beautiful – and complex - project that should be taken seriously; it is the extension of your actual house. You might want to entrust the project to construction professionals that will advise and help you regarding the material handling, the orientation, the size, the materials, etc. All the technical questions have to be handled in advance. The administrative procedure

Before starting anything, gather information regarding the formalities that precede the construction of a veranda. You might want to check out the local building regulations (you should find out more information at your local council). You will most likely encounter various constraints: material, distance from the neighbors, terrain, allowed size and height, etc. Once the legal aspect of the project has been taken care of, you can issue a statement for the building of your extension and move forward to the next step.

Build on paper first

Veranda designs and building materials greatly vary. Overall, you want a veranda that harmoniously blends with your existent structure and add functionality to your space. Thus, you need to carefully study, build the project, and consider potential issues: draw plans, think about the materials you want to use, gather information about contractors, etc. Again, you can solicit a professional to assist you and anticipate problems. The key for a successful home improvement project is good planning. So, understand that dedicating time into the initial phase of preparation actually makes you save time and troubles in the future.

Financing: the sinews of war. You need to clearly define how much money you're willing to spend on your project. If you are running on a low budget and considering to build the veranda yourself, find do-it-yourself publications with pictures and building procedures descriptions. You can also borrow used equipment and consider cheaper material to not get caught short. You basically want to have a very precise idea of the final cost of your project.

The foundations

Some veranda foundations are simply the extension of the adjacent structure. Though, in most veranda projects, you will build the foundations yourself. The building of the foundations might require specific logistical needs such as a wheel excavator or a concrete mixer.

The roof

The roof is typically attached to the existing structure with design and material that match the house. You have a great variety of options regarding the material you can use : tiles, asphalt shingles, metal of plastic roofing panels, etc. This will also depend on your budget. If you want to optimize your veranda's exposure to natural light, you should consider transparent panels or skylights.

Finding inspiration

The Internet is an important – if not the best - source of inspiration: you can easily find pictures of attractive finished projects in order to boost your inspiration for your own project (on Pinterest for instance). Additionally, various educational institutions and museums offer comprehensive information and tips regarding architecture and design, definitely something you want to check out for original ideas.

The last step of this project, which is entirely on you is to decorate and enjoy your new veranda.