Your bedroom is your sanctuary, a place that entirely belongs to you. It is a place where you rest, chill out and think in peace. If the look and layout of your current bedroom give you negative feelings rather than positive then it’s time for a change. Whatever the reason is that you want a change, it’s important that you become to love entering and being in your private place. Here are 4 bedroom remodel ideas to incorporate into your home to make your bedroom a place to cherish.

1: Open & Spacious Layout

An open layout and spacious bedroom is something that is delightful to have at your disposal. By removing a wall or two and changing the layout, you create a more comfortable environment to live in. It gives you the privilege to do private workouts and any other tasks and activities that require a reasonably sized space. An open space won’t make it feel like you’re caught in a confined space.

2: Lighting

Lighting makes all the difference in a room. New and cool lighting can totally transform the look and feel of a bedroom. If your space is feeling a little dull or lacks vibrancy, there are so many lighting options and styles you can implement to create a cool, unique look and environment. You could add a dimmer to easily change the brightness of your lighting. You could add string lighting, chandeliers, neon lights and so many more different lighting options to make your bedroom space fun, funky and unique. Including different light sources (general overhead lighting, specific lighting and some decorative lighting) is the best choice.

3: Technology Gadgets

Cool new gadgets and helpful technology are everywhere. There’s a big need for tech gadgets in the bedroom. Wouldn’t it be great to not get up and physically shut your blinds?. Well, there is a gadget that will do that for you. Gadgets exist for all kinds of tasks and problems like controlling the lights, working the television and even tracking your sleep. A smart bedroom will make your life.

4: Foldable Furniture

Foldable furniture takes up minimal space so there is a lot more empty space to place your favourite decorative items in order to suit you. Foldable pieces can be easily folded without any extra effort and are simple to move from one place to another. There are many folding furniture options you can put in your bedroom from beds and sofas to tables and chairs and lots more. Your room will never look cramped and messy with foldable furniture.

If you’re thinking of remodelling your bedroom as part of a home renovation then Sigma Homes are the perfect partners to get the job done. Book your consultation with us today by visiting us online or by calling us on 021-436-5866.

Homes with stories and history are ones that are special. Lots of people end up living in homes that belonged to their parents and sometimes even their parents’ parents. Family homes are really special to people because they grew up or raised a family there, most beloved childhood memories took place within the walls and parameters of the property. They are integral parts of our identities.

People who inherit a home or have their home to themselves again after the kids move out can find themselves blindsided by memories and unable to part with things belonging to the people that previously lived there before. When living in an old family home, people face the tough task of putting their stamp on it without changing everything too much. Personalities evolve so the way one might interact with or experience the home the first time they lived there will be different as time goes on.  

For example, Michael & Mary Boland came to their home in 1978, they have lived in the same house since then, raising their kids until they were old enough to move out and live by themselves with their own families. The idea always crossed their mind to freshen up their home, so they got an extension and renovation. The project saw them adding a lot of extra space to the back of their home which Michael says he loves as he can “sit out in the back with the sunshine having my cup of coffee”. On the other hand, Mary said that doing up their original home was “a daunting task” but something they are glad they did.

It’s unrealistic to expect that every part of your home should remain untouched until eternity. It is important not to live in the past too much but what you should do is incorporate its significance and the opportunities it offers into the new design of your current home.

Getting involved with projects involving family homes is really special and here at Sigma Homes, we get invested into the stories and history of peoples homes as well as the project itself. We are passionate about renovating homes incorporating whatever aspects our customers want to make their lives better. Nothing is a problem whether that is something big or small, see how we can renovate your current home into the home of your dreams by calling us today on 021-436-5866.

Renovating your home can be a daunting thing to do whether that be a particular room of the house or the whole house itself. There is a lot to go through and take in which can leave you forgetting about the minute details that are very important. Things like storage, energy efficiency and electrical sockets all sound small, but without proper planning these things your new refurbished home could soon be chaotic and disastrous. To ensure your new home is both functional, beautiful and efficient then consider these three key details.

1: Plan Ahead

Thinking ahead and planning for the future and not just now is very essential. Establishing your needs now is great but considering your changing needs over time and incorporating that into the renovation is very important. If you are considering or already have children then you must take into account their growth over time and what they might need to be accommodated into the design. Planning ahead will not only save you money but avoid hassle in getting more work done in the future.

2: Maximise Space

Everybody in every home has some bit of space that is being occupied by nothing, others have space that is being occupied by nothing useful. Thinking about these underused areas in your home that could be transformed into some useful space. Whether that be for an installation of something of some kind or for some storage space. Stairs are a great example of this, there are great ways to subdivide that stair space into cupboards or drawers to get good use from this part of the house. A spot for clothes storage whether it’s big or small will be an important space in your home. Without it, you risk clothes being piled up all over your house maybe even on the floor. Designated storage is more efficient and useful than a general-purpose cupboard, so it’s worth including it in your plans.Doing research and looking for ideas online can give you some great indications of what you can do with some of your house space.

3: Consider Smart Systems

If you are considering changing your heating/lighting system, then you should look at installing a smart electrical system. These are intelligent systems that you can control remotely from a laptop, computer or mobile phone. Smart technology systems will ensure you don’t waste heating and lighting as you can control them even when you are not at home. This will significantly drive down your electricity bills saving you big money in the long term. Some electrical systems can even adapt and react to how you use them like knowing how warm you like your home and adjust accordingly to save you time and effort. Being efficient is an investment worth making to ensure your home runs efficiently. It will allow you to save more money which will give you more disposable income to spend on the nicer things in life.

Home extensions can be overwhelming. So many things have to be considered and getting the right advice early on is crucial if you want your project to have the most benefit for your day to day life. Luckily, Sigma Homes are here to help. Here are 2 more tips for building a house extension.

1: Budget

Budget is one of the key components to any house extension. It determines what’s possible when it comes to revamping your home. The bigger the budget, the more freedom you will have, the smaller the budget the more creative you will have to be. At the start, you probably don’t have a clear indication as to what an extension is likely to cost. At this stage, you might not even have a clear idea about what it is you plan to do until you ask those vital questions and visit your architect to draw up plans to suit what your needs. Even after the plans are drawn up you might not know exactly how much it will cost you, but an experienced and reputable builder will be able to give you an accurate estimate. It’s important to know how much your willing to spend. Being forthright about your budget with your architect/design and build team from the beginning will give them a better understanding of what is achievable for you and what they can do to help get you as much as possible for your budget. You design to your budget, or you design to a wish-list. Unless money is no issue for you then you can’t do both, so your priorities will come into it. The main thing to identify is how much you are willing to spend and what are your priorities for the extension project. Finally having an additional house extension emergency fund is essential in case you encounter some things that haven’t been previously identified or you want to make changes to your plans on the fly that can’t be easily accommodated within your original budget.

2: Using The Best In The Business

An excellent architect and building contractor is essential to creating a quality house extension. It is all about successfully getting your ideas and plans from inside your head into reality and the best way to do that effectively is to hire the best in the business. Do your research online, ask around and also talk to previous homeowners who have had work done. This will all give you a better indication as to who you should go with to turn your house into the home you’ve always wanted.  An architect will steer and guide you through the planning process, you need expertly drawn plans for your builder to follow so having a great architect is a key component to a quality extension plan, if the builder and architect work together often that is even better. Your building contractor has to be able to execute those plans with precision. Make sure you do your homework and make the right decision on who you choose.

If you want to eliminate the stress of building a house extension and ensure the best outcome then be sure to clearly define your budget and use the best architect and building contractor for you. If you would like to learn more or to book a consultation then visit us online or contact us on 021-436-5866.

Get more great tips for building a house extension.

For many people getting an extension can be stressful. Everybody wants their dream home and we are here to provide you with key tips/pieces of advice to eliminate stress from your life. Here are 3 tips for building a house extension.

1: Ask Yourself Plenty Of Questions

Questions are the most important stage of an extension process. What kind of extension do I want to get? Where do I get it done in my house? Who do I contact to make the extension? These are all questions one must ask prior to going ahead with a house extension. A great design solution does not start with an amazing designer. It starts with questions, it’s is all about what you want and think not just about the designer or architect. In the beginning, you are probably approaching the process on your own. You’re ringing someone to take it to the next stage because it’s just you and the surroundings of your home with ideas in your head and no idea what to do with them. Write out every question you can possibly think of, and try to answer them. Show them to your family and close friends and get their input. Ask yourself practical and non-practical questions, identify your priorities. Try to identify the potential you think it would have and the limitations also it may have. Think about changes in your situation since you moved in and think about possible changes down the line. Start with a no-holds-barred approach to your brainstorming session and then continuously critique the list to identify the main priorities and results of your house extension brainstorming session. This is the start of your design brief. You won’t get the right answers unless you ask the right questions. This preparation is key to a successful project.

2: Planning Permission

If you are happy to go ahead with a house extension then you need to figure out if you need planning permission or not to make the proposed extension a reality. To do this you will need to get in contact with your local county council or your architect to get their expert knowledge. Lots of extensions don’t need planning permission if the extension is to the rear of the property and under a certain size etc, but even so, you should check with both expert parties. Planning permission does add some extra expense, it does take time to for an application process to be successful. You should put the long-term benefit ahead of the short-term one just to save time and money. An example of this would be a house having some extra room at the side. An exempt extension could be built behind the house, but using hat room at the side of the house instead (may require an application or thorough investigation) could preserve light in the house, could give a better designed layout, and could mean the extension you build doesn’t need to be so big which might save you money. The key is to look & investigate before you leap into anything. Keeping an open mind and putting in a bit of effort at the start will pay dividends in the long run.

3: Talk To Neighbours

When planning on getting a house extension, It’s a great idea to tell your neighbours that you’re planning on an extension and tell them exactly what you’re planning.They will appreciate you going to them in advance about this and getting their opinion on it. It can be hugely beneficial and reduce the number of complaints/issues that may arise regarding complaints and objections. If they are going to object to your plans, it’s best to establish what their complaints will be so you can address them at this early stage. It is better for you to be prepared and have a plan in place to hopefully deal with these complaints than getting completely blindsided and being unprepared. For example, your neighbours may have issues regarding privacy or be concerned about the possibility of a reduction of light to part of their house. Our advice is to approach your surrounding neighbours prior to execution of your extension plans and talk with them about it and see if there is anything alarming that could cause problems or delays.

If you want to take the stress out of building a house extension then be sure to ask yourself plenty of questions before beginning, research whether or not you need planning permission and talk to your neighbours to avoid being denied planning permission or developing a frosty relationship down the line. If you would like to learn more or to book a consultation then visit us online or contact us on 021-436-5866.

If you’re thinking about remodelling your bathroom, the possibilities seem like they are endless. With so many different bathroom styles floating around choosing the right ideas that reflect the functionality you need and your own personal design taste early on is very important as you will likely have to live with those decisions for years. Here are 3 tips for your next bathroom remodel.

Choose The Right Surfaces

The surfaces such as walls, countertops, floors etc are not solely about looks. They actually play a much larger role as your choice of surfaces will affect how much time and money will go into maintenance once the project is complete. A wooden floor in the bathroom might have the aesthetic that you are going for, but will be a nightmare to keep looking well as it’s not a suitable material to deal with daily water spillages. Similarly, you should consider quartz countertops over marble and glass shower doors that have been treated with anti-water spotting agents.

Consider Lighting

One of the best ways to show off your bathroom remodelling project is with plenty of light. Bright open spaces are nice to be in, but it will also make the room look larger and showcase your investment. If your bathroom does not already have good lighting, you should consider adding extra windows or skylights to make the most of the available natural light. If that’s not an option then make sure you choose reflective finishes that are light in colour and add more lighting fixtures around your bathroom wherever they are necessary.

Plan For Efficiency

With uncertainty constantly surrounding how the government will handle water bills in the future and in advances in technology, there’s never been a better time to remodel your bathroom with energy and water efficiency in mind. Consider using LED lighting solutions in your new fixtures and even tankless water heaters to save on electricity, well-insulated windows to save on heating costs and to save water you can install low flow toilets, low flow taps. You can discuss your options with your designer/builder to see what will work best for your space.

When carrying out your next bathroom remodelling project make sure you choose the right surfaces that don’t compromise on looks or functionality, take lighting into account to make your bathroom look it’s best and plan for an energy and water efficient bathroom that saves you money long-term. Start planning your bathroom remodel with Sigma Homes today, call us on 021-436-5866 or visit us online to book a consultation.

House Extension Advice – The Existing House & Living Space

Before looking at what type of house extension you want, it’s important to review your existing house to make sure you focus on critical areas. Make a list of your priorities and look at what rooms you spend the most time in, often that’s the kitchen. Now look at what you’re doing in each room, if you find, for example, that you’re socialising in the kitchen and leaving you dining space empty and unused, it’s time to look at merging these together to maximise their potential. We would also recommend that you start looking at completed projects to get a feel for how you’d like you finished home to look, websites like Houzz or Pinterest are great resources for getting ideas. Don’t worry if you can’t find the perfect example of what you want, just build up a scrapbook of the various elements you like as these will prove invaluable to the designer when they are getting a feel for the look you want, and to yourself when you the time comes to select the final finishes for your project.

Do I Need An Extension At All?

90% of our clients are looking to modernise their living space. Houses designed as recently as 2010 had small separate kitchens and dining spaces that end up with families using the smallest rooms in the house the most often. By opening up the interior of the house and creating larger rear openings, you can create a far larger sense of space and better utilise the interior. The sketches below show rearranging the existing interior to form a larger open plan space without the need for extension.

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Rear Extensions

By far the most common extension in the city is the single storey ground floor rear house extension, these don’t need to be huge, and more often than not, a modest extension can give the best value for money while still transforming the way your home and the way you live. However, it is important that the design is carefully thought through as we find that the ‘standard’ rear extension can leave existing internal rooms lacking light making them unusable in certain situations. The first thing to consider is the orientation of the house and how to maximise the sunlight throughout the extension and existing house. Below are some quick sketches showing alternative arrangements for a rear extension.

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As you can see the there are many different forms that rear home extensions can take, all with their positives and negatives depending on the site and the orientation of the house. What we find most important is that these options are explored fully to ensure you get the perfect design for your home. Be open minded and you might just get the dream home you always wanted.

Will My Extension Need planning?

In our experience single storey house extensions to the rear of existing property can generally be achieved without the need for planning permission, the following would be the basic criteria for an extension to be exempt from requiring planning:

• It needs to be less than 40sqm/430sqft in floor area, that would be an extension approximately 6m/20ft by 6.5m/21ft.
• This extension must be entirely to the rear of the existing property with no element to the side and it must be attached to the existing house.
• When the extension is complete it must leave at least 25sqm/265sqft of open space.
• The walls of the extension can only be as high as the existing walls, if the roof is pitched it can’t be higher than the existing roof, if flat it can’t be higher than the existing gutters.
• Ground floor windows can’t be closer than 1m from the boundaries.

If the house extension you have in mind meets the above criteria, it’s more than likely it won’t require planning, however it is always best to confirm this prior to construction. It’s also possible for a first floor extension to be exempt from planning but the requirements are far more restrictive and in our experience it is rare when building in the city.

If the project exceeds any of the criteria or you’re looking for a first floor extension, don’t worry. While it can take longer to achieve obtaining, planning permission doesn’t cost a huge amount of money and if it ensures the extension is perfect for your house, it is worth the time and money it requires. We will explain the planning process in more detail at a later time if you book a consultation online.

The Growing Family – First Floor Extensions

A growing family means the requirement for more bedrooms, unless you’re existing house is a bungalow this generally means an extension at first floor level. First floor home extensions generally require planning but, as noted earlier, this shouldn’t be an impediment in ensuring you get the right extension for your home. Critical to the first floor extension is how it is accessed from the existing house, often part of a bedroom has to be sacrificed if you require a new separate bedroom and careful thought must be given as you are reducing the size of an existing bedroom to provide a new one. That being said, the first floor extension is an excellent opportunity to get that master bedroom with walk-in closet and en-suite you have always dreamed off! Here a couple of examples of two storey developments we have sketched up:

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If you need advice on which type of extension is best for your needs. Visit us online or call Sigma Homes today on 021-436-5866 to book your house extensions design and build consultation.

Thinking about remodelling your kitchen? Remodelling is a fantastic way to breath new life into a home, but it can be expensive. That’s why you want to make sure that you get it right and any new addition to your home isn’t just part of a fleeting trend and will still look fantastic in 5, 10 or 15 years. Here are 4 timeless kitchen remodel ideas that never go out of fashion.

1: Open Layout

More open and spacious kitchen/dining areas are here to stay. By removing a few walls you create a more comfortable cooking environment because the cook isn’t banished to the kitchen by themselves and the more informal dining arrangements both serve to support a modern casual yet connected style of living.

2: Induction Hobs

Induction hobs look like they are here to stay and are growing rapidly in their popularity. They heat up pans quickly, they are energy efficient and extremely safe (it’s almost impossible to burn yourself on them, even when they are on full). They also produce much less excess heat than their electric/gas counterparts so even smaller kitchens stay cool while cooking.

3: LED Lighting

Not so long ago, LED bulbs gave off a cold blue hue that made them a nightmare for interior designers. However thanks to strides in technology, their future is looking brighter than ever. They are brighter, more efficient and last longer than fluorescent and halogen bulbs and they can be used in so many creative ways around the kitchen like illuminating an island overhang, brightening up work spaces under cabinets and much more. Many LED bulbs now have a lifespan of 50,000 working hours. So even if they were left on for 12 hours every day, you would still only have to change them once every 11 and a half years or so.

4: Marble Countertops

Marble countertops may be at the higher end of the price scale, but they are something that never goes out of fashion and they can really add a touch of class to your kitchen remodelling project. Marble counters have been popular for so long for a reason and that won’t be changing any time soon.

If you’re going to remodel your kitchen and you want to be sure that your beautiful new space won’t go out of fashion with the passing of a season, you should consider going with an open plan layout, using induction hobs instead of electric or gas, incorporating LED lighting and choosing marble as the surface for your countertops.

Book your remodelling consultation with Sigma Homes now by visiting us online or by calling us on 021-436-5866.

A growing family can mean that your home that used to have an ample amount of space is no longer fit for purpose. An increased demand for bedrooms and living space as the little ones grow up usually leave families with 2 options. You can either move and find a new house, or extend your home to make it more suitable for your needs now and in the future. Here are 3 advantages of extending instead of moving.

1: Stay In The Area You Love

One huge advantage that building a house extension has over moving is that you get to stay in the area that you have made home. When you chose to live in a particular area in the first place, you chose it for a reason. Now that moving house might mean moving away from more friends, family or your children having to move schools, you have all the more reason to stay put.

2: Full Design Control

If you move to a new home you can find something a bit more suitable than your current situation, but with a home extension, you get as much control and input in the design process as you want. You don’t have to rely on what the previous owner decided was best, you can discuss all of the ideas you wish to incorporate in your home with the architect. Nothing is off the table, you get to tailor your home to perfectly complement your needs and lifestyle.

3: Less Reliant On Third Parties

Another major advantage building a home extension has over moving to a new property is that you don’t have to rely so heavily on third parties. If you’re trying to move into a new home, most of the time you will have to rely on an estate agent to sell your current home which puts the process largely out of your control. Another unfortunate factor that happens quite often is that the seller of a new home might be almost finished with the deal and decide they don’t actually want to sell it anymore. This can be hugely frustrating and expensive, especially if you have timed the sale of your home to coincide with when you would be moving into the new home and are forced into the inflated rental market.

If you’re weighing up the options and trying to decide if you would be better off moving to a new house or extending your existing home, remember that when you extend you get to keep living in the area you love, you get full control over the design which means you get the exact features you need and you’re less reliant on third parties like estate agents and indecisive sellers.

If you’re running out of room in your home and need an extension, book your consultation with Sigma Homes today. Visit us online or call 021-436-5866 today.