# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Ideas for a cheap one-room extension?

## auspaco

Hi all, 
I'm hoping someone can help me out with ideas on the cheapest way to add another room to a small cottage. I don't have much experience in building so any help is appreciated! 
It's set on a fair bit of land and we plan on living in the cottage (+extension) while we get plans/money together to build a new house nearby. Unfortunately it's just too small as it is. I'm trying to find a really cheap way to add on some space - and while i'm not too concerned about how it looks I don't want it to be too ugly. A single room is fine. 
Here were some of my thoughts: 
1) Build a big shed nearby and partially live in it.
2) Get a few portable site-offices and partially live in that.
3) Extend the cottage.
4) Transport a house from somewhere else? Saw that on these forums but don't know much about how easy it is, the cost, or joining the structures. 
Regarding extending the current cottage, it's a gable roof - and i've attached a pic below (green structure). I was thinking of adding a new room (blue) - which measures 4.5 x 6.0 m. Have been quoted $60-$100k. 
Does anyone have any advice regarding keeping costs down? Things i've considered and could use some advice on: 
5) Owner-building (kit/prefab - do they do extensions?) but not sure how easy that would be. 
6) I would also like to add a verandah and some decking but figure I could do that later - to save costs for now
7) I figured that not trying to match the current roof-line may make things easier? 8) How easy is it to join the new wall with the existing one? 
9) It's in the bush so what thinking steel might be a good option for termites/fire 
Sorry for so many questions! Any advice/pointers would be really appreciated!

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## auspaco

Hunting around I found these eco-cabins which are recycled shipping containers for < $20k which seem perfect for what i'm trying to do. Has anyone tried them? Anyone know if there would be any probs getting through council?  Bedroom / Studio

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## Lawrst

Build a shed then line it with gyprock and insulate it. 
You could also ask the builder to not clad it and do it yourself with weather board.

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## Max1978

Don't know if you have done an extension/addition before, but I am currently in the process of having a room (albeit a large one) added to the back of my house. Before you have even contemplated keeping costs down on construction, you have to get over the initiation costs of adding to your structure. The cost of a draftsman plans ($2,000), then a structural engineer ($1000), soil test ($450), certifier ($1,500), energy efficiency report ($200), plumbing and drainage application ($300-600) and possible any development approvals all add up before you put the shovel into the ground. My advice, the best and most cost effective way to add a room is sell and buy something that doesn't need modifying. I have made this mistake and it will be the first and last time I do!  
Good luck.

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## Moondog55

Build an exempt shed so long as it is the right construction and use it as a sleep-out; ten square meters is not big but it makes a reasonable bedroom 2600 X 3800. Use 70&35 timber and a pitched roof. Yes just like the old and now defunct housing commission units i grew up in one so they aren't lethal. built properly with foilboard insulation on the roof and walls they would be OK and if made correctly removable too. make 2 and put a deck and unattached pergola over the space between them. Anything to keep the cost down and keep councils greedy hands off your hard earned money

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## Moondog55

I have been thinking about this for the last half hour or so. Don't even bother with foundations and stumps, get 6 big concrete pavers fro, the local garden or hardware store and use caravan jacks under the bearers, just make sure the ground under the pavers is reasonably solid and reasonably level, don't bother too much with diagonal bracing either instead use 7mm ply as the internal lining, make up all the panels on the flat 2700*900 ( or 2700*1200) as stressed skin assemblies and then just plan the door space between panels, roof same thing, 19mm plywood or 25mm chipboard floor using as few flooring joists as possible

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## Black Cat

Definitely go the shed. That way, after you have built the new place, and want to knock over the temporary accommodation, you will have some great shed room for all the tools you acquire as you go along.

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## auspaco

Go team! 
Thanks a lot for all of the great replies - the shed idea sounds like the way to go. The property i'm building on is classified as "living - bushland conservation" so i think that any shed or whatever would have to go through council. The idea of building two with a pergola between them is a great idea 
thanks again!

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## Moondog55

Exempt shed means just that, just build it and tell em it's a sleepout

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## auspaco

Ah... interesting. I found a copy of the NSW "State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008" which does list a shed - as long as it is less than 3m high and less than 20m2. Very handy document - thanks for the tip Moondog!

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## jatt

Yeah the info I have found so far is something under 10m2 (BCA from memory) sneaks in with out needing a permit.  Thats the most recent docs I have spied (less than 3 years old).    Hmm maybe I could do 2 of this size at my joint.  Recon that deck and attached beergola could get filled in later on.....   Cant say I have heard what auspaco says about 20m2 NSW "State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) thing, but will try and find something wrt to Victoria.  If anyone has found something pls spill.The large pavers as a slab, yeah did that for a water tank that goes over an easement.  Easier to pull up if one needs to access.  Good luck with it, let us know what u end up doing.

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## Moondog55

Exempt as long as they are not "Attached" to each other OR pergola/deck/ house etc
So make the Beergola ( love that description) totally free-standing

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## auspaco

Hey Moondog- just noticed your edit above was to "correct spelling mistakle" 
Mistakle?  :Smilie:

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## Moondog55

Stoopid small keyboard and big fatfingers
Keyboards seem to be getting smaller and made for midgets

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## Black Cat

Sign of old age! You need new glasses Moondog!

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## ajm

how about erecting something like wide span sheds weekender kit home? we are actually thinking of doing exactly that to our tiny place in brisbane. we have had quotes up to $150k to give us the extra space we need for us and four kids. we were about to get plans drawn up for a free standing addition which would be connected to the existing house by corridor when i saw the wide span catalogue. the weekender is roughly the size we want and, with weatherbboard cladding instead of tin sheets, could be made to look as though it has been here for ever. Just not sure who to talk to about it. its obviously, not as cheap as the shed option, but could work if you wanted to also tart your place up. what do the forum heavy hitters think of this idea?

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