The need for an extension may arise for various reasons. Its shape and appearance are determined by its purpose and material. There are plenty of options here.
Nature of the extension
It is believed that if the main building is made of brick, then the best option is to build from the same stone – silicate, clay, foam concrete, and so on. There is a rational grain in this: during construction, the walls and foundation of the extension will need to be connected to the walls and foundation of the house. If the material is the same, then the combination can have no problems.
However, a brick extension costs a lot and weighs a lot. In addition, not all of them require walls to have the same high levels of strength and thermal insulation.
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The veranda – open or closed, is rarely built of brick. This is a summer project designed to provide coolness, not protection from it.
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The same goes for a terrace or other outdoor space options. Constructing them from wood, for example, allows you to save on the foundation significantly. So, an open terrace can be built on a columnar foundation, which is much cheaper.
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Additional living space – for example, a garage or a summer kitchen. Here the walls are built of brick since the extension must provide protection, thermal insulation, and ventilation. In principle, it is allowed to use another type of stone, for example, foam concrete. But here you also need to take into account the aesthetic factor. Large, sloppy blocks of foam concrete against the backdrop of a neat brick house look very unattractive. In this case, it is also necessary to include the cladding of the structure in the plan.
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Residential premises differ from the previous ones in that all communications will be needed here – light, water, heating systems, sewerage and information. Here the walls, foundation and roof must be identical to the main house.
Foundation construction
Depending on the chosen project, the type of foundation is determined.
If we are talking about a residential extension, then the base must be made of the same materials and a similar design. But since its weight is much less than the load on the main foundation, its nature, width and depth may differ.
The type of soil is also an important factor here. Of course, very light structures – a wooden veranda – still need to be installed on a monolithic foundation.
The foundation must be connected to the base of the building – except for the columnar version. To do this, grooves are hammered into the base before pouring new one-pointed reinforcing pins with a diameter of 12–16 mm. The second end of the grooves is embedded in the concrete of the foundation.
If a concrete base is being constructed, it will take at least a month to harden. Only after this time can construction continue. The photo shows one of the stages of work.
Construction of an extension to a brick house
Whatever the walls of the building are made of, the foundation must be waterproofed before laying. As a rule, roofing material is used for this.
The construction of a wooden building begins with the assembly of the frame. First, the lower frame is installed, and then the vertical support posts are attached to the top frame. Then the secondary elements are fixed. The structure is fixed to the wall of a brick house with anchors in its upper part. For this purpose, the construction plan includes a beam girder.
Brick laying, if the project involves the construction of a brick structure, is carried out using the same method as laying a building. If the stylistic decision allows, you can use another, more decorative, for example, masonry method.
The construction of the wall is carried out using 1 brick. If the structure serves as additional living space, then insulation is carried out similarly to the insulation of the building.
The ends of the walls are tied to the load-bearing wall of the house using the same fines that were used in the construction of the foundation. The fines are attached to every 4 rows of masonry using ordinary bricks. For foam and aerated concrete, the requirements are different.
The best option is to install the same roof as the main one. The difference in colour and material, even if it is a wooden veranda, creates an unattractive spectacle. The roof is most often pitched, with a slight angle of inclination. If the extension is two-story, and there are such projects, the roof must match the roof of the house not only in colour but also in shape.
A frame-panel structure is also a good option. But in this case, you need to very accurately select the finishing material. It should either match the cladding or be compatible with it in style.