Why is the porch a house expansion?
House expansions date as far back than Mankind’s sedentary lifestyle. Of all times, and in all cultures, residences have expanded in order to adapt to growth of the family or the household’s business activity. To this day, there are several ways to expand a house: hard standing expansions, elevating the roof, conversion of either the attic space or the basement, etc.
With the technical evolutions of the last decades, the porch has gone a long way from simple outdoor layout to becoming a true house expansion, on the same terms as all historical expansion solutions.
How to define a house expansion?
In order to understand why the porch is a true house expansion, the term should, first of all, be defined. What is a house expansion? And how does a modern porch fit this definition?
What is the difference between house expansion and outdoor layout?
The house expansion, as stated by its name, is a structure which allows expanding the liveable surface. However, the structure must be both permanent and offer comfort conditions similar to the house’s existing rooms.
Therefore, the outbuildings, garden sheds, greenhouses, winter garden, ancient solariums and any other equipment used firstly for the landscaping of outdoor spaces or to offer a seasonal living space are not considered house expansions.
Originally, the porch was used to gather this equipment, but saw its use limited to the warm seasons. Since then, things have changed a lot.
Why expand a house?
There are many reasons to argue a house expansion. Usually, you should look for them in the changes which occur with time in each family.
As your family grows, the need for space also develops and the family dynamic equally has an effect on the household’s needs.
- The teenagers will yearn for more independence.
- The parents wish for more intimacy.
- The game room makes way for a sports hall, a multimedia space, or an even bigger kitchen.
- A change in business activity leads to the creation of an office or a workshop.
- In other cases, a house expansion follows its purchase by a family, who sees great potential in this home and wishes to take advantage of it as soon as possible.
These new projects require not only more space, but also refurbishing the house. The expansion, whether or not it’s a porch, will not necessarily be used to cover directly the new needs. However, it could accommodate either the living room, the kitchen or one of the rooms, thus freeing the house from the volume required for the new project.
In any case, expansions result from an urge for change. By its versatility, its originality and its charm, the porch has every asset in the book to satisfy that need.
The aluminium porch: best solution to expand a living space
Compared to all the other available technical solutions, the porch presents an inherent cosiness and performances which sets it widely apart most of the time. Today, the porch should be one of the first contemplated options regarding house expansion projects.
A perfectly glazed living room without compromise on comfort
These last decades’ progress regarding material allowed aluminium porch to meet the same demands regarding temperature, sound and safety than permanent accommodation. They answer the same standards, and are perfectly compatible with the bioclimatic and low-energy approaches. For high-performance solutions, discover Installux’s Porch aluminium systems.
Thanks to a level of comfort comparable to that of the existing house, or even better regarding certain aspects, the porch may become a real living room All the following solutions are possible: office, living room, kitchen and lounge, shower room, sports hall, room or even indoor swimming pool.
The porch is truly an expansion of the house
With a good tailored design and custom manufacturing, the porch may be perfectly incorporated to the existing house, both aesthetically and practically, including when in comes to matching it with the other rooms and the garden. The modern porch is therefore truly a house expansion. However, its design, brightness and comfort make this a one-of-a-kind expansion.
The flat-roofed porch: far more than a house expansion
Of all the technical solutions for expanding a house, the aluminium flat-roofed porch really sets itself apart by the life quality it offers.
Optimising the light and the opening outwards
Even though current aluminium porches offer a level of comfort comparable to any permanent room, they keep their original function, that of the interface with the outside world. The porch thus offers a privileged access towards the garden or the terrace.
Not only does the sunlight intake in the house provides incomparable levels of comfort and wellness, similar to that of a sunroom, but it also allows the porch to be fully part of a bioclimatic approach.
Giving a unique style to each house
Aesthetically speaking, the porch also sets itself apart from every other technical solution. In the house, the light intake helps making the house more welcoming and homely. From the outside, the porch allows to boost the classical features of an ancient renovated house, or on the contrary strength the buildings’ modern aspect. With aluminium, any architectural style becomes available for a customised porch.
From a regulatory standpoint, the porch is indeed an expansion
One last point—but not least—allows us to definitively state it: in the eyes of the law, the porch is indeed a house expansion. Its building is therefore submitted to the same demands than a hard-standing expansion of the house.
If following its construction, the floor area is larger than 150m², it is therefore necessary to obtain a building permit and to call for an architect. Likewise, the erection of a porch should be subject to the local regulation, including the local urban planning scheme (or PLU).