Spending on home improvements is on the rise and more people are prepared to employ an architect to get exactly what they want, writes Emma Cullinan

SPENDING on home improvements is on the rise and is set to grow further, according to the Construction Industry Federation.

We spent a total of €4.5 billion in 2006 repairing, maintaining and improving our homes and this figure is set to rise by 4 per cent year-on-year for the foreseeable future.

This compares with the €24 billion that is spent on new residential construction as a whole.

Many people are opting for extensions so that they can stay where they are while improving and increasing their living space.

If you want a bespoke extension with excellent finishes you can expect to pay around €3,500- €4,000 a sq m but something simpler could cost about half that. The RIAI (Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) suggests around €2,000 to €2,850 per sq m for a basic extension in traditional materials rising to €2,700 to €3,300 per sq m for an extension which requires renovation to an existing house.

There is now evidence that more and more people are prepared to pay sufficient sums for something really beautiful that suits their lifestyle.

Ciaran O'Connor, assistant principal architect at the OPW, who judges the Opus Architecture and Construction Awards each year, says: "We saw a huge surge in the number of architect-designed extensions being entered for the awards this year. A lot of effort and money had been put into them. That was beginning to show itself last year but this year there was a significant number of projects like that, where there had been a lot of effort put into the design and finish whereas before extensions were just being thrown up."

The reason why some people are willing to pay a high price for the right design that will completely change the way they live is partly to do with increased coverage of domestic architecture in the media, says Grace Keeley of GKMP Architects, and also because of events such as the Open House event in Dublin which "has allowed the public to gain access to really good examples of Irish domestic design such as Robin Walker's courtyard house on Mary's Lane and Ger Carty and Eva Byrne's house on Pembroke Lane.

"People also realise that good design ultimately enhances the value of their house."

Some architectural practices are now specialising at the high end where finishes are good, the clients get an extension that suits their lifestyle and which links into the existing house well, rather than being a one-size-fits-all add-on to a house, says Gary Mongey, of Box Architecture.

Renovations of existing houses do tend to swallow money, especially in period homes, says Mongey.

"Rewiring, replastering and replumbing and the need to spend money on the original fabric can mean throwing a lot of money into the existing house which you don't really see."

He points out that one difference between a bespoke and standard extension is the way the new structure knits into the existing house and how the circulation works between them.

"We will first look at a house, see what is and isn't working and analyse what needs doing. Sometimes a wall on the original house needs to disappear and we work on making the connection so

good that people don't realize it's there, for instance by having the floor level the

same throughout."

In fact the new structure needn't be large at all, if the existing house is reconfigured in the right way, says Keeley.

"Sometimes it isn't necessary to greatly increase the floor area but simply to reconfigure the existing spaces.

"Often a project will involve a certain amount of demolition of poor quality existing structures to be replaced with new structures that better serve a client's needs. The object should be the transformation of the existing rather than the invention of something new," she says.

Such transformations can involve changing rooms about which can be quite a big leap for clients, says Mongey. "We always look at a house in terms of different uses in different places," he says. "Whereas clients tend to have set views because they live in the house and are used knowing where the things are.

"But we will look at the positives and negatives of having rooms in different places, with the kitchen being the key."

If you are paying for a bespoke structure and employ a professional to give it to you then you need to listen to their advice, says Mongey.

"The client does tend to get the project they deserve; they need to employ a professional and listen to what they have to say. When you go to the dentist you don't tell them how to do their job and you should approach an architect in the same way.

"You shouldn't be too prescriptive, by insisting that 'this must be here and that must be there' because that will close a lot of avenues that you can explore. Instead think in terms of a mood," he says.

"I'm not saying that the architect is always right, but they will help you to look at ideas. The best projects result from situations where people work together and respect each others' knowledge."

In a recent Box Architecture scheme in Howth, the discussion of ideas led to the creation of a hidden study at the top of the house, with views over Dublin Bay, which is reached through secret stairs.

"That wasn't originally in the budget but after discussion the client liked the idea and went with it," says Mongey.

Extensions aren't all about extra space, but can also affect the way you live through bringing in extra light and improving storage.

In the Howth scheme, where the parents of four young children were looking for an extra family space and dinner party venue, the architects increased the amount of light by bringing it in from above and through a courtyard.

In another scheme changes in storage arrangements made the clients more tidy.

"When I went back to visit after the build the place was spotless," says Mongey. "Because of our conversations I knew exactly where they wanted to store everything, including the ironing board. If people have places to hang things then they tend to get put away.

"Different people live in different ways and so need different solutions."

While some more established architectural practices will only take on higher end extensions, there are good young firms who will enthusiastically take on such work. Often more established firms will refer clients to such practices if they can't do the work themselves.

Now that the title of "architect" is protected under law - meaning that only those who have a training or who have been deemed by the RIAI to have the necessary experience can be given the title of "architect" - it should be easier to ensure that your work is being done by someone with the necessary expertise to give you what you want.

"Every project is different and if the client is willing to take the journey with the architect they will end up with something that they are happy with," says Mongey.