When you appoint a contractor to build an extension on your home, the materials they will need to purchase constitute a big part of the overall budget of the project. Of course, if you are working from architectural plans, then a good number of the building supplies that will be used will already be specified. If you have agreed on these in advance with your designer, then you will want to make sure that your contractor purchases the right things and does not short-change you. However, if you want to reduce your expenditure, then taking a second look at the building supplies to be used is a good way of controlling spiralling costs. What are the main supplies you should be examining the cost of carefully?

Roofing Materials

A great deal of expense is concerned with roofing extensions. However, given that extensions tend to be fairly small by comparison with other building projects, you may be able to use a cheaper material than is currently planned. Concrete tiles tend to require a great deal of support from rafters because they are heavy, for instance. Therefore, you could look into the costs of a fibreglass roof instead, which is ideal for shorter spans. It may not be able to support your weight if you ever need to climb onto your extension's roof, but it will still offer the same level of waterproofing as other roofing materials for a fraction of the expense. What's more, because it is light, you don't need so much timber to keep it in place. Polycarbonate roofing sheets are even cheaper, but they do require maintenance to keep them clean.

Wall Materials

There are all sorts of building materials that you can use to construct walls from. Although bricks and mortar are the most popular by far, you can use similarly attractive supplies which will do the job just as well. Things like precast concrete sheets are relatively cheap and mean that you can build entire walls in a couple of hours when your supplies arrive. Another good option is reclaimed timber or second-hand corrugated sheets. These are both good ecological options as well as being a low-cost choice.

Liquid Membranes

If you want good waterproofing for your home which won't break the bank, then you can apply a liquid membrane to your extension which will provide a great layer of protection once it has dried. So long as you apply it over the course of a dry day, your extension will be watertight within hours. What's more, you don't need to hire costly construction equipment to make use of a liquid membrane. You can simply apply it by hand, just as you would a coat of paint.