Nothing beats the comfort and feeling of spending a sunny summer or rainy spring afternoon than with some drink of choice, some music and a feel-good book lounging in some outdoor room area of your house. This is usually one of my favorite things to do while relaxing in the sun deck of my favorite KLCC condo. Just one of the perks I’m thankful for ever since I got here in sunny Malaysia. This is one scenario that will definitely make you say “ahh this is the life”.
But for homeowners are a little tight on the budget, or space, or even time for construction, which outdoor home extension should you have made in your house? What should you consider when starting on this project? Some quick ideas:
- Patio – if you’re a little tight money-wise, and your outdoor space is not all that big anyway, then a patio may be the best choice for you. You don’t need so much as to invest on hardwood or roofing. You can opt for some outdoor patio umbrella (which can be really cheap from secondhand stores and thrift stores) or just totally ditch it altogether.
- Deck – Decks are commonly one of the perks you may get if you invest in a luxury apartment. However, for houses, this outdoor extension needs a lot of money and a lot of space. Decks require an elevation off the ground, and are usually made of some expensive hardwood. You need quite a lot of space to get this going too. But done right, this is a very pretty addition to your home – one where you can lounge by yourself or with friends over cocktails.
- Porch – this is low maintenance, inexpensive and does not need too much space either. This is also a very common addition to homes, needing nothing more than a few feet away from your main wall. You can also much easily attach the roofing to your main wall to save on additional expenses on building. Add some railings and you’re good to go. However, since it comes in a small space, you can’t do so much with it. You can add a rattan hammock and some cushions and romantic lights, then everything will look just awesome. Here are some great porch ideas from the DIY Network.
- Sunroom – this is one of UK’s most popular home extensions. It is a closed room extension, usually with huge glass windows and sun roof. What makes it very ideal is the fact that it is roofed and so you can put even your most expensive piece of furniture in it without worrying about sun or rain, but still get your dose of the outdoors thanks to the big clear glass windows. But then again, with all this privileges also come the expense and need for space. There are contractors and ready-to-build kits but you may have to check on durability and again, pricing.
- Balcony – if you don’t have all that much space on the ground, then maybe you can build a huge balcony on your second floor space. You might just have to double check on your foundations whether or not it can handle the additional weight of the extension.
Luxury apartments might have all these features and amenities, but not everyone is lucky to have them. Luckily, you can do some improvisation. Keep in mind that whatever type of extension you are putting in your house, they will always need their own furniture and its own costs for maintenance.



I recovered back from my disastrous start after I hit the lottery (I will tell you that story another time). I used the money to set up a small real estate agency here in Bonaire, and I recruited my best friends Jim, Jamie and Andrew to be my first brokers. If you are a budding entrepreneur – my advice for you is to partner up with your friends. Why spend most of your waking hours facing people that you don’t like?