-- As the UK housing market grapples with record-high moving costs, limited inventory, and interest rate volatility, a subtle but significant shift is unfolding in residential behaviour: homeowners are choosing to extend rather than relocate. And in regions like Wirral, this movement is not only transforming homes — it's reshaping how people think about space, lifestyle, and long-term planning.
One company at the centre of this shift is Prestige Developments, a Wirral-based construction firm founded by builder Alan McDonnell in 2013. While Prestige may not be the only name in the business, their work offers a window into why the extension trend isn’t just a temporary blip — it's a sign of changing priorities among UK families.
From Transience to Transformation
What used to be a reactive measure — building an extension for a growing family or converting a loft for a teenager’s bedroom — is increasingly a proactive decision rooted in lifestyle design. Today’s homeowners are seeking more than shelter; they’re creating tailored environments for work, wellness, and family cohesion.
“People aren’t just reacting to space issues,” says McDonnell. “They’re thinking ahead. They’re asking how their homes can evolve with them over the next 10, 15, even 20 years.”
In the past 12 months, McDonnell’s team has seen a marked increase in requests for multi-functional spaces: garden rooms that double as offices and studios, open-plan kitchen-diners suited for hybrid work and family life, and lofts turned into private suites for adult children or aging parents.
Why Extensions Are Outpacing Moves
It’s not hard to see why more people are staying put. Moving house is expensive — stamp duty, estate agent fees, legal costs, and removals can quickly erode a family's equity. For many, especially those already settled in desirable school districts or communities, the idea of uprooting just doesn’t add up.
Moreover, Nationwide Building Society reports that a quality extension can add 12–20% to a home’s value — often exceeding the costs involved in building it. That equation becomes even more attractive when you consider the intangible benefits: emotional attachment to a home, established community ties, and the ability to fully customise your environment.
What Builders Are Seeing on the Ground
Prestige Developments, Wirral recent projects illustrate the wide range of motivations behind this boom:
- A two-storey side extension that added a guest suite and an enlarged family kitchen.
- A garden studio built during the pandemic, now used as a hybrid office and yoga space.
- A full renovation of a mid-century home into a modern, energy-efficient living space.
“It's not just about square footage,” Alan notes. “It’s about how space feels and functions. Light, flow, energy efficiency — these are front-of-mind now in a way they weren’t 10 years ago.”
A Broader Cultural Shift
What Prestige is witnessing reflects a broader cultural shift: the post-pandemic reassessment of priorities. Home is no longer just a place to sleep; it’s where people work, raise children, entertain, recharge, and age in place. It’s a dynamic environment — and extensions are one of the most tangible expressions of that evolution.
Local authorities, too, are adjusting. In many parts of the UK, including Wirral, planning permissions for home improvements have increased steadily, and guidance has become more streamlined for standard extensions — suggesting that councils are catching up with what people want and need from their homes.
Looking Forward
As the demand for thoughtful, flexible living spaces continues to rise, the role of ethical, communicative, and forward-thinking builders like Prestige becomes more central — not just in construction, but in shaping how people live.
The home extension isn’t just an architectural feature — it’s a reflection of how we want to live in an unpredictable world. And that, perhaps more than anything, is why this trend has staying power.
Contact Info:
Name: Alan McDonnell
Email: Send Email
Organization: Prestige Developments
Website: https://www.prestigedev.co.uk
Release ID: 89157927
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