Essential Advice to Build the Perfect Home Addition
Do you love your home but find yourself in need of a bit more space?
If so, a renovation project and the right home addition design could be just the solution.
By attaching a new structure to your existing home, you can expand your floor space without having to go through the hassle of moving.
An addition can be added onto just about any part of your home, whether you’re:
- extending your garage
- expanding your kitchen
- or adding on an entirely new bedroom, bathroom or family room
If this is an option you’re considering, here are some room addition ideas and tips to get you going…
#1 Know What You Want The Space To Be Used For
It is best to have a clear idea of what you want to use the new space for, before you begin your project.
This allows you to think up of home addition ideas and plans and make design decisions based on your needs and desires for the space.
If you have a general idea but need some help putting it all together, make sure to work with a qualified design/build team.
They will help turn your ideas into a “design picture” that you can make changes to before you begin the construction (ever think to yourself, if I could just see it, I would know exactly what I want!).
This way you are much more likely to be happier with the finished project.
#2 Make A Wish List For Your New Space
It’s likely that you have a spouse or partner who’s also invested in the add-on process, so it is important to make sure you’re both on the same page about what you want.
If you each make a wish list and rank the items by importance, it should help you get started.
This will help you collaborate so the finished renovation fits both of your wants, and makes the space special for the entire family.
It will also help the designer incorporate everything you want into the plans.
#3 Consider The Local Laws And Permits Required
When you build an addition on to your home, it requires certain permits and more.
You’ll have to consider the local by-laws, like the permits you need and even potential homeowner’s association restrictions that may apply.
You don’t want to finish your addition only to find out that it was not permitted properly, or is in violation of a code or law.
Working with a professional design and construction team will be able to let you know what you can and cannot do, and any permits required for the project…which takes us to our next point.
#4 Use A Professional
Some homeowners treat adding an addition on to their home as a low scale project.
While you may be choosing an addition over a move and purchasing a new home, you don’t want to cut costs when it comes to this major renovation project.
Work with a professional, have the job done right, and avoid the top 3 mistakes most homeowners make with a home addition:
- Not designing the proper flow of the new addition to the current house
- Not having the proper well & septic
- Not having efficient heating and air conditioning (costing you on your utility bills!)
By having a team on your side, they can help you from the design phase to the implementation stage, ensuring things are done by the book and to your expectations each step of the way.
They’ll respect safety code and local laws, giving you peace of mind and saving you a lot of headache.
Plus, most professionals offer warranties, which are very important when adding an addition on to your home.
#5 Match The Overall Look And Feel Of Your Home
There’s nothing worse than adding on to your home only for the addition to look clearly separate from the original construction.
Not only does it look obvious, it looks out-of-place and it’s clearly an afterthought to your property.
The addition should be matched to your home’s overall aesthetic. The goal is for it to blend in, and look like it’s always been there.
You want to make your new addition perfectly flow with your current floor plan.
Here’s Your Next Step…
If you are considering putting an addition on to your home and would like us to help guide you through the process.
Call Post & Beam Design/Build today at 410-683-2020 or click here to submit your request online.
Thank you for explaining that you should have a team on your side with a home addition because it is a larger scale project. I’ve been wondering if I should hire someone to help us build a small addition to the back of our house. I think your advice will really help me to understand the importance of finding the right help for this job.