If your family has grown and you can’t live without the additional space, you shouldn’t just hire home addition companies and start a project. Instead, you should take your time and consider a number of things before you start the project.

Some of the things you should do include:

Check what you can do and what you can’t

When expanding your home, you have two options: up and out. Before you start construction, you need to know how near you can legally reach the property line and where underground utility lines run.

Thankfully, you can obtain this information from your local zoning department. Also, request a copy of your survey.

If you live in a gated community, get to know the additions you can make and those that you can’t.

Remember that the last thing you want to do is to start a project and later find out that you can’t do it in your area.

Having this information makes the next steps much easier.

Have solid reasons for the project

Let’s face it. The reason why you feel you need more room is because something isn’t working properly in your home. You’ve tried all the inventive small living room ideas and mastered closet organization, but something is still lacking.

Now, it’s time to figure out exactly what that is. Many homeowners believe it is a lack of room, but it could be a lack of storage.

Before investing thousands of dollars in a house addition, determine if it will fix the problem.

What could the problems be?

Sometimes, you have poor organizational skills. In other cases, you have stayed in the house for too long that you need to make changes.

Before you start your project, take time to understand why you need the project.

Can you live with the current room you have? If you can, go ahead and make the relevant changes.

You should note that if you are confused but you feel that you can make changes to the room you have, you can always consult a professional.

Know your must-haves in the project.

Everyone has a wishlist. At the same time, there are some things you simply cannot live without. If your mother is coming to live with you, she may require a private bath or basement apartment.

To have an easy time coming up with the design for the project, establish a list of your “must-haves” and “would-be-nice-to-haves.” For example, you desire hard floors as a must-have. While natural hardwood is preferable, laminate flooring can suffice.

To ensure that you are on the same page with your partner, always consult them when coming up with the things you must have in your project.

Put together your team.

Homeowners frequently inquire if they should start with an architect or a contractor. They believe hiring an architect is sensible because you must begin with a design. However, some builders have designers and architects on staff.

The correct response is that you want a team. Whether they are different firms that work together or professionals that work for the same company, you require both.

Remember that the more professionals you involve in your project early on, the better things will go.

Most homeowners start with a contractor because they know more about cost. However, until you discover a designer/builder, beginning with a contractor requires you to hire an architect.

You should take your time when putting together your team.

A great way to tell where you should start is to consult someone who recently had a similar project.

When it comes to hiring contractors, there are many places you can find them. Of course, you can consult your family members and friends.

You can also find contractors in your area on the internet. When you are doing web research, many homeowners hire the first contractors that appear on the first page of the search results. This is wrong.

The right way to go about it is always to take your time interviewing them. The contractors appearing on the first page aren’t enough. They need to prove themselves.

You should schedule an interview with at least five contractors and choose the one you feel will fit your project.

Have a budget and stick to it.

If you’re unsure how much the project will cost, research before calling a builder. Not paying with cash? Also, plan your finances ahead of time.

You should note that builders aren’t waiting in line for your business. They are busy and need to know how much you want to spend before suggesting ideas that might be out of your budget.

During the interview stages, ask the contractors to give you an estimate of the amount of money you should plan to spend on the project.

You should note that while you might want to spend as little as possible, you shouldn’t cut corners. In fact, when you come across a contractor trying to cut corners, you should stay away from them.

Hire a designer

Once you’ve decided on a design professional, the fun begins. The designer combines your research, lists, and an interview process to generate solution alternatives for your problem.

The designer will find out how you live and your needs and then guide you through the process.

A designer assists you in considering options that typically extend beyond selecting fixtures for a bathroom design or choosing paint colors.

You may not require a house expansion; simply shifting a few walls could fix the problem. To assist in selecting the best solution, the designer’s method considers all available information and your needs.

Parting shot

These are some of the things you should consider when adding space to your home. Whether you are working with home addition contractors DC, designers, or other professionals, don’t hire the first ones you come across.

Instead, take your time and find the most reputable ones. They will charge you a little more, but they will be worth it.