Home Addition Tips You Should Never Ignore
Are you looking to add an addition to your home? Here are valuable tips you should put into consideration: Follow the building laws Imagine this. You have hired the best home addition builder and even started your project. A few days into the addition project, you get a communication from the local authorities that you can’t continue with the addition as you are bleaching the local building laws. You are devastated, as you have already invested substantially in it. Unfortunately, the local authorities don’t want to hear about it as you are building against the stipulated laws. What do you have to do? You have no other way out other than to pause the project and only proceed while following the stipulated laws. Sometimes, you have to bring down the entire project and start afresh. While you can opt to ignore the laws, you should always follow them. For one, if you are looking to sell the house later down the road, no buyer will be excited to buy a home that was illegally built. If you have an accident, you will have difficulty receiving your claim, especially when the insurance company realizes that you didn’t follow the building rules. To stay safe, always follow the building statutes in your area. Aim to add value to your project As you build the addition, don’t just build it—make it to add value to the property. You should note that sometimes you can go overboard and install materials that are too expensive that you fail to recoup your investment. For example, when the selling time comes, you can install high-end granite or marble countertops and fail to recoup your investment. If you are adding the addition mainly to sell the house later down the line, be cautious of the extras you add as you can easily use materials that you will never recoup the money you put into them. If you aren’t sure about the suitable materials to use, get the input of an appraiser. Always have a contingency fund. After you have come up with a plan for the project, your next move should be to draw up a budget as you are coming up with a budget and set aside some amount that you will use in the event of an emergency. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 10% of your total budget to spend on troubles that might come up. The contingency is usually enough, but don’t stop here—think of the future beyond construction. More space means you will have higher energy bills, including heating and cooling. You will also attract higher property taxes. If adding a bathroom, the extra bathroom space means that you will consume more water. You should factor in all these before you begin your project. It would be a great shame to add an addition only to realize that you can’t maintain it. Work with professionals You must work with experienced home remodeling architects Washington DC for the best outcome. While they will be a little expensive, they are worth it, as you will have peace of mind that you are […]
Read more
4 Home Addition Tips for the Perfect Addition
A home addition project adds space to your home and increases the house’s value. For you to properly add the new addition, there are a number of things you should do. Here are these things: Hire an experienced contractor The contractor you hire can make or break your project, so you should be ultra-cautious of the one you hire. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the home addition builder you hire is experienced and knows what they are doing. Instead of hiring the first person in the search results, take your time to meet several contractors in your area and interview them. During the interview, compare their quotes based on the project details, presentation, price, and communication skills. Anyone can say that they are experienced in home additions, so don’t simply take their word for it—ask for the references and contact them to understand the contractor better and how they work. Stick with the existing aesthetic A perfect home addition is one where the new addition blends seamlessly with the older house. If done properly, you shouldn’t be able to tell where the new structure ends and where the old one begins. Of course, you can’t achieve this if you don’t have a plan—you need to know what you are doing from your choice of material, design, and even color selection. For that perfect look, ensure that your addition matches your home’s current aesthetics and your contractor understands the importance of having a streamlined result. Don’t make too many compromises. Cutting corners might seem like an excellent way to cut costs, but this isn’t always the case. This is because you often end up hating the new addition as it often limits your square footage or affects the quality of your finish, appliances, and fixtures. To take pride in your addition, follow all the necessary home addition steps. You also should work with an experienced contractor who will help you explore all the creative solutions that might give your house a seamless look you are after. Set the right budget Plenty of people have had to halt their home addition projects in the middle when they run out of money. To avoid this, take your time and budget carefully before beginning your project. Go through everything carefully with your contractor and ensure that you haven’t overlooked any aspect of the process. It will even be better if you can go over the project’s demands with two or more experienced contractors to ensure that you have covered all ground before you kick off the project. When coming up with a budget, don’t set aside exact money that will exactly cover the project. It’s always wise to allocate 15-20% for unexpected expenses during the renovation. As the plumbers are connecting the new pipes, they might discover that the interior of the sewer is cracked, and you have to fix it. The extra amount you had allocated will cater for this. If you complete the project without touching the extra amount, you can always spend it on landscaping and furniture. As much as the furniture looks good, it might not be ideal […]
Read more
3 Home Additions That Aren’t Worth It
Many homeowners remodel their homes so that they can improve their value. While it’s a great move, did you know not all remodels are worth it? To help you out, here are some home remodeling projects that aren’t worth it as given by home remodeling architects: Major kitchen remodeling If you go through major home remodeling publications, you will find them saying that you should pay close attention to the kitchen, as it’s a major house seller. While this is true, you should be cautious of how you go about the remodeling as you might fail to recoup your investment, rendering your project useless. According to Zillow Talk, a kitchen remodel will bring you back half a dollar for every dollar you spend, which is one of the lowest returns in the market. To avoid spending too much money while you get little back, be cautious about the materials you use in your project. As a rule of thumb, avoid high-end materials and rather stick to the most popular ones. The cabinets and faucets are the first to be outdated so replace these. When you install cabinets, you may have to also replace the countertops. When it comes to the countertop material, go with quartz as it has been shown to give the highest ROI as it doesn’t wear out fast. For the backsplashes, go with porcelain tile and ceramic instead of stone, glass, or quartz. If you are planning on working on the floor, choose hardwood as it’s more popular and will last for a long time. Is your faucet old and needs replacement? Instead of going for a customized one, choose a unique one that gives the house a unique vibe. The cool thing about doing this is that your house stands out and you don’t break a bank. Installing a swimming pool When you install a swimming pool, you give your house an elegant appeal and everyone will be fighting to buy the house, right? Well, no, that’s not the case. As much as pools are associated with luxury, many homeowners (especially those will small children) stay away from them, as they are a danger to the children. The pools also require high maintenance so most homeowners view them as an additional maintenance expense. Pools aren’t cheap to install and they often don’t fetch the amount you invest back. This is not to say that you shouldn’t install a pool in your home. If you are simply installing it to relax, you can go ahead and install it, but if you are doing it so that you can sell the house at a higher price, don’t do it as you won’t. Elaborate finishes If your house is old, you might have the impression that it’s too basic and you won’t get a good amount of money from selling it. While there are plenty of things you can do to make your house more attractive to a potential buyer such as repainting and cleaning it, some homeowners opt to refinish their houses. They will install new wardrobes, floor, ceiling, lights, and so on. While this is a great […]
Read more
6 Home Addition Projects To Increase Square Footage
Are you looking to increase your house’s square footage but aren’t sure about the right home addition projects to go with? Here are some of the best ones as given by home addition companies: Bump out the kitchen Bumping out your kitchen entails pushing out the kitchen by a few feet, usually a maximum of 2 feet. To do this, you will need to remove a section of the existing exterior wall and add more or longer flooring. You should then build a new wall along the expanded floor’s perimeter, then cover the expansion with roofing. When you bump out the kitchen, you have additional space and significantly increase your home value, as kitchen remodels have been shown to increase the value of a house significantly. Bumping out your kitchen is also less costly, and you don’t need to worry about installing a new foundation. You also don’t need to install additional heating or cooling. To get the most from the project, properly paint the walls. Also, ensure that you match the new floor with the already existing floor to have a uniform kitchen. Finish your basement If you are like other homeowners, your basement is unfinished, and all you need to do to add more square footage to your home is finish it. By so doing, you have extra living space. You can also use the extra space as a home theater or entertainment room. When working on your basement, ensure that you factor in the zoning restrictions in your area so that you don’t run into any problems. Try a modular addition. If you want to expand your house upwards, you can always go for a pre-fabricated room instead of constructing a new one. This way, you save 20-30% of the cost and put up the modular house at any part of your compound. Expand the bathroom Like the kitchen, bathroom addition or expansion is an excellent project that increases the usable space and significantly increases the house value. If adding the bathroom for your use and you have the budget for it, there is no harm in splurging on high-end materials and features such as a walk-in closet, but if you are undertaking the addition to sell the house, be on the lookout and avoid high-end materials as you might fail to get your money back. For example, avoid marble or granite for your countertops, as you won’t recoup your money. Instead, opt for moderately priced materials that will look good, increase the value of your house and save you money. Enclose the front porch Are you at home most of the time, or spend a lot of time on the front porch? You can enclose it and turn it into a plausible room. Before you install the enclosure, note that you will need to install heating and cooling systems. You will also need direct access to the extension cable. While at it, check with an architect and engineer and confirm that your house will hold effectively after the installation. Turn your attic into usable space. Like the basement, many people rarely use their attic or use […]
Read more
Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
As much as remodeling a house improves its functionality and space, many homeowners have been making plenty of costly home renovation mistakes. Which are these mistakes? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Setting unrealistic budgets We are sure that you have come across an unfinished remodel. Often this happens when the homeowners are under budget for the project, resulting in the project stalling once the money is exhausted. To avoid this, you should work with an experienced professional to help you come up with a more accurate budget. Regardless of how experienced the professional is, remember that it’s common for the cost of materials to go up. There is also the risk of the project not getting finished on time. To ensure that your project never stalls, set aside an extra 20% of your budget for any surprises that might come up later down the line. Sacrificing function for form As much as you want a beautiful remodel, you shouldn’t sacrifice function for form. This means that the new remodel should be functional, then beautiful to look at. To ensure this is the case, work with an experienced contractor to help you come up with the perfect design for your house. Being too trendy There is no one that doesn’t want a modern house, and there is nothing wrong with this. Some homeowners make a major mistake of significantly updating their new remodels that they look out of place. For example, they will install all the latest and trending materials. While the house will look trendy and new, you should note that trends are often short-lived, and it’s a matter of time before the house begins looking out of place. To be on the safe side, balance the look of the house design. The house should have a properly thought out design that looks good and has the potential to last for a long time. To have an easy time coming up with the right design, work with an experienced designer. Saving on materials As much as you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on your remodel, it doesn’t mean you should buy cheap, low-quality materials that you will need to replace after a couple of years. The best way to go about it is to buy high-quality building materials that will last for years. While they might be expensive, you won’t have to replace them soon. Some good quality materials even last for decades. If you don’t have money for top-quality materials, it’s wise that you postpone your project and only start it when you have enough funds for quality materials. Having unrealistic expectations When many people think about remodeling their houses, they imagine that they will look perfect and flawless. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case as remodeling is often messy, noisy, and inconvenient as you may have to change your living conditions. To avoid surprises, do some research and know what to expect. You can also check with your builder and understand the process involved and what will be expected from your end. Working with any contractor Unless you have a simple […]
Read more
4 Tips for Building an Addition to Your Home
Are you thinking about building an addition to your home? Here are tips you should consider as given by home addition companies: Do you need the addition? This is the first question to ask yourself. Some people think that they need to enlarge their houses often because they deem them too small or have some disposable income. In most cases, they don’t need the extra space. Before you begin your project, you should take your time and find out whether you genuinely need the home addition. If you are adding the addition because you have some money you have no use for, you don’t need the addition. On the other hand, if your family is growing and there is no extra space, it’s time to get a new addition. Have a budget If you have determined that you genuinely need an addition, the next thing to do is determine the amount of money you need to complete your project. The last thing you want is stalling your project midway. Thankfully, plenty of professionals can help you come up with a more accurate budget. As you are coming up with the budget, be honest with yourself. Can you afford the said addition? Unless you are remodeling the house for sale, the addition isn’t an investment, so it’s senseless to get a loan for it. The logical thing is to add the additions from your savings. From the money that you make, be honest and determine whether you can afford the addition from your savings. If you can’t, you are better off building a smaller house. Determine the type of addition you need What type of addition do you need? It’s vital you determine this as it affects the contractor you hire and the amount of money you set aside for the project. If your family is getting large and you need more space for them, you should add an additional bedroom or sitting area. If you are looking to sell the house later down the block, add a bathroom or kitchen. Remember, that the materials you use in your remodeling shouldn’t be too expensive that you fail to recoup your investment. For example, don’t use high-end countertop materials such as marble and granite. While they might be attractive to a potential buyer, you won’t get your money back. Find out who will do the project. It’s vital that you know who will handle the project. Of course, this depends on the nature of the project. If you are looking to add a kitchen, you will need to hire a kitchen professional. You can do some remodeling work by yourself, especially if they are minor projects such as replacing a door or window. Unless you have the skills, avoid doing the large projects by yourself. Instead, let a professional help you out. When it comes to hiring a professional, you can find one in plenty of places. A great place is to ask your friends and relatives. Is there a relative that recently hired a contractor? Ask them to refer you to them, especially if you like their work. You can also […]
Read more
6 Tips For Building An Addition To Your Home
Are you having a home addition project? Here are tips to consider: Work with an expert A home addition project is an expensive endeavor and the last thing you want is to hire someone that botches up the project. To ensure this doesn’t happen, work with an experienced home addition builder. Before you begin working with the contractor, have everything in writing—this is solely to make the contract binding and have evidence should the contractor fail to deliver their end. The contract should clearly spell out what is included in the price so that you don’t keep being asked to pay random fees that can easily pile up and bury you. Although it’s good to have the contract in writing, you should note that this can’t account for unexpected problems that might arise later on. So, despite having everything in writing, it’s wise to prepare for surprises. Don’t go overboard When you want to impress and give your home the best look possible, it’s easy to go overboard. For example, it’s easy to go all the way out and build an extremely large addition. It’s also possible to be carried away and use the highest quality materials possible. To be on the safe side, construct a house of the right size. When it comes to materials, go for quality materials that will stand the test of time and withstand the usual wear and tear. Be decisive If you ask any home addition contractor, they will tell you of a horror story of when the homeowner changed their mind severally regarding the kitchen cabinets, paint or flooring while the project was underway. You should avoid this as it often causes plenty of confusion. It also increases the costs of labor and materials throwing your budget out of place. If you aren’t sure about how you want the cabinets, kitchen or any other part of the house to look, don’t begin the project. Wait until you are sure then find a contractor. If you aren’t sure about the look you want, get the input of a professional. Be flexible As much as you should to be decisive about what you want, you should be flexible in making important decisions. For example, if you had planned to install a magogany door but it’s not available, you should be flexible enough and install a fiberglass or steel door instead. This way you prevent the project from stalling because you can’t find the exact item you planned for. The only caveat to this is that your decisions shouldn’t affect your budget too much. Buy the materials in bulk To save money and get exciting discounts, you should buy the materials you need for your project in bulk. To attract even larger discounts, buy the materials from one company. If you live in a small town, it’s wise to do your shopping in a larger city as there are plenty of options there to choose from. Don’t shy away from negotiating with the contractor When the home addition companies DC give you their quotes, try to negotiate with them so that you can bring down the […]
Read more
6 Ways To Add Additional Space in Your House
Whether you have outgrown your house or you want to give your house a new look, there are plenty of ways to add more space to the house. Which are these ways? Here they are as given by home addition companies: Enclose the patio When was the last time you used your patio? If you can’t remember, it might be wise to enclose it and use it as additional space. As you are remodeling the patio, you should note that it will be a lot of work, so be ready for it. To convert the patio into a livable space, you need to put up the walls, roof, and sometimes the foundation. You can do the work if you are a qualified technician but for the best outcome, let the work be done by an experienced contractor that knows what they are doing. Finish the unfinished areas of the house Most homeowners have unfinished areas of the house, and by finishing them, you will have additional space you can use with your family. If you have a room that you don’t currently use, you can remove the junk lying there and turn it into a livable space. As much as many homeowners have garages, they rarely use them. If you are one of these homeowners that don’t use their garages, you can finish it up and add more space to your house. Remodel the attic Does your house have an attic? You can easily turn it into a livable space without breaking the bank. The beauty of the attic is that it is already a stable structure with flooring and a roof. Since it’s already on the house’s main floor, it’s easy to transfer the electrical wiring and additional utilities, making it easy to turn it into a livable space. It’s common for the attic to be too short for you to be comfortable inside. If this is the case with you and you need to extend the height, do thorough research on the roofing permits and ensure that you have all of them before you begin your project to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. Bump out your house If your house still has space for outward extensions, you can bump out the house for additional space. Again, this will be complicated, and it’s best to work with experienced professionals that will properly add to the house without messing with the house’s initial design. Add a second story If you don’t have space to bump out the house, you can always add a second story to the house. As you can tell, the project will be expensive, but you can cut the costs by building it off-site then adding it later. Before beginning this project, ensure that your foundation can handle the extra weight. Of course, this means you need to undertake a battery of tests. The extra story shouldn’t mess with the house’s original look, so work with expert technicians who know what they are doing. Add an outdoor kitchen. If you love barbequing, an outdoor kitchen is a great addition to have. To avoid […]
Read more
4 Common Home Improvements That Do Nothing For Your Home’s Value
When looking to sell a house, most people try to renovate them to increase the house’s value as much as possible. While many renovation tricks deliver the results, home remodeling architects observe that some don’t add value. To help you out, here are home improvements that don’t add value: Extensive professional landscaping As much as a professionally done landscape will be pleasing to look at, it won’t bring back the huge bucks you are expecting. If you have to remodel your landscape, do it because you love the look, not because you are expecting to recoup your investment, as you won’t. So, don’t break your bank installing ponds, pools, or other landscaping features. Unless you love a landscaping feature, stick to the basics. Clear the debris from your yard and trim the lawn. Keep the passageways clear, then invite potential buyers in. Upgrading your appliances If your house is old, chances are the appliances are also old, and when you are looking to sell the house, it might seem logical to upgrade the appliances to make the house more appealing. While this is great, you should be cautious about how you go about it, as you might spend too much money making the upgrades such that you fail to recoup your investment. You can go ahead and replace the old, damaged, or malfunctioning appliances such as old refrigerators, but if the units are still in top working condition, there is no point in replacing them. If you have an issue with the appliances not matching your home, consider ordering new door and face panels instead of replacing the units, as this is much cheaper. Undertaking high-end bathroom remodels Bathroom remodels bring back 87-93% of the investment, so they are a wise way of adding value to your house, but you should be cautious about how you go about it. As a rule of thumb, never install high-end units such as high-end countertops or appliances as you won’t get back your money. Excellent ways to upgrade your bathroom include: adding new paint to brighten the room and re-grouting the bathtub. A new mirror and a few light fixtures will also go a long way towards improving the bathroom look. To reiterate, it’s okay to remodel your bathroom, but don’t go overboard as you won’t recoup the investment. Adding a new room It’s not a doubt that larger houses sell at higher prices than small ones. For example, a four-bedroom house will sell higher than a three-bedroom house. While this is the case, it makes sense to add another room to your home, so you sell it at a higher price, right? Wrong! While adding a new room will make your house more attractive, in most cases you spend more money in the addition than you get back. To be on the safe side, avoid adding another room, and instead, renovate what you have. For example, convert the attic or basement to a bedroom instead of putting up another bedroom. You won’t spend much on the conversion, and you will make the house more attractive to potential buyers, hence your home will […]
Read more
What Additions Add Value To A Home?
Two reasons homeowners hire home addition companies to remodel their homes are adding space and increasing house value. While this is the case, did you know that not all home additions increase the house value, so you spend a fortune, yet you don’t get a return on investment? Are you wondering what additions add value to a home? Here they are: Second story A storied building is much valuable than a bungalow. If your house has a strong foundation and can take another floor, go ahead and install it. As you are installing the second floor, remember that it should tie into the original style and theme of the house. Master suite The person that will buy the house will be sleeping in the master suite, right? So it goes that when you improve the master suite, you are bound to make your house more appealing and increase its value. One of the ways to make the master suite more attractive is to increase its size. You also should consider installing a bathtub and, if possible, increase the shower space. The beauty with this is that you don’t have to go out of your way to install high-end units—simple units are enough. If you aren’t sure about the right pieces to change, get the input of an experienced professional. Kitchen Every family spends a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, and no one wants to do it in a small, beat-up space—everyone wants an area they can be proud of. This means that working on your kitchen will go a long way towards giving your house more value; hence it gets out of the market fast. One thing you should do is to increase the size of the kitchen. This might require you to knock down some walls or build a kitchen addition. You should then add more modern appliances such as new kettles, new pans, new stove and so on. Kitchen additions and renovations can get expensive to the extent you fail to recoup your investment. To be on the safe side, keep an eye on the type and quality of remodeling materials you use. As a rule of thumb, avoid golden or any other materials, as you won’t make your money back. Unless necessary, avoid making major kitchen renovations such as installing new cabinets, windows, doors, floor, or cooking space. Excellent projects you can participate in include: refinishing the cabinets, adding an island, increasing storage space, installing a new backsplash, and upgrading the faucets. Bathroom Like the kitchen, no homeowner wants a beat-up bathroom, so you can’t go wrong with a bathroom addition project. Like the kitchen, you should increase the size of your bathroom then install the necessary fixtures. After adding more space, another thing you can do to your bathroom to increase its value include: adding storage space, installing new sinks, upgrading the lighting, putting in vanity or mirror, and so on. Unused space Do you have an unused space in the house, such as the basement or attic? You can make use of it, which will increase the room space and increase the value […]
Read more