Golden Tips to Building the Perfect Home Addition
Are you building home addition to accommodate your new family, or are you simply looking for additional space? There are plenty of tips you need to put into place to have a successful home addition project. Which are these tips? Here they are: Have a home addition plan The last thing you should do is to begin your project without a plan, regardless of how small it appears. As a rule of thumb, you must ensure that the addition fits your property lines. Here you will need to check with your local government to see how closely the codes in your city allow you to build next to your neighbor’s property. As you are coming up with the plan, think about the utility lines or pipes, as you aren’t allowed to interfere with them. To have a design that adds value to your living space and impacts the outside of your house, have detailed plans drawn up by an architect or builder describing all aspects of the project, from the work you will need done to the materials you will require. Have a clear budget You need money to undertake your project, and the last thing you want is to halt your project in the middle. To ensure this doesn’t happen, have enough money for the entire project beforehand. If you do the estimations and find out the project will be too expensive for your budget, it will be good if you can cut back on your house plans or come up with ways to save money on the project. You can get cheaper materials and so on. Besides the ballpark amount, you need for the project, also have a 5-20% set aside to spend on emergencies. Work with experienced professionals. To save time and money, always work with expert professionals that know what they are doing. For this to happen, you need to be ultra-cautious when hiring. As a rule of thumb, get at least 6 bids from different contractors, then thoroughly interview them to find an experienced professional. You should never be in a hurry when hiring, as you will likely hire the wrong contractor who will waste too much of your money. As much as you want to save as much money as possible, be wary of extremely low bids. If you receive a bid that is too low than the industry standards, the chances are that the contractor doesn’t understand what you want or they are inexperienced, and as you can guess, this might mean serious problems later. Hire an experienced contractor, and although they will be expensive, they will save you plenty of money and stress. It also doesn’t hurt to hire one with a beautiful personality as chances are you will spend weeks or even months together, and you don’t want to be stuck with a contractor you can’t comfortably talk to, do you? Find out the things you can do You should leave most of the work to home addition companies Washington DC as they have the know-how to do it, but this doesn’t mean that you should be hands-free with the project. If […]
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
Home addition dos and don’ts
Is your family expanding, and the house is starting to feel cramped? You need additional space. When you add the right space, you increase the living space and increase your home value. If this is the first home addition project you are handling, here are a few dos and don’ts that you should observe as given by home addition companies: Do add additional bathrooms Bathrooms often give the best return on investment, so you will never go wrong with them. And the beauty is that you can add any bathroom and increase the house’s value. Whether it’s a master bathroom, guest bathroom, or even an additional bathroom for your bedrooms, you can add it. While bathrooms are great, you should be cautious of the materials you use as you might fail to recoup your investment when selling time comes. Avoid installing costly materials such as granite or marble countertops to be on the safe side. If planning to sell the house later down the line, stick with traditional materials. You only need to ensure they are correctly installed. Do Increase the size of your kitchen. The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, so when your family is ballooning, this will be the first room to shrink. You can increase the size of your kitchen from the interior by knocking down a wall or do so from the exterior by building an additional wall. Regardless of how you go about it, ensure that you create a functional space that increases the functionality of your kitchen. When adding a bathroom, don’t use premium materials, especially when planning to sell the house, as chances are high you won’t get your money back. Do have a plan The worst mistake you can make is to start your project without a plan. Before you begin building, have a clear idea of how you want your addition to look once complete. This calls for you to consult an architect, designer, or other professional to help design the project. By doing this, you not only have a clear idea about the results of your project but also help you understand other options available, establish a clear plan on how you will achieve it, and even account for some of the issues that might arise during the execution and how you will avoid them. Don’t overbuild it As much as additional space will increase the value of your home, you should avoid building a big addition where you don’t have outdoor space. You need to balance things out to have enough room for your activities and a large enough outdoor space to relax and entertain. Don’t over-customize the addition. We all have different tastes, and we want to design our houses in a way that pleases our ideals. Some argue that they customize their houses as they aren’t planning to sell them later, but things constantly change. Regardless of whether you are planning to sell your house or not, you should avoid going overboard with customizations. Remember that it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. This calls for you to avoid […]
Read more
How To Update Your House With Minimal Renovations
Did you know that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on renovations to update your home? Here are genius ways to update your home without undertaking major renovations on it: Create open space in your home According to home remodeling architects, open floor plans are exciting to live in and make your house appear open and airy. And the beauty is that you can achieve it without making major renovations. Sometimes, it’s as simple as getting rid of the bigger, bulkier furnishings or moving the furnishings around the room to see what gives your house a more open space. Do you have a large cabinet, armoire, or bulky furniture that is taking a lot of space? Get it outside to create the necessary space. If you are attached to it and would love to have it stay with you, experts recommend you paint it a warm off-white color that will help it “disappear” into the room by tricking the eye that the space is airy open. You can also give your house the illusion of open space by installing mirrors. When placed in opposite windows, mirrors reflect light into a room, making the room appear more open. To achieve excellent results, work with experts that know what they are doing and won’t botch your project. Add new lighting to your home. A properly lit house is not only bright, but also appears airy, open, and welcoming. On the other hand, a poorly lit house is small, dark, and cramped. The beauty is that there are plenty of ways to brighten up your house with lights. One of the easiest ways is to install a table lamp and floor lamp. By strategically placing a couple of tall floor lamps in the dark corners of your house, you give your house a new life. To give your house a welcoming and cozy look, layer the lighting with lamps on side tables. Do you want to be adventurous? Replace all the outdated ceiling fixtures with stunning masterpieces. Update the cabinet drawers and door handles Old, worn-out, dirty handle pulls and knobs significantly give your kitchen a dirty and unmaintained look, and you don’t want this, do you? To give your house a new look, update your cabinet and door handles. Thankfully, there are plenty of finishes to choose from. You can choose from bronze, aged copper, brushed nickel, and shiny stainless. There are no set rules that define how you should choose the cabinet pulls and knobs—it’s up to you to choose the best ones. For the best outcome, work with experienced professionals that will guide you in choosing the best handles and even help with the installation. Create an outdoor room Sometimes all you need to transform your old house is to add some outdoor space. And the beauty is you don’t need to build a new room from scratch. Even if your house doesn’t have a large front porch, there is a lot of space you can use to your advantage—you just need to be inventive. If your porch is large, place an outdoor rug there to […]
Read more
5 House Renovation Ideas When Working On a Tight Budget
Remodeling your house gives the house a new look and increases its value, so if you are looking to sell the house, you sell it at a much higher price. While we all dream of making expensive changes to the houses, we often don’t have the resources. Does this mean that your dream to transform your house is gone because you don’t have enough money? Absolutely not, as there are plenty of affordable home renovation ideas you can use. Here are some of these ideas as given by home remodeling architects. Paint the house Nothing transforms the look of a house as fast as a new coat of paint. And the beauty is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on it. All you need to do is find a color that will complement the house and then apply it. You can hire professionals to help with the painting, but if you don’t have money to hire one, apply the paint by yourself or with the help of your family members. To get the most from painting the house, use high-quality paint. Also, ensure that you use a good quality brush to give you the even spread you need. If painting the house by yourself, watch a few YouTube instructional videos before you start the painting. This is to arm yourself with the necessary basics. Refinish the kitchen cabinets If your kitchen is in bad shape, the best way to transform its look is to install new cabinets and appliances. Unfortunately, these don’t come cheap. If you don’t have the funds to buy new ones, consider refinishing them. When it comes to the cabinets, sand them, then apply a new finish. For the appliances, clean them or apply new paint. Install crown molding Crown molding is the angled trim that lines the areas where the ceiling meets the walls. When done right, the molding significantly adds value to the house and improves the overall aesthetic appeal. The cool thing is that the installation process is relatively easy, as it only requires cut angles. If you have never done it before, let an experienced contractor help you avoid mistakes. Wooden molding is often the best, but if you can’t afford it, there are plenty of non-wood molding options that you can go with. You only need to ensure that the work is done expertly. Replace the cheaper accessories When most people renovate, their attention always goes to the large, big-ticket items. While these items have a significant impact on the house’s look, they are expensive, and chances are you don’t have the money for them. To transform the house for less, you should go with the cheaper options. An excellent option is to replace the smaller accessories. Are there old pillows littered throughout the house on the bed, couch, and chair? You should replace them. As long as the larger items are clean, you will make such a huge difference in the house’s look without breaking the bank. Hang artwork or photos Most homeowners will install expensive mirrors and accessories on their large empty walls. While there is nothing wrong […]
Read more
5 Things You Shouldn’t do When Remodeling A House
You need to do the right things for a successful house renovation project. This calls for you to avoid the things that might jeopardize your project. Which are these things? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Don’t buy cheap materials Good quality remodeling materials don’t come cheap, so most homeowners try to cut their costs by going for the cheap ones. While this will save you some money, it’s not a wise move as you often spend more money than you should have. Like other cheap materials, cheap remodeling materials mean that the materials will come apart after a short time, and you are forced to replace them too often, which ends up being too expensive. For a successful and durable project, you should avoid cheap materials. If you don’t have enough money to complete your project in one go, do it in phases. Don’t go too small Some homeowners try to go small to save money when adding a new addition. This means that they end up building additions that are unpleasant to look at and often end up being impractical to use. For example, instead of putting up a standard bathroom, some try to cut costs by building a small bathroom. While you can get away with installing low-profile toilets and narrower sinks in a small bathroom, some homeowners go too small that you can’t even use the small addition. To avoid this, you should construct your new addition in phases instead of going at it once. While you will take longer to complete the project, you will do it right and have a functional and beautiful addition at the end of it all. Don’t go too trendy When you have a new remodeling project, it’s easy to be caught up with the current trending wave. While your new project will look hip and trendy, it’s not a wise move as trends fade with time and the once hip-house becomes a dinosaur. As much as your new project should be modern, it shouldn’t be too trendy that anyone can tell when you built it. Trends are short term so you should work with an experienced professional who will guide you on the best modern design and will stand the test of time and look good in the coming decades. Don’t forget your home’s style. Your new addition should have a life of its own, and it shouldn’t resemble your original home, right? Wrong! As much as you are putting up a new addition, remember that it should always match the design and style of your old house. This brings uniformity so that the new addition doesn’t look out of place. Of course, to achieve this, you should work with an experienced professional who will expertly borrow a few features from the old house and at the same time give the new addition a new look. Don’t hire just any contractor. The home addition builder DC you hire has a significant impact on the look of the complete house, so you need to be cautious and ensure that you hire the right one. As a rule […]
Read more