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For the homeowner, this brings about the dilemma
of what to do in order to accommodate the changes. Adding onto a
home, whether it be a room or an entire wing, is going to be a
complicated process that takes a lot of thought and planning. There
are many errors that can be made along the way.
There's a television show dedicated to what happens when DIY
projects go terribly wrong. A professional comes into the home,
assesses the “wreck” and makes the necessary changes to fix the
mess.
Just watching this show supports the value of consultation or even
turning the project over to a professional when you take an existing
space and make it larger.
From toilets that end up a foot from the wall to new floors that are
a half inch taller than the old ones, to roof connections that don’t
“connect” and water pouring down the walls at every rain, to tearing
down load bearing walls and having the roof cave in; there are so
many things that can go wrong when you try to do your own home
improvement project.
According to “Angie’s List,” often times the cost to repair the epic
fails far exceeds what it would have cost had you hired a
professional to start with.
In another story in this Fall Home Improvement Magazine, it talks
about how complicated the codes for construction can be and why even
when we are intelligent and somewhat handy around the house, hiring
a professional is still a good investment.
Not your first option
First, is the expansion really necessary? According to an article
published in “The Spruce,”
How to Build a Room Addition With Contractors, building onto
your home should not be your first option, but rather your last.
Before you build, survey your current space to see if you are
utilizing it well. Declutter areas that feel crowded, and look at
small changes in the home that will have the largest impact, such as
better storage or less furniture.
Also before you build, talk to your local realtor. If the home may
go on the market one day, that realtor can advise you of what impact
adding onto your home will have for its resale value. Do not assume
the addition will increase the value of your home or make it more
‘sellable.”
For example if you eat up all you lawn space with a new addition,
that is not necessarily a good idea. Also, if you are living in a
neighborhood where the median home price is $150,000, increasing
your home value to $200K could mean that when you go to sell, you
have to priced yourself right out of the competition.
Another reason to hire a professional is because in essence you are
building what the author in the Spruce article calls a “mini house.”
You have all the same issues on a smaller scale, foundations, walls
and siding, roofs, floors, windows, HVAC, electric and sometimes
even plumbing.
Another consideration is that it is not wise to multi-purpose a room
that is not designed for it. While a sunroom is generally less
expensive to build it may not make into a good daily living area.
The sunroom is for use during certain seasons or certain conditions.
Most do not have heat or air conditioning, and little to no
electric. And, the nature of the room is going to make it difficult
to add these things after the fact.
If you want an all-seasons room, build one adding in electric and
other needed elements during the planning stages with your
contractor. You’ll be happier doing it right the first time.
Also, once you have assessed your needs, assess your home. There are
alternatives other than adding on a 12 foot by 14 foot wing to your
home.
In the blog, Extra Space,
14 Home Addition Ideas to Increase Your Square Footage, you'll
find some excellent suggestions.
Go up instead of out
If you have limited lawn space, consider adding to a second floor or
building out from the attic.
A full second story is going to be costly. Consider that you are
building a second house on top of your existing house. Again talk to
your realtor, will the market support the added costs you’ll be
putting in.
Second story additions also have their complications. Your home was
built as a single story. To add floor two, you have to add a
stairway. Where will you put it, and how will it impact the
downstairs living space? A professional contractor can help you
figure this out.
In addition, while adding a second floor, the home may very well be
unlivable, at least for a time. Consider where you will go if and
when that time comes.
Converting an attic into living space with a dormer
Building a dormer into your attic can be a great idea. The dormer
will increase the floor space of the attic and perhaps make it
possible to turn the area into bedrooms for the kiddos or a bonus
room for hanging out.
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There are some cautions though. Before you take that
step, examine what you already have. Is there a reasonable amount of
head space in the area already? Can you walk about without bending?
If the attic is too shallow or the pitch of the roof so dramatic
that head space is limited only to the peak of the roof, then you
may need to move on to the next idea.
According to the article in Space Wise, you can save
money if you do the dormer yourself. Again, if you are handy with a
hammer and saw and feel confident you can connect the dormer
properly to the existing roof, then go for it. The money you may
save building the shell yourself can then be utilized for the
electricians and other professionals you will need in order to turn
the attic into a livable space.
If you plan to do the shell yourself, be sure to check with your
local building and zoning office. When you hire a contractor, that
person is responsible for attaining the necessary building permits
for the job. If you do it yourself, you still have to have those
permits. The local zoning office will be able to advise you on what
you need.
Convert your garage into living space
Depending on whether or not you are willing to sacrifice the garage,
this can be an excellent solution, especially if you are bringing a
loved one into the home who needs a ground floor dwelling.
In the blog Renovate America the article
How To Convert Your Garage to a Comfortable Living Space speaks
about the many uses for a converted garage including what they call
the “granny flat.”
There are a number of reasons why this is a good idea. If you are
bringing in an aging loved one, you want to consider that you are
going to be taking away a portion of their independence. A separate,
compact living space helps them feel like they are still in control.
Build the garage to suit the needs of the loved one, include a bath
and perhaps also a small kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave,
sink and cabinetry.
This is another project when seeking professionals to do electrical,
plumbing, HVAC, and even drywall is a good idea. At the same time,
there are portions of the renovation that you can be a part of along
with your loved one, such as window choices, fixtures, flooring, and
paint.
Before you do anything
Remember, that before you start your project regardless of its size
and scope you have some preliminary work to do. Figure out what you
want to do and where. Draw out a plan and set a budget.
Choose a local builder/contractor to do the work. Look at the
contractor’s scope of work. When you contact him or her, ask for
references. Call those references. You can even ask about projects
the contractor is currently working on and get permission to visit a
current job site.
When you call contractors (talk to a few) get an overall estimate of
the cost of your project. Be cautious of the contractor who lowballs
the job, because he or she may also lowball the quality of the build
and cut corners that should not be cut.
Choose a contractor that you feel comfortable with, that
communicates well, listens, and is knowledgeable. More importantly,
choose one who is on board with your vision and has a personal goal
of helping you attain that vision.
Because you are adding onto a home where you are currently living,
this is a different situation than when building a new home from the
ground up.
You want to speak with the contractor about this and set some ground
rules about the days and hours the contractor will be working. Other
things you should discuss is the workers access to amenities inside
the home. Designating the bathroom they may use, whether or not they
can eat their lunch on your porch and how much interaction they
should have with your family during the build should be laid out
ahead of time. Also talk to them about where they will need to park
their vehicles, tools and equipment that will be left on the jobsite
at the end of the day, and how much cleanup they are expected to do
before they leave each day.
Finally, regardless of what you do, remember that your home is
supposed to be your place of peace, your escape from the hectic day
and your connection with the ones you love. When you are finished,
you still want to have that feeling, that sense of belonging and
comfort. The stress of the build will pass and when it does, you
will be able to look at your home and know that once again, your
home is your castle and you are the king or queen of the kingdom,
it’s just a little bigger now.
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