2020 Fall Home Improvement

2020 FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT Lincoln Daily News September 24, 2020 Page 11 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 (https://www.extraspace.com/blog/moving/ buying-selling-renting/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 Continued n