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Home additions can significantly increase the quality of a person’s lifestyle by providing them with more living space and increasing the value of their home. Of course, more space would mean comfort. Imagine having a larger area to entertain guests or just spend time with your family! Home additions can be made in every room or place in the house. When it comes to the different possibilities, you’re only really limited by your budget and your imagination!
What are some of the basic steps for an addition to your home? The first thing to consider is the time frame of the home expansion project. Of course, you want to complete the home expansion project in the shortest amount of time. However, don’t rush things. A rushed project could potentially cost you more money in the end and may not give you the results you hoped for. Take things slow and plan carefully to achieve the look you want.
Next, you need to determine the property limits of your home. Knowing where your property line begins and ends helps develop a parcel correctly. This parcel would include your house, the location of various household utilities, and your landscaping. You should also start familiarizing yourself with the different building codes, as there are certain codes that apply specifically to home improvement projects. You must know the state and municipal codes to avoid problems or hassles down the road.
The next step for an addition would be to develop the layout of your home addition. It is imperative that you develop a layout that complements your current floor plan. Review the structure and floor plan of your home and consider how the addition will change the context of your home. Consider how the new space will be used and incorporated into your current home. Also consider how the addition will look from the outside; a large addition can fill a smaller batch.
Some neighborhoods may also have neighborhood guidelines regarding exterior changes to your home. You may want to hire a designer or architect to help you with this step of this process. They can help you maximize the use of your space, as well as create eye-catching designs that would be affordable for your home. I encourage everyone to consider the needs of your family today and in the future. Your family’s needs may be different in a few years and this could influence your plans to expand your home.
A very important step in the process of expanding homes is to establish a budget. Even the most detailed home addition projects are likely to go over budget. There are always incidental costs that are overlooked and not accounted for in the original budget. Build a “kickback fund” into your budget to help offset unaccounted-for costs that inevitably arise during a home expansion project.
Finally, hire a team of professionals to get your home addition project off to a good start! Be sure to hire qualified, licensed, and properly insured professionals. Make sure the contractor and other professionals you hire understand what you want for your home addition and know your budget. You’ll also want to be sure you have an open line of communication with your contractor so there are no surprises in the end. Make sure you have a signed, written contract between you and your contractor that describes the work to be done.