There are many reasons to want an addition for you home. Perhaps you want to increase your home value so you can sell it or perhaps you want to optimize the space you have for your family to use and enjoy. Either way, statistics show additions can increase your home value by 65-90%. Whether it be a deck, sunroom, bathroom, or kitchen addition, be sure you ask yourself these 3 questions while planning:
Zoning Restrictions/HOA Compliance
Make sure you talk with your Home Owner Association and check zoning rules before you begin to look at home improvement magazines or Pinterest boards. Before you fall in love with something that might be prohibited in your neighborhood, check to see what is and isn’t allowed. Certain zoning laws prohibit building anything within certain feet of your home. If you live near water, you may have to check where it’s safe to build in accordance with regulations. Height restrictions could be an issue also if you plan on building a second story addition.
Usability and Amenities
After you’ve gotten the technicalities out of the way, it’s time to get creative! You have a blank slate and you can create whatever you want and need. Instead of thinking about items you want to incorporate first, think about what you want to use the space for and go from there. Maybe you’d really like to host Saturday football game parties at your place. You want to express that to your contractor ahead of time so they can plan for electrical placement and possibly surround sound speakers. If you live in a very wooded area, you might want to consider additional landscape lighting. At the end of your project, your space should be somewhere you love and can go to relax.
Location and Placement
Where will your addition go? Placement is key. A natural flow is important so that your addition doesn’t look like just that –an addition. Which materials will you choose, finishes, etc. the details matter in order to make everything look flawless. Sometimes comparing samples doesn’t turn out as expected. There are many software’s that can help with this issue to help visualize many different options. In the case of a deck, will the deck come off the kitchen, the bonus room, or the master bedroom?
If you would like assistance in the planning of building your addition, give us a call today to schedule a free consultation at (865) 806-1125!