Pop-the-Top Renovations

Five Tips for Building a Home in Metro Atlanta

Highlight Homes Atlanta Custom Homes, Luxury Renovations
Five Tips for Building a Home in Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta spans nearly 8,500 square miles, encompassing 28 counties and 140 municipalities. At its heart is the City of Atlanta – The ATL, The Big Peach, Empire City of the South. Finding your place in all of that and staking a claim on a plot of land you can call your own is a dream that many share. Building a house worthy of that dream can seem overwhelming at times, but the payoff could equate to your very own interpretation of “home sweet home.” To try and help make the process of building a home in Metro Atlanta a little less daunting, the team at Highlight Homes has broken it down into five simple steps…

Determine Whether You Want to Buy a Home to Renovate or Build from the Ground Up

There are plusses and minuses to both options. Buying a home in a desirable part of town to renovate may be a more realistic option – depending on the neighborhood and your budget. Or finding a new construction home or building one of your own may be a better path in a suburb of town that is either up-and-coming or relatively undiscovered. If you opt for the first, you’ll want to make sure the construction of the original home is sound and determine any “fixer-upper” issues that might eat into your budget – potentially giving the boot to some of the fun stuff you’d like to do. Building from the ground up can be great – it’s ALL NEW, after all – but your builder may not be as willing to work within your vision, unless you opt to go the custom construction route. Ultimately, it all comes down to your personality – do you prefer shiny and new over something that may have a little more history and character (and loads of mature landscaping)? You may believe one thing, but when you get out there and really start looking – you might just change your tune. The takeaway from this step… be flexible.

Set a Realistic Budget

This step will comprise a visit to the bank to determine the size of loan for which you qualify. Discuss building renovations into the loan if you’re leaning towards that route. Bear in mind that just because you QUALIFY for a certain size loan, you may not want to bump up against the ceiling. No one wants to be house poor. After all, you’re going to need funds to furnish your home properly AND throw an open house once completed to invite your friends and family. Instead, determine a house payment range that you can be comfortable with and still manage to have a life both inside and outside of that home. If your budget and your vision don’t see eye to eye, the prudent move may be to be patient and save your pennies a little while longer.

Find a Neighborhood or Suburb of Atlanta You Love

Once you have a fairly good idea of WHAT you’re looking for in a home (resale or new) and how much home you can afford, start exploring. Metro Atlanta is jam-packed with amazing, one-of-a-kind communities like the walkable nature and intown convenience of the City of Brookhaven, the kitschy uniqueness that is the City of Decatur or the resort town feel of Peachtree City. With a staggering 140 municipalities from which to choose, you may want to begin your search online – reading reviews and learning about the cities and neighborhoods that appeal most to you. If you have a growing family, you’ll want to consider the local schools. If you like to shop and dine out, you’ll want to take the local scene into consideration. If walkability or mass transit is important to you, that’s another item to look for. Is the commute to work relatively easy? How about access to local parks? Make a list of the things that are most important to you in a community and use that list every time you research a new part of town. Once you’ve narrowed your list of prospective cities, suburbs and neighborhoods down, check them out firsthand.

Find a Builder who Builds in that Neighborhood and Offers Design-Build Services

Once you’ve got a general idea of WHAT part of Metro Atlanta you’d like to live, it’s time to research builders and/or renovation firms that serve that area. Whether you plan to build from the ground up or renovate a resale, it may be wise to make your builder part of the research and acquisition process. They can help you find the ideal plot of land or home to renovate. Your vision may be hindered by your knowledge of construction, but – as long as you’re able to communicate your vision to them clearly – your builder can help you find the best place to make that vision a reality. Of course, if you opt to go with a new construction community – you may be a bit limited by your builder’s floor plans, but you can look to available options – like a screened porch or additional bedroom – to get it a bit closer to the home you were envisioning. If you ultimately decide to go with a custom builder or renovation company, it may be in your best interest to hire one with design-build capabilities. Otherwise, they might be able to find and purchase a pre-designed floor plan and elevation that fits your vision.

Work Closely with your Builder to Infuse as Much YOU into the Home as Possible

By now, you should know EXACTLY where you’re building, have a floor plan or renovation plan of attack in mind and have purchased the resale or land on which to build your new home. As construction gets underway, encourage communication with your builder so you know where you are in the process. Plan days – preferably with your builder – to shop for appliances, fixtures, flooring, wall treatments, paint colors and more as the vision comes together. All those touches will make the home uniquely YOU. Have this plotted out in your mind ahead of time so that the elements work together beautifully. If you don’t have an eye for these things, you may want to rely on the assistance of an interior designer or trust your builder to carry out your vision to its full potential. To help them see that vision as clearly as possible, pull together a dream book that contains images of design elements you like.

Atlanta-based Highlight Homes has served as BOTH a custom builder and a renovation firm for countless home buyers. We’ve done everything from renovating an existing home – INCLUDING popping the roof off and adding a new story – to building a custom home on land where the former home had been razed to building from the ground up on raw land. We welcome the chance to help you build the home of your dreams. Our service area primarily includes Atlanta, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Chamblee, Decatur, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Peachtree City, but we are happy to consider other suburbs and cities – depending on the size and scope of the project. To learn more about us and our capabilities, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com. If you’d like to schedule a no-obligation consultation, please call us at 678-873-9234 or email us at info@highlighthomesga.com.

Rightsizing – What’s the Ideal Home Size for Your Family?

Highlight Homes Atlanta Custom Homes, Luxury Renovations
Rightsizing – What’s the Ideal Home Size for Your Family?

It’s likely that you’ve heard of upsizing and downsizing in homebuying, but have you heard of “rightsizing”?  The act of rightsizing is basically just what it sounds like – building a home that’s the right size for your family or reconfiguring your current home to make the best use of your existing space. There are several factors to consider when determining the ideal house size for your family…

Household Composition

There was a time when the general thinking was that the perfect house size for a household of four was a four-bedroom home. A bedroom for Mom and Dad, a bedroom each for the kids and a spare room for when company came to visit. But with more and more multi-generational families coming into the mix and a greater number of parents seeking the privacy that a master-on-main affords them, traditional thinking has given way to more innovative home designs that include things like dual master bedrooms, a large bedroom devoted to more than one child with built-in bunkbeds or an entire floor devoted as a guest or teen suite. If building a custom home, talk about your current family’s composition, but remain forward-thinking. According to the National Association of Realtors, the average length of time a family stays in a home is 10 years. A lot can change regarding your family composition over the course of a decade – from adding new family members to inviting an aging parent to move in to college-bound children moving out.

Collective Personality

Does your family love its together time, or does everyone crave their own quiet space in the home? Are you a family who loves to entertain guests, host friends and family overnight or do you prefer to keep to yourselves? Your answers to both of those questions can impact your ideal home size. You may be that family who loves its together time but doesn’t really entertain others – meaning you could probably get away with a smaller home. However, you could fall into the other end of the spectrum – a family who appreciates space, but also loves to entertain – meaning you’ll need more room to spread out. For families who like together time and regularly invite others to join in the fun, an open concept design on the main level might be the ideal move for you.

Family Interests

This is another area where entertainment plays a major role. For one, if you like to entertain – chances are you’ve shared that “gene” with your offspring. If you have teenagers who like to host their friends at your house (the COOL house), you may want a dedicated space for them where they can watch YouTube or play video games on the big screen. This could be an upstairs bonus room, a space in the basement or a room you’ve never even imagined. A family of movie buffs may benefit more from a media room or home theater than they would a formal dining room. A health-conscious family may prefer an upstairs gym not far from their bedrooms for early morning workouts or a room in the basement where it’s quiet. If your household is full of family members who like to pamper themselves, you may want to put more of an emphasis on number of bathrooms and bathroom space. And if you have a home full of aspiring chefs, kitchen space and configuration is a major consideration.

Existing Property or Starting from Scratch

You’ll also want to determine whether It’s time to move or if you plan to stay in your existing home and simply “reimagine” it. Starting from scratch with a set of blueprints to your dream house can be exciting – allowing you a rare opportunity to create the interior and exterior of your new home with a custom builder using things like family composition, collective personality and family interests as your guide. However, that endeavor can be expensive and time-consuming. If you love your current neighborhood, your kids have lots of friends there, it’s a short commute to work and the schools are good, why move? A great renovation company can help you redesign the exterior and interior of your home to fit many of the same specifications outlined above. Live on a slab in a one-story home? That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re limited to existing space. Pop-the-top renovations are growing in popularity, where the roof is removed, and a second story is added to create TWICE the amount of space that existed before. This will require you to live off-site while the renovation is ongoing, but – if done properly – it’s well-worth the hassle.

Budget

Last but certainly not least comes the amount of budget you have to work with to get your custom home or renovation project off the ground. You may want to speak with your lender first to get a general idea to how much money you can access, then speak with a custom builder or renovation company to discuss your vision and hear their ideas. They can pull together a proposal that will give you a better idea of what your vision will cost. OR you can share your budget with them first and they can tell you what is doable and what may have to wait. If a custom home just isn’t in the cards, make a list of the things you want in your next home and explore up and coming communities to see who can get close to your vision AND budget. More and more builders are incorporating “flex spaces” into their floor plans – allowing you the flexibility to use spaces the way they’ll see the most use. If your family is small and doesn’t really entertain, do you even have a need for a formal dining room?

Long story short, no one knows better than you what’s the best size for your “home sweet home.” Working closely with a custom home builder (like Highlight Homes) or skilled renovation company (also Highlight Homes) is a great way to determine not only the appropriate size of your home, but also the most beneficial uses of your living spaces. The Highlight Homes’ team welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the home of your dreams – whether that’s a brand-new custom home or a complete renovation of your existing home. We can design to your specifications, offer our own suggestions or find an existing plan that’s the ideal fit for your needs and wishes. To learn more about Highlight Homes and our signature design-build method, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com. Once you’re ready to get started, contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com.

Things are Looking Up: Pop-the-Top Renovations

Highlight Homes Luxury Renovations
Things are Looking Up: Pop-the-Top Renovations

We’re sure you’ve heard the phrase: “We’ve got nowhere to go but up!” That concept certainly rings true with homeowners who own structures that don’t allow for expansion beyond their home’s existing footprint. To grow the current size of their home, there truly is no other option but to go UP. Therein lies the inspiration behind a growing trend in pop-the-top-renovations, which – in the simplest terms – involve the removal of the roof on a one- or two-story home and the incorporation of an additional floor.

Three Great Reasons to Consider a Pop-the-Top Renovation:

  1. Add Square Footage to Your Existing Home: Are the kids getting too old to share a bedroom? Tired of hearing family members fight over who gets to take the next shower? Not enough room to comfortably entertain guests? Just imagine what adding an extra floor could do! You could add a couple of bedrooms with dedicated bathrooms, flanking a large central media room where everyone can gather together to watch movies or play video games. If the master bedroom is on the first floor, moving the kids to an upper floor may provide you with the privacy you didn’t know you were missing. Giving everyone a dedicated space and more room to spread out can do wonders for family harmony.
  2. Reimagine Your Home’s Interior: Not only can a pop-the-top renovation add some much-needed square footage to a home, but it can also provide an opportunity for the complete reimagining of your home’s interior layout. In certain areas of Metro Atlanta that are experiencing a resurgence in popularity – such as Chamblee, Brookhaven and Decatur, just to name a few – there are more than their fair share of mid-century ranch-style homes. What was a popular layout in the 1950s and 1960s may not work as well for modern families. You can turn cramped spaces on the main level into an open concept design, convert a galley kitchen into a gourmet showplace with large kitchen island, combine two existing bedrooms for a sprawling master on main and so much more!
  3. Transform Your Home’s Exterior: With the addition of an entirely new floor to your home, it goes without saying that the look of your home’s exterior is going to change. Take advantage of this opportunity and change the façade to something that not only appeals to you, but that will add major curb appeal when and if you ever decide to sell. Add elements of a craftsman home, infuse some European components, jump on the farmhouse craze or take it in a more traditional direction – just to name a few. The possibilities are virtually endless – giving you a rare chance to completely transform the home you know into something that you LOVE!

A pop-the-top renovation is next level remodeling and involves many structural engineering elements. It must first be determined that your home is a good candidate for a pop-the-top renovation. It must have a solid foundation and strong “bones” upon which to build an entirely new level. If new load-bearing walls must be incorporated for additional support, it’s vital that you’re working with a renovation company that specializes in both structural engineering and architecture. Atlanta’s premier custom home builder and award-winning renovation company – Highlight Homes – is proud to offer both of these specialties in our extensive list of services.

We’ve seen a number of pop-the-top renovations from concept to completion – always with stunning results. We welcome the opportunity to add your home to our list of gorgeous pop-the-top renovations. If your existing home is located in Metro Atlanta and you’d like to schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our team members to determine whether or not a pop-the-top renovation is a viable option for you, please contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com. To learn more about Highlight Homes and view our gallery of custom homes and luxury renovations, visit www.highlighthomesga.com.