Room to GROW!

The Truth About Adding a Room to Your Home (and Why It’s Simpler Than You Think!)

For centuries, the “family home” was a place where a family would live for decades at a time. Earlier THIS century, the typical planned length of home ownership for a single property in the United States was just one decade. A rocky economy and unstable housing market have led many families to get back to basics and examine their needs versus wants, particularly in relation to whether or not to move. As more and more people make the choice to stay in their current home rather than make the move to shiny new digs in the same town – the need for renovations has been on a steady climb. While some choose simple upgrades to their kitchens, bathrooms, or flooring – many are electing to GROW their space in order to better meet the needs of their growing family. Unless you have a basement to finish, growing your space may well require a room addition. The addition of an entirely new room to a home may seem a daunting task to some, but with the help of a qualified home builder/renovator – it  can become the best “move” you’ve ever made.

• Determine the Need: Would your family benefit from a new home office, an additional bedroom/bathroom, or a family room? Figure out what might be the BEST use of new space for all the members of the family. Where do you feel this addition might go? Will this be a vertical addition (adding space to the top of your home – for instance, finishing/increasing the size of your attic space) or a horizontal addition (adding space to the main level of your home)?

  

• Establish a Budget/Explore Loan Options: A simple addition such as a sunroom or screened in patio can be an economical way to increase your living space, while a major enclosed room addition will be a bit more costly. By determining the need and the budget early on, this will aid you greatly once you sit down with an architect and ultimately a builder.
• Make a Wish List and Scrapbook: Comb through magazines and cut out pictures that best illustrate the look and features you want. Snap photos of friends’ homes that contain elements that you’d like to incorporate in your own home. Walk through new construction homes and take pictures of features that stand out to you. Jot down a list of items/features/benefits that you hope to have in your room addition. Put all of these things together so that you will have them on hand when it’s time to meet with your architect and builder. By doing so, you will give them insight to YOUR vision of the project and shed light on your specific tastes and sense of style.

  

• Contact a Qualified Structural Engineer/Architect: By bringing on a qualified structural engineer and/or architect early on in the process, you will be made aware of the limits and potential scope of your project. They can design a room addition to complement the style and structure of your home, and – most importantly – will make sure it is structurally sound and meets the requirements of state and local laws.
• Contact a Qualified Renovator/Builder: If you do your homework, you may be able to find a good design/build renovator or builder – someone who can take care of these last two steps for you. Make certain that they are licensed, registered and insured – and that they will take care of obtaining all of the necessary permits for you. Highlight Home Restoration offers a structural engineer, an architect, a master renovator AND builder all in one.

  

• Be Realistic About the Commitment: While just about anyone who’s ever added a room to your home will tell you it’s well worth the effort, they may also tell stories about the encroachment on their lives while the renovation is taking place. To add a room to an existing home, it is necessary to have a slew of contractors and inspectors at your home at any given time. Set limits with your builder regarding construction times that work best with your family’s schedule. Be prepared to live with a fine layer of sawdust on everything for a while. There may be days when you long for a return of your privacy – but in the end, you will be patting yourself on the back about what a great idea this was. When you consider the overall expense and commitment of selling your home and relocating, you could be saving yourself a great deal of money and hassle. Not only will it increase your living space and therefore your family’s enjoyment of the home – when and if you do decide to sell, it will increase the value of your home, as well!

When you’re ready to begin, Highlight Home Restoration is here to help! We’re with you every step of the way – from initial consultation, to the exciting design process, to the acquisition of permits and materials, all the way through the construction phase. We listen carefully to your needs and wants, and have a solid reputation for exceeding expectations. We won’t just add a room to your home, we will create an entirely new living space where you and your family will make memories together for years to come. We adhere to both budget and schedule – we recently completed a room addition, deck addition and kitchen remodel in just SEVEN WEEKS!

To get started, simply call us at 678-873-9234, e-mail us at info@highlighthomesga.com, or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to meeting with you and your family while we explore ways to give you room to GROW!