Posts Tagged ‘room additions’

Preparing for a Garage to Room Conversion

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

There comes a time in every person’s life when they simply can’t take anymore and change has to occur now.  If you have finally reached the end of your rope and are no longer willing to live in cramped, crowded conditions, it’s time to explore the idea of a garage to room conversion.  It’s not like the garage does much, but sit there anyway.  You already know that by using space that already exists and has important elements like external walls, you are in a great position to save money and have enough left over to furnish and decorate your room the way you want.  Your mind is pointed in the right direction and you know the path you want to take, but you still need to prepare before the real work can start.

Garage to Room Conversion

The first thing on your list of things to do when it comes to your garage to room conversion is budget.  You can research the basic costs of building materials on your own, but you might find it easier to consult with a few general contractors and have them give you estimates.  It’s hard to get a loan or save up for an amount you aren’t sure of.  This is also a good time to go through the interview process and think about which contractor you want to see working around your home for the next few weeks.

Once you have your contractor lined up, the plans laid, and all of the supplies ready to go, your job is to clean out the space.  You could have the contractor do it, but he or she isn’t going to know what is important to keep and what isn’t.  Keep your eye on the prize of a new room while you toil away sifting through the accumulated stuff of several years.  If you have the chance, you might want to do some cleaning in the garage after it’s cleared.  After all, you want to do everything you can to make sure your garage to room conversion comes off without a hitch. 

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Making Laundry Room Addition Plans

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

There is absolutely no question about it.  Having to do your laundry in a laundry mat or in a less than perfect laundry room at home is simply no way to live.  Laundry is one chore that really should be done when it’s convenient for you and in an environment that is function appropriate and pleasant.  If your current laundry room isn’t cutting it anymore, you might be thinking about a laundry room addition.  After all, it’s much easier to create a space you like, rather than try to recreate one out of existing space.  Before you hire your contractor and start work, there are a few things you should check into first.

Laundry Room Addition

You are likely already aware that in most communities you aren’t allowed to just build onto your home without the proper documentation.  Before you head to your nearest courthouse or building authority, you need to have a pretty good idea of your laundry room addition first.  In some cases, the general contractor you hired will help you with this part or may even take care of the application as well.  It all depends on the individual contractor or company. 

Some of the details you want to know before you head for the building permit are the size of the addition and the purpose of the room.  You will also want to check into the location of water lines as well as electric lines.  The city or county government will want to know if there is any possibility of utility damage in your construction.  Of course, you don’t want to be responsible for any kind of damage like that either. 

Now that you have checked in with the proper authorities and your new laundry room addition is sanctioned by the powers that be, you can concentrate on making some more interesting decisions about the addition.  For example, you are going to have made sure your new section of house fits in pleasingly with the existing structure.  It’s also time to decide if you want the exterior of the addition to match the rest of the house in siding or brick exterior.  Some people take this opportunity to use a different, though coordinating material to add visual interest to the outside of their home, but this choice is entirely up to you.

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The Advantages of Great Room Additions

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

There are tons of ways for you to remodel their home.  Especially those households with children find the option of adding a great room to their house almost irresistible.  One thing those homeowners with older houses quickly figure out is that these homes are often built with several small rooms.  For whatever reason, smaller rooms were popular back then.  With the more modern approach to open spaces and large group entertaining, the best solution for the small room problem are great room additions.  While it seems like it would be a simple matter of knocking out a few walls, you really should consider the idea of hiring a professional contractor to help you.

Great Room Additions

So far we have briefly touched on the idea of remodeling existing space to create the great room additions needed.  In some cases, this method simply isn’t possible. While great rooms can be made from basement or attic space, or even eliminating walls between rooms on the main floor, sometimes a whole new addition is sometimes necessary. One good thing about adding on to the house is that you are in control of how much space you have and how you will use it.  Home additions are complex projects, but your contractor should be more than up to the task.

Once you have your great room addition plans in the works, you have to stop and consider all of the amazing things this addition is going to do for you.  Not only will you finally have the space you need to entertain and relax with the family the way you want, you will also be adding value to your home.  Even if selling isn’t in your plans, a home equity value increase is always a good thing.

In a perfect world, your home would be everything you need it to be.  With the use of great room additions, it can be.  Consider this expense a worthwhile investment in your home’s future. 

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