Do you love your home, but wish that you could add on to it? If you do, you’re certainly not the only homeowner to feel this way. Many homeowners think their home is almost perfect. A nice layout, a nice area, and they don’t wish to go through the headache of moving, when a simple addition could solve all of their problems.
However, even if you have perused through different designer magazines, and have a specific idea of how you would like to attack the project, there are still a few questions you need to ask yourself before diving in.
Will The Addition Add Value To Your Home Or Decrease It?
Of course, if you’re thinking of making an addition to your home, you’re not also thinking about moving anytime soon. But, life does happen and someday in the future, you and the family might want to pack up and head to another location. If you decide to do this, you’re going to want the best appraisal for your home.
Do some research on what types of rooms different homes need in your area. If you add a bedroom to an area with not many of those, you’ll be adding value, and vice versa. Just consider your needs and consider your area, before starting your project.
What’s The Lowest Cost Way Of Adding On?
There’s more than one way to add on to your home. Something that contractors want you to consider before beginning your project, is whether or not you can use a room in your home that is already there but isn’t being used. Perhaps an attic or a basement, or even a spare bedroom.
It can be cost-effective and sometimes difficult and time-consuming to build an addition to your home from scratch. That being said, if that’s the only way it is certainly doable, but something to consider first, is whether or not you can use pre-existing rooms in your home.
Do You Know All About Zoning Restrictions In Your Area?
Make sure you read up on specific restrictions in your zone before adding on to your home. Depending on where you live, there can be some strict restrictions about where you can build around your property.
Many residential areas don’t allow you to build within 20 feet in front of your house, 7.5 feet on either side, and 15 feet in the rear. So make sure you understand these before undertaking your project.
There Are Many Benefits To Adding On
Asking yourself these questions isn’t meant to scare you away from your dream project, only to make sure that you understand everything that goes into adding on to your home. However, there are many benefits of doing this.
You could add value to your home, you could even make extra income if you plan on renting out the added space in your home. This could be less-costly than moving, so in the long run you’ll likely save money.
Most importantly, it’s about you and your vision. You get to create the addition the way that you want and you don’t need to stop until you’re satisfied.
