A room addition can provide you and your family with many different benefits as your lifestyle changes. A room addition with a ¾, full bath or even a ADA tub, shower combination, can give you that extra bedroom as the members of your family grows and matures.
Design your room addition as an office for your expanding business, add a pull down bed, this will instantly become a bedroom for visiting family or guests. A room addition can take other forms as well, such as an extension for your master bedroom, kitchen, dining, bath or a new family room, which can create a whole new atmosphere in your home.
Decide on what type of room addition you want and a location that offers the greatest benefit, above the garage, extending your front or back living area, and whether you want a single or two-story.
If your home is a two story, maximize your investment by taking advantage of the increased living area upstairs and down.
Create a realistic budget, have it include the amenities you will need, A/C, plumbing (if necessary), electrical options: (ceiling fans, recessed or track lighting, convenient outlets for office equipment ect.). Add some custom features into your room addition, the warmth of a fireplace or stove, vaulted or open beam ceiling, a soffit around the perimeter to give depth, built-in bookcase or entertainment center.
Building a new room addition will give you an opportunity to install some Eco friendly and energy efficient products. If the size of your room addition can accommodate, solar panels would a good investment. Providing power for your new addition as well as you entire home and with allowances from your local utility company, it may pay for itself. In addition, you might want to consider maximizing the R-values in the construction of your room addition: 2X6 framing with blown cellulose insulation, additional insulation wrap on all duct work, French instead of sliding exterior doors, radiant barrier roof sheeting, 1/2″ or 5/8″ exterior sheeting, dual or triple pane windows with Low E tinting, R-38 batt or polyurethane foam insulation at the roof deck is preferred.
During the construction of your room addition, make sure to seal all fire blocking and draft stops in the bare wall cavities. Also make sure to caulk along the base, (at the floor), of your new drywall, this will ensure against your conditioned air escaping up into the wall. You might want to research the cost of using polyurethane foam insulation throughout the entire room addition, thereby greatly reducing your heating and cooling needs. Even with a small room addition, the benefits of these ideas will greatly reduce your energy costs for your room addition, and probably out way the additional costs.
Because this is your home and a room addition is such a sizable remodeling investment, it is recommended that you employ the services of a licensed Design-Build Remodeling Contractor. A remodeling contractor will be able to provide you with Architectural & Structural plans, all permits necessary, as well as, assisting in locating financing (if needed) for your new room addition. If you are member of a Home Owners Association, your remodeling contractor can assist you in your plan submittal for the HOA’s review and approval.
With your budget in mind, a remodeling contractor will be able to assist in the creation of your room addition, by offering the latest products & materials and affordable design solutions to showcase the interior and exterior of your home.
A remodeling contractor will be able make the addition appear seamless and as if it was always a part of your home.
