Are you outgrowing your home? It happens to the best of us. Maybe your family is expanding, or your house is simply starting to feel a bit cramped. Whatever the reason, perhaps it’s time to shake things up a bit.
When the walls start to close in, you have two options.
Number one, you can move. However, there are some considerations. It can be expensive. Plus, maybe you love your neighborhood, your neighbors, your school district, and your life. If there’s nothing wrong with your house, besides the feeling that you need a little bit of additional space, moving might be more trouble than it’s worth.
The second option is adding on to your home. For homeowners who feel the pinch but aren’t crazy about moving on, an addition allows you to expand your world without giving up the benefits.
Home Addition Ideas
Note that these addition types are ranked from largest to smallest.
Conventional Home Addition
A conventional addition is the kind of structure you might expect when you imagine a home addition. It’s typically a single or multi-room box that is permanently attached to the side of your house. The floorplan flows seamlessly from the existing spaces, and there are no barriers between old and new. When done well, you won’t be able to distinguish the ‘main house’ from the extension, either from the inside or the outside.
A conventional addition is suitable for just about any type of room, including bedrooms, studies, living rooms, entertainment rooms, lounges, and bathrooms. Kitchens, however, are rarely part of the equation, unless the space is intended as a self-contained apartment.
Although you will hardly ever find a conventional addition—even if it’s just a single room—that costs less than five figures to build, these structures deliver an excellent return on your investment. Sometimes you have to spend to save!
Sunroom
A sunroom is an excellent option for homeowners who do not need a ton of extra space. This neat little add-on becomes an extension of your living room and is appropriate for use in all seasons. And unlike most living rooms, sunrooms typically have glass windows on two or three sides, helping you extend the warmer season on both ends and enjoy your outdoor spaces that much more.
Most often, sunrooms are closed off from the rest of the house. Because of this, they are the perfect space for entertaining friends, playing with the kids, or just getting away for some quiet time of your own.
Sunrooms can be built on-site, but more often than not, they are made out of prefabricated materials and then assembled at your home. These structures are unique from other types of add-ons because they are not intended to be used year-round, either for living or sleeping. They don’t have kitchens, bathrooms, or closets, and they are not necessarily required to have heating or air-conditioning, although you might choose to use a space heater or portable fan for comfort. Ceiling fans work well in sunrooms too.
While a sunroom must be constructed according to local zoning and building codes, the regulations on what has to go inside them are less strict than they are for other types of additions.
Bump-Out
The bump-out, or adorably named ‘micro addition,’ is just that: a very small structure added to the side of an existing room. This isn’t the addition of a full room, but rather a bit of extra square footage tacked onto a pre-existing space. Using the support of floor joists, these types of additions can be cantilevered right out from the house’s side, even if the bump-out itself is not being supported from below.
A bump-out can be added to any room in the house, although additions to a second-floor room will be more costly than ground-floor renovations. They can also be quite tricky to plan because you have to consider zoning restrictions, the continuity of your floor plan, the practicality of the addition, and where you want to put it. However, plenty of homeowners find the hassle worth their while, as they’re able to enjoy the extra space this practical remodeling project offers.
If you’re ready to expand your home to fit your family’s needs, the design team at J.T. McDermott is prepared to make it happen. With more than 25 years of experience in the St. Louis area, you’ll be well equipped to move onwards and outwards. Connect with us today, and let’s get started!
