Adding a family room to your home can be one of the best remodeling decisions you ever make. These multi-purpose rooms can be a warm and inviting space for entertaining guests, a place for the family to enjoy favorite tv shows and movies, and a room where the kids can do homework or play video games under mom or dad’s watchful eye.
Is there a family room addition in your future? Here’s how to get the room you want – and ensure the new melds seamlessly with the old.
Family Room Additions: The Process
During our initial consultation with clients, the first question we always ask is “How long do you plan to stay in the house?” That’s because, even in a good housing market, the odds are good you won’t get a high return on a family room addition. On the other hand, if you plan to stay put for a while, a family room addition can be a wonderful way to gain needed space. If you do anticipate moving within the next several years, just keep in mind your recoupment will be lower than for other remodeling projects.
Often, the decision to build a family room addition is based on intrinsic value. Many older homes were built for a lifestyle far different from the one most families live today. For example, back in the 1950s and 1960s, television screens were small and set atop or built into a small piece of furniture; large flat screen televisions require more space, both for the screen and the viewing of it.
Before you start planning a family room addition design, think about what you want to do with the room and the features you’d like to have.
- Will the room be a place to retreat with a good book? The space where the Christmas tree goes up every year? Do you need overflow space for frequent get-togethers?
- Will there be lots of windows? How is the house situated on the lot? What is its sun exposure?
- Will the addition have an impact on the existing space? Does your vision require taking down walls? Are you planning on doing a kitchen remodel at the same time?
- Will there be a deck or patio constructed off the room?
Once you’re clear on what you want to accomplish, it’s that much easier to move forward with a family room design that reflects your needs, wishes, and budget.
Designing a Family Room Addition
If reconfiguring your home’s current floor plan is out of the question, it’s time to think how a family room addition can be designed to match or complement its existing architecture. Most people adding on to their home like the addition to look as though it was part of the original design. Some points to keep in mind as you work your way through the process:
- Siding, roof shingles, doors, windows, carpeting, and color palette, should match your existing home.
- The new roof and floor lines should blend seamlessly with existing lines and elevations.
- The room should be sized and scaled to be in balance with the rest of the house.
Family room additions in the Greater St. Louis area tend to be about 400 square feet in size. Whenever you add square footage to your home, it’s important to think about your existing HVAC system. An addition doesn’t always require upgrading your entire system. We often do what is known as a “mini-split,” a ductless HVAC system that is beautifully efficient and provides consistent room comfort.
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Building a family room addition can be a terrific and satisfying project for you and your family. It should come as no surprise that every home remodel planning process is different, requiring careful consideration of all building elements on the original structure. We’d love to hear more about the family room addition you have in mind. Drop us a line today to get the process started. We look forward to meeting with you!
