UNITED STATES—Deciding to add on to your home is a personal decision, but it is often made with the goal of increasing value. Many times, people who want to add an addition love their home and want to make it even more enjoyable. And one of the benefits is that it can increase your home’s resale value if you ever decide to move.
What to Consider Before a Remodeling Project
Before you start adding anything to your house, it is best to sit down and do a bit of planning. For example, how will you use the space? Getting an extra bedroom will be a completely different project than increasing the amount of space in your family room. Get a few estimates for the project to help you establish a realistic budget. To stay within budget, you may try to have only the basics done now and wait until later to decorate. Think about how you’ll pay for the changes as well. One way of doing so is to take out a home equity line of credit. If you are considering going this route, you can review a guide online to look at the products offered by the various HELOC lenders.
Expanding Your Usable Kitchen Space
Updating the kitchen is one of the more common reasons to add on since this is such a commonly used area of the home. Many times, older houses have smaller kitchens since the women usually did the cooking, so there was no need for the larger ones used today. Families often ate together in another room, so the kitchen only had to have room for one person preparing the meals. However, today, the modern lifestyle has changed who uses the kitchen and for what function. Today, the kitchen is a space for the whole family to gather. When entertaining, many people often gravitate there, and it is an ideal place to serve food buffet-style. Usually, multiple people do the cooking in families, especially since more individuals have become interested in preparing delicious, healthy meals.
Increasing the Space in the Master Suite
Adding a larger bedroom and bathroom on the main level is another common reason for putting an addition on. Many individuals wish to age in place, so having a comfortable bedroom on the first floor can help them achieve that goal. They might put in a bathroom with a walk-in shower and ensure that everything is wheelchair accessible. Adding on to your house allows you to create a master suite in the size you desire without cutting into space used in the rest of your home.
Increasing the Amount of Space
If your family includes many people under the same roof, you might need a bit more space to make everyone comfortable. You might need more storage or an extra room to hold everyone. You could add on to the family room so you and the other household members have the space to spend time with each other. Or you could put on a mudroom or entryway with closets and cubbies for your coats and shoes. It is a great way of helping your items stay organized.
