The reasons to expand your existing home are plenty, from anything as simple as adding a gym room to accommodating relatives who are going to live with you. Then there are reasons such as the kitchen is small and dark, and you want to open up with bright light and light colors. Maybe your family is growing and an additional room will solve the issue of the lack of storage space. Or perhaps, you are envisioning a beautiful flower garden in an open deck with ArmorGarage floors right across the bedroom. Whatever you have in your mind, an add on can be justified. As you work through the ‘envision’ phase, there are many things to consider, many choices to make while keeping the cost within your budget.
Before you start this remodeling project, take a deep breath. Adding a room or space is not for the faint of heart; it is easier to imagine than put that imagination into action. Add on can disrupt your routine, consume a lot of time and energy, ruin your financial health if your careless, and strain relationships. The project can also bring a huge amount of dust and create a lot of mess around the house. Worse yet, the house may lose its stability, structure-wise. You don’t want any of this happening to you. However, look at the bright side. Instead of moving to a new place, you are adding to an existing home which means you can continue treasuring the wonderful neighborhood and enjoy the benefits of all those matured fruit trees in your backyard. Even though the whole process is filled with hard work, and in some cases uncertainty, the rewards are greater especially when you are showing off the completed house to your family, friends and colleagues.
Now is the time to inspect the structure of the house and begin the planning stage. As you perform the inspection, you will notice that some systems around the house may need altering or expansion. A qualified building inspector will tell you what needs to be changed in order to meet the requirements of an add on. Whether or not your existing HVAC unit is enough to provide the needs of the extra space is determined at this stage. And what about the plumbing system? Does it need an expansion too? Should it be replaced because it is made of lead water pipes? If yes, by all means. Houses built in the 1960s extensively have lead water pipes that cause lead to seep into water making it toxic for drinking. Examine the water heater as well. Is it able to handle the heavier load if what you are adding comes with sink, kitchen or shower? If possible and your budget allows, consider installing a small system that can go right into the wall of the bathroom and heat water on demand. Make sure it is adhering to all safety standards. Your plumbing contractor will be of great help in a situation like this.