The current economy continues to struggle and nothing has been hit quite as hard as the housing market. Certainly it is sad to watch people lose their homes because of mortgage problems. There isn’t anyone out there who has not been touched somehow by this downturn.
Although not nearly as tragic as someone losing their home, there are many people who have been forced to put their plans on hold. Many homeowners who thought they would be able to sell their current home and upgrade to a larger one are rethinking that plan. P are now looking to staying put and making their current home a better place for the time being.
And maybe that is not a bad thing. People have been re-evaluating priorities. The home they are in may have potential to be so much more with only a slight modification. There are a number of ways a homeowner can change the living space. Remodeling interior spaces can make rooms better and room additions can make a huge difference in how the home functions for the residents.
For example, a too small bedroom can be ‘bumped out’ with minimal structural changes. Bump outs can be anything, from a fireplace to a window with a window seat.
Enlarging the master bedroom to include a walk-in closet or a new dining room for your kitchen. The possibilities are limitless. Aside from adding more space, it is a great way to make a flat wall more interesting.
Another popular way to expand living space is to add an enclosed porch or sun-room. These add a lot to the personality of a house and can be simply screened in or left open.
Porches are great for entertaining friends and family when the weather is nice and are a great way to provide a connection between the house and yard. A smaller porch addition can be a mud room or entryway to stop dirt and clutter from getting into the main part of the house.
Adding that second bathroom your family needs is often at the top of a homeowner’s priority list. Either by adding on to your home or rearranging interior walls, you can make the chaos of getting everyone ready for work and school much simpler.
If your home is on a lot too small to consider ground level additions or bump outs, there is always reaching for the sky. A second story addition is an option provided your community’s land use code allows for this change and the structural integrity of the house will allow for another floor.
You don’t have to cover the entire house with the upper level; partial additions using towers are another option.
So if your dream of a bigger house is on hold, maybe you can make the home you have come closer to that dream by using bump outs or room additions. With sound planning advice from an architect you can have the extra space you crave.
