Whether you call it a great room, a bonus room or a family room, having an additional space where the family gathers and you entertain can add to the enjoyment of your home and its overall value. If you’ve been considering a great room addition, here are a few tips for planning out your dream space.
Do you need an addition or a remodel?
If the living room feels cramped and you want a space where people can stretch out, or think the flow from the kitchen to living room is lacking, perhaps redesigning the floor layout would help. Remodeling the layout, adding storage and updating features, such as adding a built-in entertainment center, could solve the problem without adding to the footprint.
But when you really want another room…
Sometimes homeowners simply want more physical space, especially as their family grows. The first step is deciding where to put it. Depending on the style of home and the property, homeowners have a choice of building up or out. If you are looking for a great room that will be used by the entire family, consider an addition off of the kitchen. This is a place where friends and family tend to gather and will enable you to expand your entertaining options. Depending on the home, you may be able to add a bump-out, which saves the cost of adding a full foundation. This also has the bonus effect of making your kitchen seem bigger.
If you are building the addition on the back of the house, it could serve as another way into the backyard. Consider adding a back door, deck or patio to ease the transition in and out of the house. Rear-home additions also allow for risk taking on the design, such as large, modern windows overlooking the backyard.
The finishing touches
This is when knowing how you will use the room is the most important. Is this where you’ll spend family game night? Adding a fireplace is a nice touch, especially during cold New England winters. Are you avid readers or love music? Installing built-in shelving or an area to store audio equipment and speakers might be what you’re looking for. When it comes to home theaters, planning ahead helps, as well. Deciding where the TV will be mounted allows contractors to run wires within the walls, hiding them from view.
If entertaining is the objective, think about whether the room will be for mingling or for eating. Having a floor plan that lets you create different seating arrangements and socializing areas makes for great party flow. A wet bar is also a great feature. This includes a counter, sink and storage for glasses and bottles. A mini-fridge or small dishwasher can be added, too, to speed clean-up the next day.
Think about materials
Although you are creating a new space, you will want materials, both inside and outside, to match your existing home. Siding, roof shingles, paint, carpeting and color palate are just a few of the considerations. How will you heat the space? Will it be insulated? How will utilities be wired? These are all questions your designer and builder can help you decide.
Important questions to ask about an addition
Before calling a builder, you should ask yourself a few key questions:
- Can I build this? Zoning restrictions may prohibit you from adding on to your existing home.
- How much can we spend? Knowing your budget largely dictates the design of the project. Here’s a simply guide to addition prices.
- Will the addition add to the home’s value? Additions should include features homebuyers look for.
- Does the addition I envision fit into the existing home? The flow and usability of the home should be improved.
If you have further questions about home renovations, call Dube Plus Construction today.