Opening up Your Home’s Layout as Your Family Grows
Many home owners are faced with changes in their situation. The happy couple that finds their dream home one day, will be the same couple that may have several kids after a few years. With growing families, the budget could end up getting stretched to new limits. With that in place, families may not be able to purchase a new house. If your family has recently grown or you have found yourself scrambling for some space, you should look into how opening up your home’s layout, and getting some renovations can help.
Finishing Unfinished Areas
Attics and basements often remain unfinished while homeowners build onto the first floor of their home. You may have 1,000 square feet or more available if you choose to finish your unfinished basement or attic. Homeowners effectively double the square footage of their home in most cases when finishing a full basement.
You can divide them into separate bedrooms, or you could separate them into a large living area or apartment for someone in the family. It can help with entertainment, office, or just about anything. Finishing unfinished areas can not only give you added square footage, it can help you gain a handle on heating and cooling bills. There are other fringe benefits that come with this upgrade, and it’s definitely a helpful one.
Opening Kitchen Layouts
Opening up your kitchen could be a great option. Open the kitchen and connecting dining room instead of separating them to maximize your square footage. Add unique lighting options and integrate a bar area to give you separation without diminishing square footage. This can help you with maximizing the space that you have up front. Remodeling your living spaces is not as tough as working with other options, and can definitely alleviate the growing pains that you may experience over time with your family’s increase.
A Second Story
Adding a second story may be the one thing that gives you a good advantage. It can improve the home’s property value, but it’s going to cost a bit more than just opening up areas and finishing basements or attics. However, when completed, your second story will add valuable square footage to your home. It’s going to improve your living spaces, give you additional bedrooms, entertainment areas, and even bathrooms. If you don’t have the foundation to withhold a second story, consider an addition that may assist you with this.
As families grow, living in a small home can be rough. However, there are several construction phases that you can go through to help you extend the life of your house. As you speak with a good contractor, you are going to absolutely enjoy the options that come through with the suggestions above. A growing family is a great thing, a joyous one, but the realities of limited square footage and other practical issues could end up causing you a great deal of issues. Don’t just try to sell quickly and buy a new home, look at upgrading and remodeling, as it can help you navigate life’s changes.