How to extend a house to accommodate a growing family?
Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
Whether you have kids or not, expecting a new baby is always a wonderful feeling! However, this also means you have to reorganize your life and make it more child-friendly. This includes your living space as well, so think about expanding your current home and giving your family more space. If that’s something you’re thinking about as well, here are a few things you might want to take into consideration first.
Renovate or detonate
First, you need to take all the factors into consideration and make a major decision – are you going to add new living space to your existing property, or are you going to tear it all down and build it all over again? Both of these options have their pros and cons, and it’s all about the amount of work you’re ready to accept. If you’re not afraid to go all-in, starting from scratch could give your growing family more space than you could’ve imagined, especially if you plan it all perfectly. In case you’re looking for an easier and simpler alternative, you could renovate your home and get more space by finishing the basement, building a second story, or utilizing the attic space.
Consider the shape
Not just any home will be good enough for your growing family, and you need to look into different shapes and designs before you make your final decision. Of course, this will depend on whether you’re building a new home or renovating your current one, but both alternatives give you lots of freedom to explore different floor plans. What you need to remember, though, is that every member of your family needs their own living, maneuvering, and storage space, so make sure that happens.
Keep it professional
No matter what sort of extension you’re building and what kind of shape you opt for, you need to remember not to do everything on your own. Even if you’re the most skillful person in the world and even have some contracting experience, relying on professionals is always a better idea. This is particularly important if you decide to demolish a part of your home in order to extend it properly. That’s when you’ll realize that working with demolition contractors who know how to perform this project quickly, effectively, and professionally goes a long way and provides you a chance to give your growing family all the space it deserves in the shortest amount of time possible.
Think about the budget
Again, it doesn’t matter how big your home is: as long as you’re aware of the budget and plan it properly, you’ll be just fine. Thinking about the finances could be quite hard when your family is growing, so creating a proper budget – and sticking to it all the way – is crucial. Talk to your partner and figure out how much money you have, but try not to go all in and spend every cent you have. Instead, leave some aside, as you’re going to need it for equipping the nursery and purchasing all the stuff for your newborn. Also, talk to your friends and family, and see if you can borrow some money from them. Finally, go to your bank and consider getting a loan – this idea might not be the best solution in the world, but it will give you more freedom when it comes to designing a perfect home for your new family.
Move out or not?
Some people prefer moving out of their homes until the extension project is done, and this is sometimes the easiest option. That way, all those builders and contractors won’t be bothering you – and vice versa – and the chances are everything will be done perfectly. If you decide to stay at home, though, you’ll be able to see everything and even take part in the building process as well. Both of these options come with a few pros and cons, so look into them and figure out what could be working for you and every member of your family more.
Giving your growing family more space isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely necessary. So, find a way to add more space to your home and turn this extension into the first family project you’ll do together.
Author BIO
If one thing is true about Lillian Connors, her mind is utterly curious. That’s why she can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out LinkedIn.