analysis: Want a Bigger Home? 4 Ideas to Expand Your Current House

Start with a plan

Notes:

• There are many ways to alter your home to use space. One thing to remember before making these changes is to check local zoning ordinances and/or building codes. You do not want to make your changes and then find out they are not up to code.
• This brings up whether your changes in your home are workable going forward. There should be at least a little structural engineering involved. It is important to have someone review your blueprints before you expense costs to expand your current house.

Add room over the garage

Notes:

• There are many possibilities when expanding your home. The first is an additional room over your garage. This is a good way to add square footage without making a mess of your property/home.
• Depending on your long-term plan, you can use this space as a bedroom, workroom, or even rent it as a guest bedroom. The typical cost is around $34-$36 per square foot to build over a garage. However, remember that it is possible to make as much as 80 percent return on your invested money.
• You can use this extra garage space for:
  • small rental flat for additional income
  • extra bedroom for guests or your teenager
  • observatory room with open access to the sky for the telescope
  • work room with tools and equipment for building

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Finish the basement

Notes:

• Another way to expand your home is to finish the basement. An average cost to finish your basement will be around $12,000. However, with the extra space to enjoy until you sell, your average return on investment for improving your basement is roughly 69 percent.
• What can go down into the basement:
  • it would make a great home theater room to give you darkness
  • add adjoining to the home theater room a rec room with game tables and play
  • basement are also great for wine and cheese cellars
  • could also be used for bedrooms – just make sure you build fire escape exits no matter how you use the basement

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Convert the attic

Notes:

• A third way to expand your home is to finish your attic. Remember that there are stipulations when expanding your attic, such as floor to ceiling room and connection to a stairway.
• Ideas for your attic include an office, bedroom, art studio, and/or a home gym. Expanding your home in this way can help you recover up to around 50 percent of the value.
• What can you do with extra attic space:
  • convert your attic into a home fitness room with exercise mats, machines, and fitness bars
  • the attic could become your personal home office area
  • or convert it into an artist or craft room where you can get away to be creative
  • another idea is converting the space into a playroom for the kids along with storage units

Add an extension to the home

Notes:

• A fourth way to expand your home is to add on to your home. This way to expand your home will require an architect and other professionals to guide you along the way.
• Some types of extensions might be out of your price range, but adding on to an easily accessible area of your house might be doable. You can add onto a bedroom or even your kitchen in order to open up your space more. Talk to a contractor to understand what is realistic when doing a home extension.

• FINAL REMARKS

  If you are settled into your home, but wish it were bigger, expanding it might be the answer for you. The above ways are just some suggestions for how to make this possible.