When people started buying homes during the pandemic, many of them had to settle for what was available in the market. And after purchasing the property, some homebuyers renovated their new homes. They improved the curb appeal, enhanced the interior, and even increased the usable area of the house.
These renovations allowed them to convert the house they bought into their dream home. Even as improving the curb appeal and enhancing the interior require cosmetic changes, increasing the home’s usable area needed a lot of work. But you should make sure to obtain the necessary permits before you start working on expanding the usable space of your home.
Image by Barry D
Working with a company offering heavy-duty equipment rental services ensures that the work is fast and efficient. The machinery you’ll need depends on what you’re building on your property. If you plan to install an in-ground pool, you’ll need an excavator. But if you want to create a new structure on the property, you’ll need a generator and cement mixer.
Here are the ways for you to increase the usable area of your home.
Cover the Patio
Enclosing the patio increases the living area of the home. It also allows you to use the patio even during winter when the temperature decreases. This cost-effective way of increasing the home’s usable space is also not too expensive.
You have several options when you cover the patio. Aside from simple weatherproofed walls and roofing, you can also add large windows to convert the patio into a sunroom. You can also add comfortable furniture and some lamps. But you should also make sure it has heating to keep the cold out, especially during winter. And consulting an architect allows you to prevent the roof from collapsing due to heavy snow.
Add a Second Floor to the House
Aside from increasing home prices, the housing shortage also forced homebuyers to purchase what was available in the market. And some of the houses available were single-story homes with limited usable spaces. In these situations, new homeowners can add a second floor to the house to increase its functional area.
But before working on the second floor, you should check if the foundation can handle the extra weight. You should also get a permit for it since it’s a major alteration to the original design of the house. Adding a second floor allows you to increase the number of bedrooms in the house.
After finishing the project, you can relocate all the bedrooms to the second floor. You can use the rooms on the ground floor as an office or a game room. While the cost of building a second floor is high, you will have more space in the house once the project is complete.
Work on the Basement
Homes that have a basement offer an opportunity for homeowners to use it to increase the usable area of the house. Instead of using the basement as a storage area, homeowners can convert it into a bedroom. They can also use it as a small apartment or a home theater.
If you work from home, you can convert the basement into a home office to give you a quiet place to work. When you work on the basement, you also increase its resale value in case you plan to put the house on the market in the future.
Work on the Garage
The basement is not the only part of the house that you can use to increase its usable area. You should also look at the possibility of putting a room above the garage. But similar to building a second floor in the house, you should also check local laws before you work on the project.
You also have to check the garage’s foundation to see if it can handle the load. When you build a room above the garage, you should install a vapor barrier to prevent car exhaust from entering the room. The size of the room will depend on the size of the garage and the load its foundation can handle.
Enhance the Deck
In addition to the patio, you can also work on the deck in the backyard. You can enclose it to make it into a comfortable living area. You can also convert it into a sunroom to give a place to hang out in the middle of winter.
Adding heating and comfortable furniture will make it a good place for you to have hot chocolate on a cold winter evening. But before working on the deck, you should make sure it meets the requirements of local zoning laws.
Increasing the livable area of a house gives homeowners more space to use. Doing so can also increase the resale value of the home.
