While Star Trek may well have exaggerated a lot of their plots, they were right about one thing; space is the final frontier. It is something every homeowner wants more of. More space to live in, to enjoy, to kick back in and escape to. That’s the dream right there. But what may surprise you is just how accessible this reality is because - believe it or not - you already have the space on your property - it is simply a matter of finding it.
There is no need to go and find your glasses. You read that right. It is just a matter of whittling out your space and turning it into the kind of living space you have always hoped for. That means a happier family, a more spacious home and a higher resale value should you ever want to waltz down that route.
So, without further ado, here are the hottest ways you can add space to your home. Enjoy the echo.
It’s Better To Build Outward
Building an extension is by far the most lengthy and most expensive route you can go down on this frontier, but it is going to pay you back big time in the two best currencies out there: financial and emotional. That is because building outward is the only real way of creating more space - everything else is an illusion. You are creating a brand new space as opposed to redistributing. It could be on the back, the front or the side, and how you go about it is entirely up to you. Just promise you will use a professional and trusted contractor and you can enjoy that extra living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, cinema, wine chiller, observatory or whatever you’ve been planning.
The Sky Is The Limit
It is not always easy - or possible - to build upward, but if you can then you should definitely explore this option. The problem with this route is, well, it is not exactly simple to lop the roof of a home and stick another floor on top of it. However, the benefits are obvious; you get a bunch more space without having to sacrifice any of your outside space. You are simply using up the sky, giving a whole new meaning to the sub-heading we’ve dropped in. That said, you will have to fork out a fair chunk of cash and, yeah, you’ll probably have to move out and live with your parents, or worse, your in-laws for a bit.
A Bloomin’ Lovely Basement
Converting your basement may not constitute as creating space, but it still ranks way up there in terms of routes to go own, not least because most basements are equal in size to the ground floor of your home. That’s quite a chunk of extra space to enjoy. Of course, we recommend you bring in a specialist like Fleming Construction to handle the remodel and built because, well, this is the foundation of your home we’re talking about (aka a no DIY zone). That said, all the structural needs are already in place, so putting up a load of stud walls to hide wiring and that sort of things is relatively simple. Basically, a basement conversion is totally within the grasp of almost all homeowners that have a basement. What you do with it, well, that is your call. Another living room, a cocktail bar, the ultimate games room, a study, office, or even a self-contained flat that you can rent out or give to your kids when they get to an age where they should have moved out but haven’t yet. Urgh. That’s the worst.
Time To Convert Up-Upstairs
Th9s is one of those areas that people think are simple. You just have to shoehorn your repurposing and, voila, you have extra space. That’s not how it goes, though. No way. Ye olde dusty attic conversion is pretty much always tricky, deceptively tricky. The good news is, there is usually some headway, a lot of structural elements, and it is relatively easy to tap your homes other utilities, like electrical wiring, plumbing and that sort of thing. The bad news is, most attics are a weird shape that is not typically meant for everyday use. They are a storage facility packed with insulation. That means you will need to strengthen certain structures and joists, lay down an extra layer of flooring and, quite possibly, consider how you will make this accessible. Stairs? Trapdoor? Ladder? Climbing rope? All that can be a pain in the you-know-where.
The Illusion Of More Space
Perception is reality, and that is the realm you will be stepping into if you decide to remove interior walls. You are creating the illusion of more space without actually creating anything extra. The good news is, there are a lot of walls in a home that you can do yourself one evening after work or over a weekend or something. Mmmm hmmm, it can be that easy. However, there are other walls that are bearing the weight of your home. Knock one of them out and you could end up with a big medical bill and angry insurance company and nowhere to live. Not good. That is why we suggest you call in a profession just to make sure you are cutting the right wire, so to speak.
Time To Transform A Room
This is an age-old trick that has been used and abused since the word construction was first used. It is the idea of turning a space in your home into a something else, repurposing its need. A porch into a living room, downstairs bathroom into a bigger kitchen and anything else of that ilk. The problem is, you can get this wrong - as the look on your real estate agents face will attest - and see your home lose some value. So, if you are considering this, just make sure you closely align the functions of the old room with the new room. Don’t go and turn the study into a climbing wall room or your laundry room into a miniature paintball arena. That’s all we ask.
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