6 Things to Consider When You Plan Bedroom Additions

There are instances when our home seems to outgrow us and the need for additional space or a supersized bedroom becomes an immediate concern. There are many reasons for wanting one of the best bedroom additions for your home, some of these are:

• When you’re expecting a child
• When you have growing children
• Or when you simply need an extra guest room

If moving out and getting a bigger house is not an option, bedroom additions to the existing structure of your home is often a more cost-effective and quicker option. Whatever the purpose, this home improvement project will definitely increase the ROI of your beloved home.

Before jumping head on to your home improvement project AKA bedroom addition project, make sure to check out Candice Olson’s TV show “Divine Design” where she shows how you can turn any unappealing room into a fabulous one!  

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1. Decide Where to Add a Room

There are two ways that you can go about adding a room to your present home:

• One is to add within the present structure of your house whether you divide a room into a half, convert a home office into a room, use the basement or an existing attic or any other space that is available.
• Another option would be to construct a separate structure in your backyard with attached to the main house or separate from it.

Read more: How much does it cost to add a bedroom

2. Consider the Design of Your Bedroom Addition

After deciding on where the new bedroom addition can be placed, consult with an architect or designer on how to make the room blend in with your present home design or layout. You would not like your new room to look as if it was just placed there looking completely out of place or protruding awkwardly onto the side of your home.

Additional rooms, whether inside the house or in your backyard, will have an impact on the existing structure/s and it is wise to consider these before construction begins.

• Will it block any natural light source or windows that will affect ventilation?
• Will it have easy access to bathrooms and other parts of the house?
• Neighbors may be affected by the new structure if their view is blocked or lighting affected.
• Walls may have to be torn down and other rooms may be affected
• Consider the property line and if it will fall within the allowable areas for building a structure.
• Make sure you are not violating any state regulations on buildings and that necessary permit will be secured.
• Ensure that the new room or structure will blend with your present home in terms of windows, doors, exterior paint or whatever should match your present home’s overall look.

Once these factors are considered, designing the layout and aesthetics of the room may be drawn with less hassle. The most important thing to consider is that this additional room will not look as if it was just placed there without much thought. Instead, it must seamlessly work together with the original design of your beloved home.

3. Secure Permits and Look for Good Contractors

Now that the location and design have been prepared, it’s well to bring this to the government agency that will ensure that they comply with building codes, issue the necessary permits, and

Consult with your homeowner’s association if they could recommend a good contractor for your home improvement project. Sometimes contractors need to see your plans and don’t forget to consider any rules within the community. It is better to have a heads up on these matters prior the construction phase to avoid any possible problems that may arise.

When the paperwork and legalities have been dealt with, a contractor must sit down with you to plan the work to be done — the electrical, plumbing, roofing layout, and the installation of doors, windows, etc.

Read more: How to deal with a difficult contractor

4. Estimate Your Home Improvement Project 

The cost of bedroom additions in your home varies from area to area. But you can get a quick and accurate estimate by using our home renovation cost estimate tool on our website. It’s the best way to have an idea of how much your bedroom addition or any other project would cost in your area.

Below are two tips that could help you finance and protect the bedroom additions in your home:

1. Ask your bank about refinancing your home so you may use this towards the addition of a new bedroom or perhaps secure a loan may help defray the costs.
2. Contact your insurance agency to let them know that you are adding to your home for you will need to increase your coverage.

5. Prepare for Your Home Improvement Project

Renovations will affect your daily routine and it would help to speak with your contractor on how to minimize the effects of an on-going construction. You and your family will have to deal with the noise, dust, and the sheer number of people walking in and out your house as they go about their job.

This is a concern you must discuss with your contractor during the planning stage. You should not be hesitant to ask about this especially if you work from home, have allergies, or have little children who may be affected by the dust and noise. It’s also better to have options like where you can sleep, work, and eat during the construction phase.

Read more: Keeping your neighbors happy on your renovation

6. Finishing Touches

The finishing touches would require your utmost attention compared to to the initial stages of the construction phase. Take note that the finishing phase is where you must be most involved. In this phase, you will get to see and personalize your new bedroom to help you achieve the overall look you want — from the flooring to the fixtures and furniture.

The addition of a new bedroom, once completed, will give you the space that you need and comfort you seek especially if it will be used by your children or family members. With this, the value of your property will increase and should you later sell your house you will be able to recover about 75-90% of what you paid for.

Now doesn’t that sound amazing? Enjoy your new bedroom!

Read more: Master bedroom lighting guide

Written by Raffy Marabut. April 18, 2016

Raffy Marabut is a passionate freelance copywriter and blogger. He graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. More of his work can be found on copybyraffy.com, and he also founded lifeandmoneyhacks.com.