Build Up or Out?

When a homeowner is considering putting an addition onto his or her home, I am frequently asked whether it is better to do a ground floor addition or add a second story.

The first determining factor, of course, is whether there is room to expand on the same level. What are the required setbacks in your neighborhood? Are you willing to give up the space in your yard? Generally, if you have the space, then a ground floor addition is the simplest and most economical solution. On the other hand, if you’re constrained by setbacks or don’t want to give up the yard space, then a second story should be explored.

Cape Cod Addition

Homeowners often wonder if it is less expensive to build “up” because of a potential savings on foundation costs. Well, yes and no. It depends on the bearing capacity of the foundation. Building over the existing house can require foundation work and/or support posts being added to existing walls. Some of this additional work and expense can be avoided by building over the garage, since the garage is typically built on a slab and can bear a second story. An additional consideration is placement of the stairs. When the addition is put over the garage, space can be taken from the garage for the stairs, thereby limiting the disruption to the existing home’s floor plan.

In general, second story additions tend to affect more of the existing home than ground floor additions, increasing the scope of the project and consequently the cost. If you’re going to go “up” try to put as much of the addition as possible over the garage. But if space allows, going “out” is probably your simplest solution. Each situation is unique; a design/build company can help you assess what would be best in your individual circumstances.

Making Decisions For Your Remodel-

Making decisions for a new remodeling project can be an overwhelming prospect.  From floor coverings to paint colors, tile colors and layout patterns, cabinet and counter selections, the possibilities are endless and may present a daunting proposition.

There are several ways to make this a more manageable endeavor, and even make it fun to do.  First, address the decisions in the order that construction will take place, so that they are made in a timely manner.  For an addition to your home for example, exterior materials, window, and door selections would be early in the process, with floor coverings and interior paint colors later in the process.

Next, make selections of items for which there are fewer options first, moving on to those which have more alternatives.  For a kitchen remodel, appliance colors are somewhat limited, while cabinet door styles, wood species, or stain colors are more numerous, and paint colors for walls are unlimited, and can be made after most other selections have been made.

Your Designer at Powell Construction will guide you through this process and provide you with a schedule for construction, and a timetable for when critical selections need to be made.  Keep in mind that some materials such as custom cabinetry, or special dimension doors and windows, have longer lead times for production and so must be ordered earlier than others to meet the construction schedule.

A remodel will be much more enjoyable and less stressful if decisions are made well before deadlines.  Waiting until the last moment or making selections in a hurry will only make you doubt your decisions. Remodeling your home can, and should, be a pleasant experience.

Respect the Architecture

One of the hallmarks of a successful remodel or addition is that it’s difficult to tell where the existing building ends and the new work starts. Copying the style, materials, and details of the home you are adding to will give a seamless transition between the old and the new. Matching door and window styles, siding and trim details, and roof shapes and slopes, creates a more pleasing integration.

Few things are more visually jarring than an addition that does not fit with the original structure, and forever looks like an after-thought rather than a well planned extension. We’ve all seen houses with mismatched rooflines, incompatible materials, or inappropriate window and door placement. It’s often easy to count the haphazard additions, and sometimes even date them by the mismatched materials used.

It should be kept in mind that a poorly executed addition or remodel may detract from the appearance of your home, and instead of adding value actually decreases the value, or reduces curb appeal. A quality design-build company like Powell Construction of Corvallis can help you avoid making this mistake.

Because after all, a well thought out project that integrates well with the existing structure is a sign of a good designer with an eye for detail, and a respect for the architecture of your home.

Keys to Remodeling Success

To achieve “remodeling success,” the essential goal is predictability. On the day construction (or demolition) commences, you want to know as precisely as possible what’s about to happen to your house, how much it’s going to cost and when the job will be completed.  Of course, some aspects of remodeling are truly unpredictable. Rotten framing, for example, that had been hidden behind drywall is something that would impact the job. But the majority of in-progress shocks can be avoided if you and your designer/builder do a good job of planning.

VANITY AFTER

VANITY BEFORE

A solid design that meets your family’s needs and desires is an important component of a successful addition or remodeling project. Even before engaging a pro, think long and hard about what you expect the project to accomplish. The more specific you can be in expressing your objectives, the easier it will be for a designer to conceive the spatial solution that best fits your needs and budget.

SHOWER AFTER

SHOWER BEFORE

Hiring a designer/builder means investing your time in research. The standard advice here still holds true. Get recommendations from friends and neighbors. Then talk to the candidates – and to at least a few of their recent clients. Make the effort to view first hand some recently completed work, as well. An accurate budget, a good design, and a reliable contractor all form the mix of a successful remodel.

Kitchen Design

AFTER

BEFORE

First off, consider having your kitchen designed professionally. The design is a small fraction of the cost and can make all the difference. All the professional craftsmen in the world can’t make a poor design functional no matter how beautiful the granite or how amazing the convection oven. A good designer puts your individual needs at the forefront of the design process creating your own unique signature kitchen. He/she will look at such things as placement of the work triangle for accommodating single or multiple cooks, traffic flow, creative storage solutions, eliminating traffic bottle necks, allowing for eating space if desired, and the effective placement of lighting over workspaces.

The designer can also help you to evaluate the possibility of any structural changes such as moving doors, walls, windows or adding on space. As the designer walks you through the different options you will be able to determine whether the existing space can be modified adequately or if structural modifications are necessary.

Some remodelers have a designer on staff, while others can usually recommend a reputable one that they have worked with in the past. The designer will create working drawings that will put you well on your way to the kitchen of your dreams.