addition plans | Colony Home Improvement

Home Remodeling Questions to Ask Beforehand

February 26, 20150

Know what you should ask prior to your home remodeling plan.

Ask these questions before starting a home remodeling project.

Many families eventually reach a point where their home no longer meets their needs. Home remodeling is often a better choice than moving to a new home. The costs of buying a new home and moving can be extremely high. By remodeling, not only do you save on all the expenses related to moving, but you may also increase the value of your current home, thus potentially offsetting the cost of your renovations. Before you begin your addition plans, you should consider and answer the following five questions.

What Do My Addition Plans Include?

When planning home additions, you need to determine the scope of your project. If you are not sure of what exactly your addition should include, it will be difficult to tell your contractor about how you envision the finished project. Without a pre-established scope, it is likely you will go over budget and your project will take longer as you are making plans and adding to the remodel on the fly. This is where a good home remodeling company comes in handy because they can help you determine what to include in your project.

How Much Can I Afford to Spend?

Whether you have saved for many years or are financing your remodel, you need to set some guidelines for spending. Prior to your remodel, you should get estimates and prices on materials to help give you a baseline for your budget. If you have champagne tastes, but only a beer budget, you may have to scale back your plans.

Go over your additional home remodeling plans with your contractor.

Work with your contractor to go over addition plans.

What Are My Contingency Plans?

Unfortunately, no plan is fool-proof. You may come across a budget-busting expense, such as an unexpected repair, or you could simply fall in love with higher-end materials than you initially planned. If any such situations arise, you need to have a plan B. Are you going to cut back on other aspects of your remodel in order to fund the new expense? Or are you going to simply spend more than you initially budgeted? Planning for contingencies in advance can help save you from additional stress during home remodeling.

Who Is Working on My Home and What Is the Schedule?

Many remodeling companies will assign a foreman to your project who will bring in a team to complete the work. You should be sure the company has the skills and expertise to complete the remodel. In addition, verify the schedule of when workers will be at your home. If you’re a family of late-risers, you may not want workmen at your doorstep early in the morning.

How Long Will My Remodel Take?

You will need to set realistic expectations as to how long each part of your project will take. Many times the homeowner’s expectations and the reality don’t meet. Your contractor will give you an estimated completion date, but it is important to understand the date could change, especially if you need to special order materials or if unplanned repairs pop up during the course of your remodel.

If you are interested in home remodeling in Massachusetts, contact us. We can help you explore the possibilities and determine your addition plans.

Important Questions You Should Ask Before You Begin Your Second Story Addition

November 27, 20140

Be prepared before adding a second story addition.

Before considering a second story addition, ask these questions.

Sometimes you just don’t have the room to build an addition out from your home. Whether your home is too close to the property line or you don’t want to use up precious space in your yard, a second story addition can be the ideal alternative. Before you start making your addition plans, ask a contractor these questions to determine whether this is the best choice to expand the usable space in your home.

How Much Does It Cost?

One of the most important questions is how much this type of project will cost. A second story addition will lead to different costs than adding an expansion onto the first floor of your home. For instance, to build the addition, more demolition is required, such as the roof, and the systems in your home, including plumbing and electricity, need to be revised. Talking to your contractor will help you understand the costs so you can evaluate whether it is worth it to move forward.

Is It Possible?

As you create addition plans, you will realize not all homes are built with the structure to hold the weight of an entire second floor. Your contractor will be able to check the integrity of your home and determine the viability of this type of project. Sometimes adjustments can be made to allow for this type of addition. If it isn’t possible, your contractor can help you decide whether there are any better options.

Can your home accommodate a second story addition.

Are you ready for a second story addition?

Is a Full Addition Required?

You may not envision your home with a full second story addition. A remodeling contractor can create addition plans that only provide a partial addition to give you the space you need without adding a full floor to your home. Perhaps you only need an extra room or two. Your contractor can help you decide what type of addition you need to provide the amount of space you require.

Does the Contractor Have Experience?

Adding a second story can be a difficult process that requires specific skills and expertise. You don’t want to leave these addition plans in the hands of an inexperienced contractor. With the wrong technique, you could be putting your entire home at risk. A poor second story addition can cause undue stress on your foundation and could ultimately destroy your existing home, costing you more money in repairs.

When you want to expand your home, you basically have two choices: expand out or expand up. Addition plans can be complex, especially if you choose a second story addition over expanding outward from your existing home. This makes choosing the right contractor to ensure the job is done correctly without putting your entire home at risk.

If you are interested in discussing addition plans with a Massachusetts contractor, contact us. We can help you design and build your second story for a beautiful home.

Transform the Size of a Room with Paint

October 14, 20140

Learn how your home improvement contractor can use paint in your home.

A home improvement contractor can create various effects with paint.

Besides adding home additions to your current space or moving to a new place altogether, it can be a challenge to make smaller rooms in your home feel more spacious. The most obvious way to make a space larger is to remove any extra furniture and clutter; however, if you don’t want to get rid of anything, adding more space to a room without addition plans can be more difficult. One solution is to consider changing the paint color in the room. Using the right color can make the space feel larger without remodeling. Keep these tips in mind when deciding what color to put on your walls.

Paint It White

White paint makes a room appear larger. It can add space to a crowded room, even if you have too many pieces of furniture or other objects around. White is a reflective color, which causes light to bounce off the surfaces around your room.

White can even make small bathrooms or closets feel larger. Painting your room this neutral color can trick your eye into thinking it’s bigger than it really is. Rather than remodeling a cramped space, try this paint color to enlarge the room, saving money on costly addition plans.

A home improvement contractor uses paint to change the size of a room.

Make a room look larger or smaller with the help of a home improvement contractor.

Use Lighter Colors

If you don’t like white paint, consider painting with light colors instead. Neutral colors, such as pale yellow, beige, taupe or gray, give the room a more expansive feel. These colors are also warm and inviting.

Another trick for making a space seem larger is to use complementary colors on your furniture. A monochromatic palette will give a room the appearance of openness. A home improvement contractor can analyze the size of your space and help you choose the right colors for your room.

Use Paints That De-Clutter

Still have a cluttered space? If your room features hanging bookcases or shelves, consider painting your walls and shelves the same neutral color. That will make them blend in with the natural surroundings of your room, adding to the appearance of more space.

This same technique applies to furniture. If you have a worn-out table set, consider painting it a color that complements your home. This will make your room appear more open. Plus, your furniture will look new and bright.

Add Length to a Short Room

Maybe you have a short room you wish you could make longer. If addition plans aren’t possible, you can visually lengthen a room by painting one of the ends with a lighter color. Choose a color several shades paler than the paint on your remaining three walls for the greatest effect.

On the other hand, painting an end wall with a darker shade will also give that same illusion. Paint your remaining walls a lighter complementary shade for a similar impact.

Is too much space in a room your problem? You can also make your room feel cozier with a little paint. Use warm colors to bring in the walls and ceiling. This will make your room feel more intimate, especially when entertaining guests.

If you are interested in changing or upgrading the size of your room with paint, contact us. An experienced MA home improvement contractor on our team can show you ways to make your room feel larger or small, depending on your living situation.

Ten Things You Should Consider before Beginning Your Second Floor Addition

September 30, 20140

A second floor addition can be a great option.

Add space to your home with a second floor addition.

Second floor additions are one of the most under-used ways to add more space to your existing home. Adding another floor requires research, planning and plenty of construction. Before you make the decision to renovate your home, there are a few important things to consider that may have an impact on the structure..

Seamless Integration

Because your home was built years before your addition plans, it is essential to ensure your new home improvement looks similar to the rest of your home. This can be difficult due to changing trends in contracting and home décor. Work with your contractor to make sure your second floor addition looks like part of your home’s original build, rather than a completely different space.

Structural Impact

A new second floor will weigh considerably more than your existing roof. Your contractor will need to calculate how much weight your current walls and foundation can hold, reinforcing them if necessary to meet building codes.

Adding Stairs

Make sure your current floor plan has enough room to add the stairs you need to get to your second floor addition. Although you are effectively creating more space with your addition plans, adding stairs may create spacing issues for your original floor plan.

Learn what you should consider for a second story addition.

A second story addition adds space and increases the value of your home.

Mechanical Additions

Your new second story addition needs the same mechanical elements as your current home, such as water and electricity. If you don’t use a contractor who already provides these services, you may experience higher costs.

Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are an essential part of all addition plans. Unless you intend to make your second floor a large, dark space, you’ll need to plan for the additional costs of adding new windows and doors to your second story addition.

Siding

To match the look of your new floor to the rest of your home, you may need to buy new siding. Depending on the age of your current siding, it may prove challenging to find a good match for your new addition.

Other Considerations

Along with adding doors, windows and other stylistic features, keep in mind you may have to invest in the following elements for your second story addition:

· Insulation for temperature regulation

· Finishing touches, such as door knobs and light switches

· New roofing for your second floor

· Extending your chimney if needed

A new second floor addition is a great way to expand your current home as your family grows. While there are many things to consider with your addition plans, a good contractor can help you add more space to your home.

If you are looking to create another floor in your house, contact us. Our experienced design and build contractors in Massachusetts have the experience you can count on to make sure your project is done right the first time.

You’re Ready to Add Your 2nd Story Addition: What to Know before You Grow

July 22, 20140

A 2nd floor addition can add value and space to your home.

Many homeowners don’t realize one of their options for adding on to a house is to add a 2nd story addition. This allows you to double your living space without taking up more of your property. With the right addition plans, you can add value to your home and create the rooms you always wanted. Before you start your project, you must consider the following.

Structural Requirements

Unfortunately, not all homes are structurally able to support a 2nd story addition. Before you consider adding another floor, talk to an experienced contractor. He should visit your home and inspect the structure to determine if your home is a good candidate for this type of addition. In some cases, adding structural support can allow you to move forward with your project.

The Addition of Stairs

Adding on to a house with another floor means you need to consider space for a new staircase. This means you will likely have to change the floor plan on your main floor. However, keep in mind your addition plans will still add square footage, even if you are losing usable space on your first floor. Talk to your remodeling contractor about the best location for your new staircase for functionality and practicality.

Necessary Upgrades

One of the last things most homeowners consider when thinking about adding a floor to their home is the upgrades they have to make. Your current heating and air conditioning system, as well as your electrical and plumbing, are designed to accommodate your one-story home. Adding another story requires you to upgrade some or all of these systems to provide the services you need for your entire home. In addition to wiring, plumbing and ductwork, you may need a larger air conditioner or furnace as well.

A Matching Exterior

Depending on the age of your home, matching the exterior can be difficult. As you make your addition plans, consider whether the siding and windows currently on your home are still available. If not, your project will cost more to make your 2nd story addition match the existing parts of your home. However, in some cases, your remodeling contractor may be able to recommend other materials that are similar and will blend well together to create a fluid look for the exterior of your home.

Adding on to a house is a great way to expand your living space and can often be cheaper than buying a new, larger home. In either case, a 2nd story addition allows you to add the extra space without taking up space on your property. If you are thinking of adding on, consider the option of building up instead of out. Meeting with an experienced remodeling contractor will help you determine if this option is the right choice.

If you are considering a 2nd story addition for your home, contact us. Our Connecticut remodelers can help you create your addition plans and carry them out.

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