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Create a relaxing space with a bathroom addition.
bathroom addition, home additions

Questions You Should Ask Before Starting Your Needham Bathroom Addition

March 8, 20160

Once you make the decision to add another bathroom to your house, you may think the decision process is over. In reality, it has just begun. Before you call your eastern MA home improvement contractor, there are a lot of questions you should have already asked and answered for yourself. Once you are sure of the details, it will be easier to get the Needham bathroom addition completed just like you want. Ask yourself these questions so you can better explain what you want to the contractor.

What Features Are Needs and Which Ones Are Wants?

Some bathroom items are nonnegotiable, such as the sink, toilet and lighting. You may choose different styles for these items, but they are permanent fixtures. The size of the bathroom will have a lot to do with the things you add above and beyond these features. You will probably want to include cabinets, which can be designed based on the available space. If your Needham bathroom addition is upstairs, you may want more cabinet space, whereas a smaller bathroom for guests may not require as much storage space. Make a list of what you really need in the bathroom, and then make a list of what you want. When it comes down to building the addition, it can be a great help if you know what you really require and what you can do without.

Make sure your custom built floor plan includes a functional bathroom.

A custom built floor plan should include a functional bathroom.

What Is the Primary Function of the New Bathroom?

There is of course, an obvious answer to this question. Bathrooms are unique and can serve a variety of useful purposes. For instance, a centrally located bathroom might be used by family members for quick showers, brushing your teeth and hurrying out the door. Some bathrooms are more secluded and used for long soaking baths with candles and soft music. Another factor can be the age of those using a particular bathroom. Small children will have different needs from teens or the elderly. Considering these factors will help you get the right bathroom design.

Should I Choose Energy Efficient Features?

It’s good to go green for the sake of the environment, but it can also be beneficial for your budget in the long run. Discuss using energy-efficient toilets, shower heads and faucets to save on your water bill. You might even consider using a tankless water heater, which can save on your energy bill as well.

Do I Need to Have Ventilation?

If you want to protect your home and bathroom from mold and mildew, it’s a good idea to include ventilation in your plans. Discuss its installation with your eastern MA home improvement contractor. He will know what size you need, depending on the size and style of bathroom you are adding.

Are you ready to see a Needham custom built floor plan for your bathroom addition? Contact us today to discuss the features you want included in your bathroom addition.

Talk to your home improvement contractor about kitchen islands.
home additions, kitchen remodeling

Should Your Eastern MA Home Improvement Contractor Build an Island in Your New Kitchen?

March 1, 20160

Depending on how you use your kitchen, adding an island can offer many advantages. This holds true for both large and small kitchens, something you may want to consider when planning a Westwood, MA, kitchen remodel. An island can add style, functionality and valuable storage space to your kitchen. When you have an expert in kitchen remodeling and room addition in Westwood  build an island for your new kitchen, you can design it to meet your specific kitchen needs.

Increase Space in a Small Kitchen

In a small kitchen, the shape of the room makes a major difference in whether an island will work for you. In a narrow kitchen, it may not be your best option. However, having your eastern MA home improvement contractor add an island to a small square or not so narrow, rectangular kitchen can significantly increase the available floor and storage space.

Choose an island that can serve as a streamlined dining area, with stools that tuck under the edge when not in use, and you can eliminate the kitchen table and chairs. An island with custom designed drawers and shelves can expand your available storage space and serve as valuable counter space. Add electric outlets to it so you can use that additional counter space as a work station when running mixers, blenders and other small kitchen appliances.

Consider an island for your kitchen remodel.

A kitchen island is a great kitchen remodel idea.

Reduce Steps in a Large Kitchen

Many of the advantages of a large kitchen lie in space. There’s plenty of space for storage, food preparation, cooking and family dining. In many homes, a large kitchen is often the social center of the home. It’s where the children do their homework and where friends gather to chat over coffee. However, there can be a downside to all that space for a person preparing and cleaning up after family meals on a daily basis. It can take a lot of footsteps to complete those daily tasks.

Talk to your Westwood, MA, kitchen remodel expert about the ways a custom designed kitchen island can help reduce steps in a large kitchen. An island can create that magic kitchen triangle that makes food prep and cooking so much easier by putting everything you need to perform those tasks within a few short steps. For people who use their kitchens for serious, daily cooking, that can make a major difference in their kitchen use experience.

There are numerous options to consider when planning a labor-saving kitchen island. You could add a sink especially for food preparation needs or a stove top. Talk to your contractor and design the specific type of kitchen work station you want according to the way you work, how you’d like to see your kitchen space function and how you’d like the working and social spaces of your kitchen divided.

Contact us to learn more about how a kitchen island can help you make the most out of your kitchen space.

Confused About Building Permits? Newton Home Improvement Contractors Have the Answers

February 16, 20160
Get the permits you need through home improvement contract.rs

Home improvement contractors can help you get the permits you need.

Building permits can be confusing for a lot of people. After all, building permits aren’t something the average person typically has to deal with, unlike professional contractors. Regulations governing these permits aren’t uniform. They can differ from state to state and, because counties and cities can add to state requirements, rules and regulations can vary from town to town. In some places like Newton even something as seemingly innocuous as putting up kitchen cabinets requires you to fill out a permit application and pay a fee to the city.

When you are working with a reputable eastern MA home improvement contractor, you don’t usually have to deal with obtaining building permits. A good contractor usually handles that sort of thing for you or gives you close guidance on the right way to get it done if, for some reason, you prefer to do it yourself. In fact, it should raise your suspicions when a contractor won’t handle the permits. It can mean there is a license or insurance problem since license information is required on the building permit application and workers’ compensation insurance information must be filed with electrical permit applications.

A Building Permit Offers Confirmation

The regulations governing building permits are based on a locality’s building codes, zoning laws and other restrictions that may be at play, such as land covenants and home owner association rules. This group of regulations governs construction and structural safety standards, land use restrictions, community standards, fire safety code and regulations, restrictions and standards governing sewage, water, sanitation and electrical work. Building permits offer confirmation the plans for the work have been reviewed by local officials and judged to be in compliance with all applicable regulations and standards.

The right permits are needed for custom built home plans.

Custom built home plans require the proper permits.

Types of Permits

Depending on the project, there may be multiple permits required. The specifics of a construction or remodeling project will determine the types of permits required. That’s one of the reasons its often easier for Newton home improvement contractors to handle the permit process. They know what the work entails and what permits they need so there’s less of a chance of delays due to error or missing paperwork. Simple remodeling projects with no electrical or plumbing work often require only the basic building permit.

When building a home using custom built home plans in Newton, expect to need a handful of permits, including one allowing a generator at the site during building, if it’s needed. Local contractors deal with permit officials frequently, building professional relationships over time. They know exactly who is in charge of what and are up-to-date on permit requirements. Contractors working regularly in an area are often extended a little professional courtesy, allowing them to get permit applications through the approval process a bit quicker than the average non-professional person.

Contact us to learn more about what types of home repairs require local building permits. What may be fine to do without a permit in one city may cause trouble in another. Always use reputable contractors to avoid the costly problems that can arise from improper permits.

Eastern MA Home Improvement Contractors Can Update and Modernize an Older Home

December 29, 20150
Raise ceilings with the help of a home improvement contractor.

A home improvement contractor may be able to help raise the ceilings.

If you’re considering the purchase of an older home, you may turn away from a potentially wonderful house on a beautiful lot simply because the house has only one bathroom. Perhaps you want to stay in your existing home but long for a modern, updated kitchen.

There are many possibilities to explore for modernizing an older home that are affordable and can make a world of difference. An eastern MA home improvement contractor knows how to bring an older home into the 21st century. Here are just some of the ways they can help you with this project.

Raise the Ceiling

Most older homes have eight foot ceilings, which can feel oppressive. A high, vaulted ceiling greatly opens up a living area. Even older ranch style homes can benefit from a heightened ceiling, which, in many cases, can be raised up to six feet.

Take Down Walls

Older homes tend to have many separate rooms that can look and feel boxy. Many contractors who specialize in Massachusetts premier home remodeling and additions have transformed an older home simply by knocking out the wall between the living room and dining room. This can provide a wonderful great room and give a more expansive feel to your home. Even the removal of part of a wall or a half wall between the kitchen and dining room will create a better flow and make your home feel more open.

Revamp the Kitchen

It may surprise you to learn how affordable a kitchen remodel can be. Installing new cabinets or painting existing ones is a great way to update an old kitchen, along with adding a tile back splash. Tearing out worn linoleum and adding tile or wood floors is another great option. Replacing your old appliances with new, energy-efficient models is another good investment to consider.

Talk to your home improvement contractors about wood floors.

Home improvement contractors can install wood floors.

Expand or Add a Bathroom

Many older homes have one bathroom. The addition of a second bathroom will not only benefit your family, but increase the value of your home. With minimal structural changes, a bathroom can be added under a staircase or in place of an existing closet. Home improvement contractors in Hingham, MA, can show you how to expand an existing bathroom or where to create a new one.

Switch to Wood Floors

There are many options for wood floors or faux wood flooring that are not only easier to keep clean than carpet, but somehow make a home seem larger. Most Massachusetts premier home remodeling and additions include new flooring as an affordable way to modernize an older home. In many cases, there is already a beautiful wood floor that just needs polishing hiding beneath old, worn out carpet.

There are endless ways you can modernize an older home. Experienced builders and home improvement contractors in Hingham, MA, can provide great remodeling options you may not have considered. Colony Home Improvement has an outstanding reputation for home remodeling and additions.  Contact us today to discuss your ideas and to get a free quote.

Should You Build Your Hingham Home Addition on the First or Second Story?

November 19, 20150
Make the right choices with the help of your home improvement contractor.

A home improvement contractor can help you make the right choices.

The decision of whether to push out or go up for your home addition is based on two assumptions: your lot size will accommodate building out and your city building code will allow a second story or a larger footprint on your lot. Assuming both statements are correct, your decision depends upon your specific needs. What are you hoping to gain, besides square footage? How will your addition affect the resale value of your home? An eastern MA home improvement contractor can guide you in these decisions. In the meantime, here are some factors to consider as you decide whether to go up or out.

Single Story Homes / First Floor Additions

For first floor additions, consider the following advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

  • Additional bathrooms may not be needed.
  • There is no noise from upstairs foot traffic.
  • Building out is the least disruptive to your household.

Disadvantages

  • You give up some of your outdoor space.

Two Story Homes / Second Floor Additions

On the other hand, if you’re considering building up, weigh the pros and cons that often come along with this choice.

Advantages

  • Some parents want their kids’ bedrooms upstairs to give them more privacy.
  • Building your addition upstairs allows for more outdoor space.
  • Most two-story homes are more fuel efficient since there is less exposure to weather through the exterior walls and roof area.
  • Many homeowners believe two-story homes are easier to keep secure.
  • Staircases are good exercise!

Disadvantages

  • No matter which floor you’re on, something you need is always on the wrong floor.
  • You’re forever hauling laundry baskets up and down the stairs.
  • Your mobility may be compromised as you age.
  • With small children, child gates must be continually opened and closed at the top and bottom of staircases.
  • Staircases take up between 80 and 120 sq. ft. of space, depending on the design.
  • Ceiling heights of an upstairs addition may be restricted.
  • First floor walls must be torn apart to connect heating, plumbing and electrical lines and to add structural support.
  • Additional work may be required to support the added weight of an upstairs room.
  • Sound travels between floors.
Consider your options for your next home addition.

Your home addition can add plenty of space.

Other Considerations

  • The difference in costs between building up or out is negligible and should not weigh heavily on your decision.
  • Be aware of building codes, zoning variances and any HOA restrictions when planning your Hingham home addition.
  • What else can you accomplish with your design? Would a second story family room provide more natural light? A spectacular view?
  • A wall of windows can open up an enjoyable view of your landscaping and enables you to watch your kids play.
  • Adding a game room or home theater over the garage is great, but not practical over a bedroom.
  • Homeowners who add a room in the basement can save anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of the cost of adding a room to the first or second floor of a home.
  • A stand-alone addition, if you have the space, may be the perfect solution for your new office, a home theater, or a game room for the teenagers in your home.

There are many caveats and varying opinions about building your addition up or out. When meeting with architects and home builders, let them provide you with their ideas. In the end, it all comes down to a decision based on your family’s needs, preferences and lifestyle requirements.

Colony Home Improvement has built home additions in Hingham and the surrounding areas for 40 years. Our experts will provide you with your best options for adding space to your home. Call us at 781-453-9977 for a free quote.

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