When you are buying a new home, your choice is usually based on your needs at the time. Perhaps that was before children, or before you began working from home. Or both! And now you find that the house you purchased that was plenty big for you at one time is now bursting at the seams.
If you are stuck in a home that has grown too small for your needs but moving house is not an option for you, we came up with four ways for you to increase the space of your existing home.
If you are stuck in a home that has grown too small for your needs but moving house is not an option for you, we came up with four ways for you to increase the space of your existing home.
Making More Space From The Space In Your House
1. Extend Into The Yard
Perhaps there is enough space on the second floor of your home to suit your needs, but your downstairs living area is no longer adequate. if property space allows, think about extending your ground floor by adding an extension to your house.
An extension to your home doesn't necessarily have to be an enclosed, walled-in space; you can add a three season sun porch that doubles as a family room, or a deck large enough for entertaining. Adding an extension also increases your home's value.
Before you even begin your project, check with your town or city's planning & zoning department; you'll want to be certain that you can actually add an extension before you make plans to do so. While you might think you have enough space, many municipalities limit the amount of livable square footage per lot. From there, you may be required to pull a building permit before you begin work. Consider hiring a local, reputable home remodeling company to help you with your project. Not only will they bring their expertise to your project, they can help deal with building officials and the like, depending on the size and scope of your project.
2. Make Space In The Attic
When you can’t extend outwards, consider extending upwards instead! An attic conversion is a wonderful way to make use of space that might otherwise be wasted, and is the perfect location for a bedroom, office or playroom. A specialist roofing company can advise if an attic expansion is possible given the design features of your house. For example, in some cases a dormer is required in order to raise the height of the ceiling and provide additional space. In most cases, this means 7 feet of vertical space and about 70 square feet of living space.
By the way, if your attic is only accessible via a pull down ladder or staircase, you'll need to build a set of stairs, which could add significantly to your budget. Once again, we recommend you meet with a reputable home improvement company to advise whether or not an attic conversion is right for you.
3. Convert Your Garage
If you have an attached garage that is housing everything but your car, this might be the best spot to convert into living space. Its location is ideal for family rooms, offices and even dining rooms, since oftentimes the entrance to the garage is just off the kitchen. A garage is one of the most affordable expansions, too: after all, the foundation is poured, the walls are built and the electricity is already in place. When I was younger I knew someone whose family had converted their garage into a family room / entertaining area, and you would have no idea it was once a garage. A fireplace was built, and sliding glass doors leading to a stone patio and a quaint backyard were installed. That room, converted from an unused garage, truly became the heart of their home!
4. A Purpose-Built, Small House
If you would love to have additional space but also want some privacy, a separate outbuilding might be the answer. Yes, we're talking she-sheds and man caves here. Of course, these outbuildings don't come with any mechanicals such as electricity or water, but depending on what you're after, that might not matter anyway. You can actually purchase a decent sized she-shed/man cave and install it on your property just as you would any other building shed.
If you have an attached garage that is housing everything but your car, this might be the best spot to convert into living space. Its location is ideal for family rooms, offices and even dining rooms, since oftentimes the entrance to the garage is just off the kitchen. A garage is one of the most affordable expansions, too: after all, the foundation is poured, the walls are built and the electricity is already in place. When I was younger I knew someone whose family had converted their garage into a family room / entertaining area, and you would have no idea it was once a garage. A fireplace was built, and sliding glass doors leading to a stone patio and a quaint backyard were installed. That room, converted from an unused garage, truly became the heart of their home!
4. A Purpose-Built, Small House
If you would love to have additional space but also want some privacy, a separate outbuilding might be the answer. Yes, we're talking she-sheds and man caves here. Of course, these outbuildings don't come with any mechanicals such as electricity or water, but depending on what you're after, that might not matter anyway. You can actually purchase a decent sized she-shed/man cave and install it on your property just as you would any other building shed.
  8' x 15' Shed with Shutters, Windows, and Skylights, amazon.com |
  20' x 8' Shed With Dual Entry Doors, amazon.com |
Things get a little trickier when it comes to actually building a tiny house. Depending on where you live, your property may not be zoned for what would be considered a second residential dwelling unit on one plot of land. Of course, you can always purchase a THOW (tiny house on wheels) and park it in your driveway. However, you'll want to check the regs in your state because in many locations this sort of tiny house can't ever be considered a permanent residence.
Things get a little trickier when it comes to actually building a tiny house. Depending on where you live, your property may not be zoned for what would be considered a second residential dwelling unit on one plot of land. Of course, you can always purchase a THOW (tiny house on wheels) and park it in your driveway. However, you'll want to check the regs in your state because in many locations this sort of tiny house can't ever be considered a permanent residence.
If you're running out of space in your existing home, we hope we gave you some food for thought. What possibility piques your interest most?
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