Adding onto your existing home is a great way to create more usable space and improve the value of your property. If you’re thinking of embarking on such a project, it’s important to plan thoroughly before you begin construction. Creating a detailed budget, designing the desired outcome, and understanding zoning laws are all critical to the success of your renovation. By investing time and effort during the planning phase, you can reduce stress and ensure a smoother construction process. To help you get started with your goal of a home addition, we’ve outlined some things you should know beforehand. Follow along below as we provide helpful tips for enhancing your London Ontario real estate!
What Kind of Home Additions Can I Make to London Ontario Real Estate?
- Above-Garage Addition
It’s very common for homeowners to add a living space above their garage. This is especially true for those who want additional space, but don’t want to change the existing layout of their home. An above-garage addition helps save space, add property value, and provide a comfortable space within your home. If this is an addition you are considering, remember that building an above-garage addition can be structurally complex. This is because you need to ensure that the weight of your addition can be held up by the existing structure. An above-garage addition is often a much better investment than a garage conversion since many modern buyers prefer having a garage over the additional space.
- Sunroom
Sunrooms are a more budget-friendly alternative to a full-room addition. However, with this in mind, you will likely only recoup half of the costs of a sunroom compared to a full-room addition. This is because a sunroom’s square footage is often not counted in the total square footage of your home. Instead, it’s often classified as a “three-season porch”. This is because the room is only used during the spring, summer and fall seasons. Often, due to the fact that these rooms are not well-insulated, and are thus an energy drain to heat/cool.
- Single Room Addition
Finally, there is the single-room addition. This is best for those who only need the additional space of one room or to expand the size of an existing room. For instance, a kitchen or bathroom. Unlike sunrooms, when done right, these can improve the value of your home and contribute to your overall square footage. Usually, single-room additions are done adjacent to the existing structure. Consequently, these projects can alter the amount of space you have in your yard for entertaining or gardening.
What do I Need to Consider When Planning for a Renovation Like This?
As you might imagine, building a home addition comes with many considerations beyond what you want the end product to look like. All of the add-ons mentioned above require permits and compliance with local zoning bylaws before construction can commence. As such, while developing your plan for renovation, it is important to take the time to familiarize yourself with the zoning requirements of your property. At the same time, you should also consider doing research into local building codes to get a better sense of what can/needs to be done in order for your project to be successful. These guidelines provide key information about the maximum height of structures, the distance your structure must be from your property line, public infrastructure requirements, and more. Failing to abide by these guidelines can result in fines or the modification of your home addition after construction.
Oftentimes, to navigate this process, homeowners will enlist the help of a trusted local contractor. This is beneficial because a contractor will be familiar with the requirements and regulations of building a home addition. From zoning bylaws to keeping up with code, they are a valuable resource to have when beginning such a project.
During the construction process, it is also important to keep up to date with inspections. Inspections must be done to ensure that your project is progressing according to building codes and regulations. At the time of inspection, your inspector will likely examine things such as the foundation, framing and structural elements to ensure that everything is being safely built. They’ll also take a look at electrical components and drainage systems.
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Building a home addition for London Ontario real estate is a great way to improve your property! If you have any questions about what you read, or a property in the area, contact us today. Discover more information on buying and selling in London, when you reach out to one of our trusted team members. Be sure to check out our Instagram page for the latest updates and more. We’d be happy to help you find an awesome property in Ontario. Feel free to reach out to us at any time, we look forward to working with you soon!