Top 5 Reasons To Build A Home Addition

Home renovations contractor sawing board for home addition

The reasons to build a home addition are often based on both a lack of space and increasing a house’s value. While it may be easier for people to buy a new home and move, most find that relocating will cost them more money and doesn’t guarantee the features that they want and need. Instead of moving, homeowners can add an addition to their house. An addition is one of the many home renovation projects that can add value to a home and help owners get the space they need.

1. Expand Your Kitchen

Mess of All kind of Painting Equipment in the Kitchen and Discouraged Man

One of the most common reasons people think about building a home addition is to expand their kitchen. Small kitchens can make it difficult to move, cook and host family and friends for a meal. This can easily turn mealtime into something that homeowners dread. Rather than remodelling and removing space from adjacent rooms in your home, consider adding a new addition to provide space for a new kitchen.

A kitchen addition can be expertly designed to fit a family or aspiring chef’s needs including a large pantry, open floor plan kitchen and extra counter space for meal prep. If you find yourself constantly asking family members to leave the kitchen or the design of the space simply doesn’t work for hosting, it may be time to build an addition.

2. Add Living Space

Modern bright interior . 3D rendering

Families living in a home without a finished basement might be restricted to having their living and entertaining space on their first floor alongside their dining room and kitchen. While a remodel may seem like a great solution, it often fails to add the square footage that a home needs. Home additions can create an extra area and add value to a home. This will provide families with the large floor plan they need to host guests or create an expansive entertainment area.

3. Create Additional Room For An Expanding Family

 

Beautiful Master Bedroom in New Luxury Home. Features Elegant Pendant Light, Hardwood Floors, and View of Ensuite Master Bathroom

Families and couples that adore their current home but find it lacks the room for a new baby or an elderly relative should consider a room addition instead of remodelling. A home addition is a great way to add a bathroom or bedroom for new occupants while also seamlessly matching the current design.

4. Add A Sunroom

A light and airy furnished sun room (conservatory) with view of trees in the background

Many people express their desire to spend more time outside throughout the entirety of the year, but Canadian winters can make this difficult. Room additions such as a covered porch or sunroom can offer a warm and sheltered space to experience the outdoors inside.

Not only will an addition help bring the outdoors inside, but it will also make a wonderful area to relax and host guests. Every homeowner will love being able to relax and experience nature in the comfort of their own home with a sunroom or covered porch project.

5. Build A Master Suite

Master Bedroom Interior in New Luxury Home

 

In a small home, a master bedroom can often feel less than glamourous, especially if it lacks a master suite that owners may want. Rather than searching the real estate market for a new home, think about going the construction route.

Remodelling and adding a walk-in shower, double vanity or jacuzzi tub can turn a master room into an oasis. Building a first-level master suite can also make it easier for ageing homeowners to access the bathroom without needing to climb a flight of stairs.

Start Your Home Improvement Project Today

One of the most common reasons to build a home addition is that a house is too small for a family’s needs. Home additions can help homeowners get the square footage that they want with ease.

Are you ready to start building a new home addition? Honest Renovations is a home remodelling company that can design and construct a home addition according to your budget and preferences. Call us to speak to a contractor about your project.

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What Is A Load-Bearing Wall?

If you are thinking about renovating your house, you could be thinking about removing a wall or two. It is important to identify a load-bearing wall before you begin your project. At Honest Renovations, we have lots of experience with load-bearing walls, and will explain what a load-bearing wall is, what it does, tips on how you can identify one, and more in this post!

What Are Load-Bearing Walls?

First, a load-bearing wall (also known as a bearing wall) is a wall that is critical to the structural support of the rest of your house. They help transfer the wall load, bearing the weight from the roof, through the walls, and down to the foundation of your house.

Load-bearing walls will exist on every floor of your house, often right on top of one another. This is because loads (the weight) are transferred from one level to another, meaning that the framing posts holding up your room on the top floor are redistributing the weight down to the first floor and foundation of your house.

Removing a load-bearing wall can cause serious structural issues to your home both in the short and long term. To ensure that you do not remove a load-bearing wall, it is important to know how to identify which wall is load-bearing and which is not.

The Structure of Load-Bearing Walls

If you remove a piece of the ceiling or, even better, look at the blueprints to your building, you should be able to see the layout of your walls and floor joists. This provides crucial information to determine what are bearing walls.

When the wall runs parallel to the floor joists above (they run the same way), the load is typically not load-bearing. If the wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists (meaning they run the opposite way), the wall is likely load-bearing and is redistributing the weight from above it.

Another way to tell is by looking at the floor joists. Typically, if the floor joists do not span entirely across the wall, it may be load-bearing. This is not a certain determinant in whether walls are bearing the weight of your house or not. It is best to consult a structural engineer to determine what walls are load-bearing.

Exterior Walls

Exterior walls are the outermost walls of a building. Typically, exterior walls are load-bearing because they support the roof of your house. Think of it this way – what are the first walls that are built during construction? Exterior walls’ posts are always built into the foundation of your home to support the roof that is constructed on top.

While some outer walls may not be completely load-bearing, parts of them are still used to support the structural integrity of your house.

How To Tell If A Wall Is Load Bearing

Confined masonry. Load-bearing clay block wall confined at the corners with reinforced concrete tie-columns.

If you have an interior design or renovation project that you would like to take on, there is a chance you are wondering how to know if a wall is a load-bearing wall or not. Unless you are familiar with home construction and structures, it is a good idea to contact a professional builder or structural engineer. They can easily help you determine which are load-bearing walls and which are not.

Open Your Wall To Inspect The Trusses

A great way to figure out if a wall is load-bearing is to remove the drywall so you can see the wood beams. This may not be possible for everyone, but if you are renovating several rooms in your home.

When the wall is open, you can look at the beams ceiling/floor joists above it are perpendicular to the walls. If the joists are parallel to the wall, then it is non-load bearing and the wall could be removed.

Take a Trip To Your Attic

You can figure out the structure of your walls without needing to tear up your ceiling! If you have an attic, you can easily figure out what point of your wall is structurally important.

Your attic will allow you to look at every beam in your ceiling. This is important because a beam can tell a lot about each wall. If a beam has braces from the rafters of your attic, this is a tell-tale sign that the wall would be holding the weight of your building.

Go Underneath Your Home

You can identify a structurally important wall through your unfinished basement just as you would a ceiling. Visit your basement or crawlspace to inspect your floor’s joists without needing to rip it up. You can see if there is a wall or other supporting infrastructure (beam, column, jack posts, etc) that are directly below and following the wall above.

Just like load-bearing walls, a beam or jack post is bearing wall load sent from your roof to your floor.

Before Opening Up Your Space, Call A Professional

Load-bearing walls play an important role in ensuring that your home is structurally sound, but they can be difficult to point out in your home. If you want to determine if a wall is holding the weight of your home, it may be best to hire a structural engineer’s services. This is especially true if you want to remove a load bearing wall.

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How to Repair Screw Holes in Drywall

Whether you have moved into a new home or are renovating your current house, you may notice that there are holes in the drywall. A drywall hole can be caused by hanging a picture, shelf or another wall hanging using nails or screws and wall anchors. Drywall screws can also cause holes that should be covered. Even a small hole can be an eyesore and make your wall vulnerable to cracks, dents or further damage. Honest Renovations can guide you through all of the steps you need to follow to patch drywall holes quickly and easily.

What You Will Need:

  • Putty knife or 4-inch drywall knife
  • Screwdriver
  • Utility knife
  • Paper towels
  • Joint compound / Drywall patching compound
  • Sandpaper
  • Wall paint

Filling Holes Caused By Drywall Screws

a man with a screwdriver in his hand fastens drywall to the wall

1: Inspect The Area

The first step in a drywall patch is to assess the area and plan your next steps. Small holes caused by a nail, push-pin or screw are relatively easy to repair. Large screw holes in drywall left by drywall screws take longer to fix but will look just like new after everything is done.

2: Cut Any Loose Face Paper

If you notice that there is a fraying happening around the screw holes, that is the face paper of your drywall that has frayed or ripped. No new compound can be spread over this area because the paper will rip further and settle into the compound. This will cause your wall to look uneven, even after you have taken the time to fix it.

Carefully trim the paper’s edges with a utility knife. If there are tears from inside the wall, use a screwdriver or nail to push them back into the holes in the wall. This will work for any difficult-to-cut pieces. If you are filling a small nail hole and don’t see any tearing, skip to the next step.

3: Fill The Drywall Knife With Joint Compound

Next, dip the edge of the putty knife into the joint compound (also called mud). The compound will be thick and look almost like putty. There should be a small amount of mud on the edge of the knife; it’ll be just enough to patch the hole but not enough to leave a thick layer on the wall’s surface. If you fear that you have too much on your knife, get a paper towel or cloth and use it to wipe away any extras.

repairman works with plasterboard, plastering dry-stone wall, home improvement

4: Apply 1-2 Coats and Let It Dry

After you have prepared your knife, it is time to fill the hole! Using the putty knife, hold it at an angle to the wall and with the compound side facing the wall. Press the front edge of the knife to the wall and slowly drag it across the hole. You will smooth the patching compound across the hole and patch it. Make sure not to get the mud on any nearby wood or other larger areas because it can crack and dry.

After, check that the spackle has filled the hole, then do a second pass with the knife at a different angle. Continue to do this until the hole is filled, then let the first coat dry for at least one hour before going back to apply a second coat. It is important to note that 2-inch or larger holes in drywall will typically need at least one layer of compound to patch it correctly. Remember to let each layer dry thoroughly, then continue to fill it with mud.

5: Sand

After the mud is dry, use a piece of sandpaper to sand the wall. Sanding will help fix any uneven spots on the wall’s surface and ensure that it is smooth. We recommend that you use a 220 grit piece of sandpaper because it will finely sand down the mud.

6: Paint

After sanding the area, dust it off and apply a coat of paint. If you didn’t just install drywall and were fixing a preexisting wall, make sure that your new coat of paint will match the old one.

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Benefits Of A Finished Basement

Traditional Interior of Finished Basement In A Renovated House Located At Suburbs.

When it comes to transforming your home, there are many benefits of a finished basement. An unfinished basement can feel cold and uninviting whereas a fully finished basement can be welcoming and a nice chill space for you and your family. Creating a finished basement can be tricky, but it’s worth it to get that home office, extra bedroom or secondary living room.

Traditional Interior of Finished Basement In A Renovated House Located At Suburbs.

For residents in Hamilton, Ontario, homes with finished basements are a hot-ticket item and learning how finishing a basement can positively impact the value of your home can help when it comes to selling. Taking on a project that helps finish your basement can help you lower your living costs and helps you invest your income long-term. The benefits of a finished basement are endless, but these top reasons may make you decide to take the plunge and contact trusted basement finishing professionals.

1. Gives You Extra Space

The main benefit of a fully finished basement is the extra storage space you’ll get. Finishing your basement allows you to use the space in your basement for storing various items you may not use year-round. By finishing your basement, your adding room and creating a functional space in your basement that you’ll want to spend time in. You could even put up walls and add a new bedroom to increase space in your upper levels too, which could help you earn extra income.

Fully Finished Basement of Newly Renovated Home With Traditional Type of Staircase.

2. Reduces Your Energy Bill

Another one of the main benefits of a finished basement is that it adds insulation and warms your cold basement in a short timeframe, which ultimately reduces your overall costs. If you currently have a concrete floor in your basement, consider the benefits of putting tiling, vinyl, laminate, carpeting or other great basement flooring options down. In terms of added insulation, a new floor can help keep you comfortable and lower the energy bill in your home.

3. A Finished Basement is Versatile

Finishing a basement is a great way to add additional rooms in your home that you can use for a multitude of reasons. You could use your new basement as a storage space, workout space, or you could finish your basement and utilize the area as a large new master bedroom. Many people are using the extra space in their finished basement as a home office or a recreation room for their family to spend time in. Finished basements are one of the most versatile spaces in any home and having a space that can transform into a variety of spaces will ultimately add value to your home.

A Recreation Room Located In The Finished Basement Area of A Luxury House.

4. A Nice Space To Spend time

When you create a beautiful living space in your finished basement you create a cozy atmosphere and a great place to spend time with your family. Basements are a place people want to watch movies or for children to play. An unfinished basement can get in the way of spending quality time with your family and taking advantage of the added space can help you make the most out of your property. Creating a functional area in your basement that adds value to your home and makes you want to spend time in basements.

5. Increases your Home value

The best benefit of taking on a basement renovation project for homeowners is the value that gets added to your home. Finishing your basement is an easy way to increase the value of your property and many buyers are looking for homes that specifically have finished basements. Completing any renovation is a great investment for homeowners but working to finish your basement or add an extra room may be the best route to take if you’re looking to seriously up the value of your home.

Beautiful Interior of A Living Room In The Unfinished Basement Area With Large Corner Sofa With Blue Pillows And Vintaage TV Cabinet.

Reaping The Benefits Of A Finished Basement

When it comes to basements, you need trusted professionals who help take your unfinished basement and turn it into a great space by adding high-quality details to transform your living space. Simple things like adding insulation, creating an extra room or building a new storage area can add value to your home and positively impact your life. When it comes to working on your basement, consider what you want the overall outcome to be, and contact trusted professionals to give you an honest quote. Finished basements are in, and it’s time you got in on this trend! 

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Top 5 Inexpensive Ideas For An Unfinished Basement

diy basement ideas

Do you have a large unfinished basement you aren’t sure what to do with? Is it visually unappealing? Those exposed wooden beams and pipes … that cement floor … 

With a few simple renovations, you can get a lot of value out of your unused basement. You can clearly envision how you want it to look, but if you’re on a tight budget, it can be rather difficult to bring those visions to life. With these five easy inexpensive ideas to finish your basement, you’ll have it renovated and ready to use in no time.

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5 Tips for Buying a Fixer Upper House

You have probably watched some home renovation shows, such as “Good Bones,” “Flip or Flop,” “Fixer Upper,” and “Rehab Addict.” These TV shows are about fixing up damaged, old fixer-uppers and transforming them into beautiful homes for a living. After watching a lot of these series, you might be tempted into buying a fixer-upper house. Read more

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How to Get The Most Value From Your Unused Basement

So how can you get the most value out of your basement? The first big question you need to ask yourself is what do you and your family want to get out of it – what is its core purpose?

Perhaps an extra bedroom for a child, a play space for children, maybe an area for a pool table, a bar might be desired for hosting parties, or a man cave might be the goal to keep dad and his friends happy during football season. These are just a few ideas, there are numerous uses for unfinished basements – and often families don’t fully utilize the space to their advantage.

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How to Make the Most of the Space in Your Basement

nderloved and underappreciated basement

Basements tend to be underloved and underappreciated; often becoming nothing more than a large cupboard. But there’s so much potential in an underground space. If you’re looking to transform your basement space, here are some tips to get you started.

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How to Renovate Your Basement for Winter

basement winter renovations

With winter just around the corner, it’s time to ensure all areas of your home are ready to withstand the cold. Your basement is often overlooked, but taking time to ensure that it’s prepared for a cold snap can save you from having to make expensive repairs in the future.

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Ways to Save Money During Home Renovation Projects

home remodeling budget

Learn how to save money on your next home renovation project by following these tips!

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