Planning a Home Addition Project? Start
with a Home Addition Plan
A Home Addition Plan is Critical for a
Successful Home Addition
By Mark J. Donovan
With the end of winter just around the corner, it is the
perfect time of year to begin planning a home addition project. While the snow is
still flying you can start planning your home addition and lining up
your preferred home building contractor. By spring you can break ground and by
the end of summer your home addition should be complete.
A solid home addition plan is the key to success.
The planning stage of your home addition is the most important stage of a home
addition building project.
It is during this phase of a home addition project that
the home addition design and costs are determined. A good plan will
ensure that the home addition project goes smoothly and stays on budget and
schedule.
Home Design Software Packages
There is a variety of low cost home design software
packages on the market that can assist you in the design of the home addition
floor plan and building structure. Many of the home design software packages
are fairly easy to use and include 3D views of the drawings, as well as auto
project cost estimates.
When planning your home addition, it is important to consider how the addition
will meld into the existing home structure and the surrounding landscape.
The home addition needs to be scaled properly to the existing house so that it
is of the correct proportion. An addition bigger than the main house will be
aesthetically unappealing and an addition too small will look underwhelming and
have limited functional value.
Also, pay
particular attention to the existing roof lines and foundation setbacks.
Financing a Home Addition
The planning stage of building a home addition is also
important for determining how the project will be financed. There are various
home financing options pending the cost of the home addition project. The home
equity loan is probably the most utilized approach for financing a home
addition.
Personal loans and refinancing the entire home for the
additional financial resources required to build the addition are other
options frequently employed. And of course, there is always paying cash
if the project is of limited size and cost.
Homeowner Sweat Equity
Many homeowners plan to put in a great deal of their own
sweat equity in a home addition project. However, it is important during the
planning stage for the homeowner to really assess what they have for time and
home improvement skills. Many homeowners frequently overestimate their free
time and skill sets on planning a home addition. The result, the project gets
delayed and cost overruns occur. Do not underestimate the work required on
building a home addition. In most phases of a home addition project leave it
to the professionals if you want the project completed in a timely manner.
Building an addition onto your home is a great investment
and usually much lower cost then selling your existing home and buying a new
one. So with these tips in mind, start sketching out some home addition plans
today and begin looking forward to your new and improved home.
For more help on building
and Planning a
Home Addition, see HomeAdditionPlus.com's
Room Addition Bid sheet. The
Room Addition Bid Sheet will help ensure that your room addition project goes smoothly and is
completed on time and budget.
How to Finance your Home Remodeling Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
Free Home Addition
Price Quotes with No Obligation!
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a
free price quote on a home addition from one of our prescreened and licensed
home addition contractors. This process is free and there is no obligation to
continue once you receive your home addition price estimate.
