Homeowners face significant housing decisions as their ranks grow. It may be worthwhile to consider making strategic home improvements to maximize the space already present in the house for new additions to the household. Cost-effective investments into a starter home can increase property values. These rank among the top renovations for giving growing households more breathing room.
Depending on regional materials and labor costs, the average cost of a home addition generally hovers between $100 and $200 per square foot. A brand new master bedroom usually enjoys a footprint of 200-250 square feet.
Homeowners may be inclined to finance the cost of an expansion, so it doesn't overwhelm their monthly budget. Adding a luxurious master bedroom with a private bathroom typically delivers a 52% return on investment.
Remodeling a starter home by removing non-load-bearing walls to make it feel more spacious remains a tried-and-true design strategy. The open floor plan layout reportedly took hold before World War II and has enjoyed hot- and cold-trending acceptance ever since.
These designs are anything but complicated. They typically employ a floor plan that merges the following rooms:
Some take the layout a step further by leveraging sliding glass doors leading to outdoor spaces such as decks, patios and verandas. The underlying strategy is to increase usable square footage by eliminating walls and visual obstacles that make living spaces feel smaller.
Open floor plans provide added benefits, such as easier child monitoring and increased socialization, among others. Because this renovation requires only nominal building materials, it ranks among the more cost-effective ways to give household members a sense of spaciousness.
Attic floors can be upgraded to the same level of quality and attractiveness as other rooms in the home. Rafters, likewise, can have the exposed lumber and insulation covered with sheetrock or tongue-in-groove wood materials that deliver a natural decor.
Growing households may want to consult with a contractor about cost-effective attic possibilities before assuming the space is off limits. Add a skylight, and it may become the most sought-after room in the home.
Shana Lundell has been a real estate professional since 2003 in Bourne, Cape Cod, Plymouth and the surrounding areas, where she’s lived since 2000. Shana is a luxury and waterfront specialist who has represented hundreds of buyers and sellers, including representing builders in over 100 new construction transactions in her career. She consistently achieves recognition awards for top production, including membership in the Coldwell Banker® International President’s Elite, an honor reserved for the Top 3% of agents globally. Shana ranks in the Top 100 of 4,000 Coldwell Banker agents in New England.
Shana works with a range of clients, including lifestyle properties, vacation residences, down-sizers, trade-up buyers, land, first-time home buyers, and new construction sales. She understands that moving happens for a myriad of reasons and has had the honor of helping all types of transactions. Many emotions can come into play during this time, but Shana is skilled at keeping calm and carrying on with care, professionalism, open communication, and the ability to keep things on target to achieve results. She guides her clients smoothly through the process, from dynamic marketing measures, negotiation and solution strategies, connecting pivotal professional resources, to coordinating the essential closing details.
Shana is proud to have over 100 five-star client testimonials that rave about her positive, professional, responsive, and authentic approach to real estate service. Love where you live. Live where you love. Looking to buy or sell? Call Shana Lundell!
