The pandemic has got everyone cooped up at home, and when you’re spending that much time indoors, you might start to think about dabbling in home improvements.
You might want to create a more organised setup, a more productive workspace, or just a more comfortable environment.
An addition to your home is a new room that creates additional space and caters to your needs.
Additionally, a new room in your house also increases the value of your home!
How to add a room to a house for cheap?
We’d all love to make crazy home improvements to create our dream houses, but often we are held back by budgets. So here are some ideas to create change in your home and make some space without breaking the bank.
1. Finish the unfinished
You might have a basement, attic, or a garage in your house that’s currently underutilised or unfinished. So often, basements and attics end up becoming unused storerooms that people forget about or are creeped out by.
Starting with the space you already have will minimise the cost of renovations because you won’t have to add foundations or significant structural elements for it. You can quickly make a space livable by brightening up the place and adding new furniture.
This way, you can turn your basement into a TV room or convert the attic into an additional bedroom or workspace.
2. Add a sunroom instead of a full room
A sunroom is a room made up of mostly glass doors and windows to allow more sunlight into your home. You can keep costs low because you won’t be constructing solid walls or insulation. The natural light that this room adds will make your living spaces look and feel bigger.
Sunrooms are an excellent choice because you can turn it into a personal project as companies offer DIY kits you can quickly assemble. In addition, there are different sunroom options that come with insulation that you can use all year round.
Adding a room to a house yourself
The DIY bug might have bitten you, and you want to work on something independently. There are blueprints available online that you could use for this project. With some effort and skills, you’ll be able to hang out on your patio or make use of the mudroom in no time.
3. Getting patio or porch
You can turn a neglected backyard into a serene environment by adding a patio or porch to it. The flooring can be done with concrete or wooden floorboards. Once the outside deck has been completed, you can use furniture to decorate the area to your liking and style.
The patio or porch can also be enclosed at a future time when you decide to expand the project. The outdoor area is a perfect space for working or for winding down. The versatility of this area makes it a great addition.
4. Build your own mudroom
A mudroom is a great way to organise your shoes, coats, and backpacks to avoid clutter in your entryway. First, decide how much square space you require for all your items before constructing your mudroom. Then, you can choose to build one in the entrance or build a separate stand-alone unit.
Aside from the size, consider the storage units you’ll use for your mudroom, whether woven baskets or built-in shelves. Construct a wooden bench out of reclaimed wood that you can use for shoe changing.
Small additions for a big difference
Some choices of additions can create a big difference to your home. These additions can be versatile and switched up when you need to revamp the area.
5. Add a room above the garage
You can turn a loft into an additional room by adding a loft to your garage. It can be an extra guest room, art studio, or workspace. The average cost of converting the garage into livable space is not high, and you get a return on the investment because the square area increases the value of your house.
Choose a large window for your garage to add more light to the place to make it feel bright and clean. Before starting renovations, ensure that you have all the proper permits and insulation necessary. You’ll also have to ensure you have enough alternate space for parking your vehicles.
6. Bump-out additions
A bump-out is a slightly complicated addition, but it is an excellent investment to add more space without interfering with other rooms.
You can choose to DIY this addition or get a renovator to help you with it. In addition, you will have an additional nook and roof extension to increase the space up to 25%.
This new indentation can be sectioned off for an entirely different use or incorporated within the room to maximise the space. A bump-out is excellent for any addition to an area you might need in the kitchen or living room for extended use. It can even be used to expand your bathroom to add in a new bathtub.
7. A home office
Allocating a designated space in your home for an office is a productive addition that separates your day-to-day living from your workspace. Home offices don’t have to be an entire room on their own. Instead, make use of underutilised nooks or angles in your home that can be repurposed as a work area.
Allocate a study table and use shelves to section off the area to create a makeshift room. You can even add artworks and plants to spruce up the unit. By sectioning off one huge space, you’ll be able to get multiple different uses out of the room.
Tips to make your space feel bigger
If you are on a limited budget to remodel your house, these are some tips that will help create the illusion of extra space and extra room. It might not give you more room to work with, but it can help create an ambience that feels less claustrophobic.
8. Be strategic with your furniture
You can acquire the right kind of feel from a room based on furniture placement. For example, if you’re looking to give the space a more welcoming and airy feel, keep entrances and walkways open and clear. Also, alternate between light and dark coloured pieces to create contrast while keeping most of the colour in the room light.
Suppose you’re looking for a more cosy feel, select warm colours for the walls. You can also incorporate texture into it. For example, adding wooden furniture can give the home a warm feeling. A mirror reflects light and space and will make the room look larger. Where possible, use storage units to keep the room clutter-free.
9. Get creative with the lighting
Natural light is your best friend because it opens up the interior and makes a room feel larger, airier, and welcoming. A poorly lit room might feel small, cramped, and suffocating. You can strategically add lamps and lighting fixtures in dark corners and layer them accordingly.
If you have the budget for it, try installing large window panes and using sheer window coverings to increase the amount of light in the room. This small change will make a big difference. If you live somewhere that does not get a lot of sunlight, adding ceiling fixtures would also work.
Another trick that compliments this idea well is maximising the arrangement of the room. For example, create ease in the walkway of the room and minimise clutter with the furniture. Also, try painting the ceilings white to create more faux space.
10. Get built in shelves
Clutter-free rooms immediately look more extensive and less cramped or stuffy. Using built-in shelves strategically will optimise the space available and help to keep things stored away neatly. You can customise the units based on your needs. If you have more items to store away, opt for units with more doors and drawers.
Built-in shelves can also be used as additional display areas for items and statement pieces. Remember that your choice of built-in cabinets should be something you want for the long term. Shared living spaces like the living room or dining area are a good choice for these.
Conclusion
Choosing a home improvement idea can be tricky as some of these changes can be permanent alterations to your home. Take your time to decide on additions that suit your requirements. Additionally, be sure to check with your local authorities on the permits that you would need before starting on a project.
It is always best to get a professional opinion before starting any significant home improvement to ensure it passes all the safety checks.
Reach out to us at Style & Structure for more room addition ideas and let us help you plan and implement the job!