Many of us fall in love with our neighbourhoods or, at the very least, grow fond of the area we live in, so it's natural to consider an addition before you look into selling and building anew. With Calgary being one of the best places to live in Canada, it's an area few want to leave behind, and if this is the case with you, but you need a little extra space, you should consider a custom home addition.
A home addition allows you to expand your home outwards or upwards to maximize space. We’re one of the best Calgary home renovation companies, and in our latest blog, we’ve explored a few things you need to consider if you’re ready to expand with a thoughtfully designed addition that will add long-term value to your home.
So, without further ado, here’s what a strategic home expansion really looks like and how to make the most of your big or small space.
How to Maximize Space with a Strategic Addition
Are you considering home renovations in Calgary, and you’re looking into how to expand a house? Well, we can help.
If you’re unsure how to maximize space with a strategic addition, we’ve detailed how to go about things. If anything seems unclear, you can speak with us at Kavaleer Renovations.
We can explain our reasoning below and tell you more about how to build an addition on your house as well as how to plan a home addition.
Start with Your Lifestyle Needs, Not Just Your Wishlist
We all have a wishlist when it comes to home additions in Calgary, but you shouldn’t begin your venture into a home addition project with your wishlist at the forefront.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t keep your wishes in mind when designing your addition to maximize space in your home, but we are telling you that you must start with your lifestyle needs first.
To determine your lifestyle needs before you begin home renovations in Calgary, you can ask yourself questions like:
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Why do I need more space in my home?
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How will I use the space I add to my home?
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Do I need to add bedrooms for a growing family?
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Do I need space for my in-laws to live with me?
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Should I build a dedicated space for my work?
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Is my kitchen cramped and needing expansion for better movement and storage?
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Am I in need of a larger living room for family gatherings?
Your answers to these questions should give you an idea of the type of addition you need and how best to maximize space with a strategic addition to your Calgary home. A good design doesn’t just solve today’s problem. It sets you up for the future.
Once your lifestyle needs are evaluated, you can start incorporating some of your wants into an addition design. After all, we want you to love your expansion, and how can you, if it doesn’t meet your wants, too?
Build Out or Build Up: Choose the Right Type of Addition
After you’ve decided on your lifestyle needs – and wants – for a home addition, you need to determine if you should build out or build up. You need to speak with your home remodeler to determine the ideal layout. This is one of – if not the most important decisions you will make during the early planning stages.
Calgary homes range in size and layout, especially in older neighbourhoods like Renfrew, Mount Pleasant, and Lake Bonavista. Some homes have untapped potential for rear additions, while others are better suited to second-story expansion.
We believe a rear addition is best suited to those who want more space in their kitchen or family room, or a dining area that connects to the backyard. With these additions, we often include extra windows, storage solutions, and direct access to a garden space or a new deck.
On the other hand, a second-story addition is best for those with tighter lots or if you need to preserve outdoor space. These types of additions are better suited to those who want to create a primary suite, new bedrooms, or even a private home office.
Think Beyond the Floor Plan
Space optimization, for an addition, doesn’t always mean adding as much square footage as possible. It often means making better use of space in your Calgary home.
When looking at how to expand a house, we’ve found that vaulted ceilings, open-concept layouts, built-in storage, and natural light in an addition all play a role in how spacious it feels. A fifteen-foot addition with poor lighting and awkward flow can feel smaller than a well-designed ten-foot addition — if you're going to invest in your home, it's best to do it right the first time.
When you choose us at Kavaleer Renovations, we think beyond the floor plan. You can trust that we take the time to understand how each area of your home functions so that we can build an addition that provides space while seamlessly integrating with your existing home and future needs.
When creating the design, we’ll look at your storage needs and ways to maximize your space while also considering foot traffic patterns, views, and what you will use your new space for.
Choose Us at Kavaleer Renovations for Your Calgary Home Addition
Expanding your home to maximize space through a strategic addition in Calgary can be challenging, especially if you’re unsure where to begin. We hope that the considerations we shared have given some insight into how to proceed.
However, our team at Kavaleer Renovations would be more than happy to help you strategically design and build a new addition to your Calgary home to maximize your space. All it takes is a conversation with us to determine your wants, needs, addition type, and floor plan requirements, and we can begin.
So contact us here. Let us answer all your questions, including: How much does it cost to expand a house? How to maximize space in a small house? Do home additions add value? We have answers to these and more. Let us help give you the space you crave in your home!
