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Three Major Home Addition Mistakes To Avoid 

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The right  home addition will provide more living space to your dwelling and can end up being a profitable move down the road if you ever sell the home as it typically adds value to it. It’s basically a no-lose situation as you’ll enjoy the added space and quality of life and will generally recoup your costs at a later date.

However, you need to be aware that it’s certainly not a foolproof remodeling venture as costly mistakes can be made along the way if you’re not careful.  

Below are three major mistakes that you should try to avoid while planning a home addition.

 

Keep the existing aesthetic in mind

When adding on to a home or specific room the end result should be seamless. This means you shouldn’t really be able to spot where the addition begins and the original structure comes to an end. Therefore you need a comprehensive plan and make sure your selection of materials doesn’t result in something that’s obtrusive to your eyes. 

It’s important to design the addition with the structure’s current aesthetic being adhered to. If not, the home addition may be noticeable for all the wrong reasons and it won’t add much value to the home. Also, the home addition needs to blend in well with the existing landscape. A good design build contractor can visit the property to get an overall feel for the existing style of the home and the landscape and try to retain it.

 

Don’t underestimate the costs

Before jumping feet first into your remodeling project it’s important to establish a financial budget and try to stick with it. It’s true that a home addition will typically upgrade the value of your home, but you need to realize you’ll need to lay out some cash to get it done. To put it bluntly, a home addition can cost a considerable amount of money. However, you can consider this to be an investment in most cases. This doesn’t mean you should search for the least-expensive materials and contractor though as you don’t want the quality to suffer. Be sure to carefully budget the project from the beginning and haven’t overlooked any aspect of it. If you decide to add a story or room to your home, it’s not something you can easily back out of so it’s imperative that all details have been carefully taken care of.

Don’t be tempted into cutting corners or deviating from your plans along the way to try and cut costs as you may not be happy with the end results. A few alterations to the original plan and design could be inevitable though during the building process but be aware that change orders will add to your costs and typically extend the timeline for construction. You may want to add an extra 15 to 20 percent of your original budget to cover any unforeseen events during the renovation. An experienced contractor can provide realistic estimates since they are aware of hidden costs you may not have considered.

 

Be sure to find an experienced contractor

Regardless of the size of your renovation or remodeling projects, it’s important to find and work with an experienced contractor who’s fully equipped and able to handle the job. The contractor you hire will determine the success or failure of the project. It’s important to spend a good amount of time researching and selecting the right contractor for your project. Ask friends for referrals and also search Google to read customer reviews for contractors in your area.

You’ll also need to obtain the right permits for your location and comply with the municipality’s zoning regulations. The contractor needs to know exactly what’s required and how to plan, carry out and oversee the work. It’s a good idea to meet with a few potential contractors for quotes and don’t be afraid to ask questions and for references and a portfolio of previous jobs. It’s not really a good idea to go with a contractor who has never dealt with a home addition before as remodeling a home is quite different than constructing an addition.   Also consider going with a design build contractor as they bring all of the processes and people involved in the project together and manage them all for you in a streamlined process.

 

About Novacon Construction

Novacon Construction is a design build contractor located in Toronto.  We specialize in custom home building as well as large home addition and renovation projects. We are one of the highest rated contractors in Toronto and have a reputation for delivering exceptional workmanship along with award winning customer service.  Contact us today for a free consultation.

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