Small homes come with big benefits–lower purchase price, a cozy atmosphere, and perfect for small families, couples, single individuals, or those just starting out in life. But what is a homeowner to do when they decide they want more room for the sake of a growing family, or simply because they want more space? Instead of buying a brand new house, consider these room addition ideas.
Buying a bigger home is definitely an option, but a bit of an extreme one, especially if you like the location of your home and your community as it is. Adding a room is a viable option, and there are many options out there for you to consider regardless of the type of additional space you want to add.
You will first want to consider why you want to add to your existing home, and what you want out of this new room. Do you want a place to enjoy the outdoors comfortably? Do you need another bathroom, or a way to increase the value of the home? Maybe you need a place for your in-laws to stay when they visit.
Questions like this will help you determine the type of room addition you should plan. After determining your goals and purpose, it’s time to consider several room addition ideas for small homes.
Room Addition Ideas
There are many types of room addition ideas to consider. Depending on what your needs are, there will be different types of room additions to plan. Some of the most common room addition ideas include:
- Converting your garage into a room
- Building a screened-in porch area
- Add a level to your home to make a two-storied house
- Add a bathroom
These four room addition ideas can transform your small home, and help to create more space for you and your family as well.
1. Transform Your Garage
If you want additional lounge or bedroom space for yourself or for guests, consider transforming your garage from a greasy, messy storage space into a living room or guest bedroom. Believe it or not, it’s possible and actually quite easy.
This is a great consideration if you live in an area where the weather is mild and a garage is not absolutely necessary to protect your cars, or if you have another detached space that could become a garage in the future. Using your garage, you already have the structure of an additional room built, saving you lots of costs on foundation and walls. You’ll mainly need to add elements that will make it more comfortable and livable.
For example, you’ll likely want to update the doors–consider folding or sliding glass doors dressed up with drapes or window shades for privacy. Similarly, you’ll want to add insulation and drywall to make it feel less like a garage and more like a part of your home. Carpeting will also be necessary, but wood floors may be easier to place atop the existing concrete.
2. Build a Screened-In Porch
Perhaps you aren’t looking to create more living space inside the home, but want a more comfortable space to enjoy your backyard. If so, consider building a screened-in porch. Though it’s outdoors, it’s also technically another room added on to the back of your house. This can provide a great space for hosting friends and family and enjoying the outdoors while being protected from bugs, pests, and the sun bearing down upon you.
Building a porch like this is also less of an ordeal than building a new room from the ground up would be because you won’t have to add as many features. Consider this:
- You won’t need drywall, glass windows, or insulation, because the walls will be screens. The roof can be minimal, as well.
- It can be as large or small as you desire or as your lot will allow. You could also simply cover an existing porch or patio with walls and a roof, if desired.
- Flooring is also up to you; you could go with concrete or wood for a more rustic feel, or add carpet for a more comfortable option.
3. Make Your One Story House a Two Story
If you live on a small lot, or if you simply don’t have the room to add another room at the ground level, you may need to build upwards–consider making your one story house a two story one by adding a new level.
This is an expensive and involved feat because you’re essentially restructuring your home, but if your home has the structural integrity to handle this kind of addition, it can really transform your home into something new and unique. It will also give you the most added space of all the aforementioned options. Make sure you consider these factors before making this decision:
- You’ll need to make sure that your home has the structural integrity to add another story on top of the ground level.
- You’ll also want to consider whether you have time to potential move out of the home during construction, as building a new story could be very involved and require you to leave for at least a few days or weeks.
- Decide whether you want to create a split level, or entirely new level on top of the ground level; decide where exactly you want this new level to be built atop the existing structure.
4. Add a Bathroom
Perhaps the simplest and yet beneficial option is adding an additional bathroom to your home. You may or may not be able to do this without building a new structure on to the existing home. It might be possible to convert a spare closet or empty corner into a bathroom; you may also elect to add one to your basement or garage.
Regardless, this has the potential to increase the value of your home should you ever decide to sell it. This sort of room addition will require mainly extensive plumbing work if the plumbing options aren’t already in place; aside from that, much of the needed additions are aesthetic and appliance-related in nature.
Conclusion
In short, there are many opportunities when considering room addition ideas for small home. It takes a bit of consideration as to your goals and purpose for adding a new room–be it more living space, an outdoor oasis, or another bathroom–but many can be adapted to small homes by taking advantage of existing spaces, or building up instead of out. Regardless, adding a new room to your home is a great ordeal but you can reap the benefits if it creates a space you can be proud of and enjoy using.
