By Kayla Beirne
A great way to create more space without selling your house is to add a home addition. Deciding to take the plunge of an addition is the easy part; choosing which type of home addition is best for you and your family is a bit tougher, simply because they are all great options. The choice, of course, depends on needs, budget, and time. Let's discuss the different types of home additions to help with your decision.
A full addition is the most expensive route and takes the most time. Those aren't necessarily negatives, if the full addition is what you need and it's in your budget. This type of addition involves adding an entirely new room, complete with power, HVAC, and everything else that comes with a regular room in your house. Common full addition rooms are bedrooms and family rooms.
A bump out addition is the expansion of a present room. They are common in kitchens and living areas. With a bump out, additional space is acquired by building out a little further, often into the yard. A bump out seldom adds a lot of extra square footage but it's generally enough to give the room the extra space a homeowner is seeking.
A bump out usually requires knocking out a wall for expansion, but they are an inexpensive solution and not too time-consuming
A room conversion creates a new use for a room. A bedroom becomes an office, or an attic becomes a bedroom. It's a great way to make use of space as seasons of life change through the years.
Similar to a room conversion is an ADU (additional dwelling unit), which converts a space in a home into another small but complete living area.
The sunroom is a very popular home addition choice. It's the perfect way to bring a lot of natural light into the home and enjoy the outdoors without actually being outdoors.
Sunrooms vary in size according to space, budget, and needs. The beauty of a sunroom is its many uses. The basis is a room with many windows, but it can be used for anything, including a reading room, entertaining room, an office, or simply extra seating. With a sunroom, you can choose temperature-controlled options or only use the room during certain times of the year.
Now that you have analyzed several different options for home additions, it's time to decide what type of home addition is best for the place you call home. Consider space, time, needs, and budget, then go from there.