Can You Actually Make Money on a Home Addition?

Renovating your home is one of the biggest investments you can make. During the process, you can do several things that will help you recoup your investment while improving your property’s value. The key to improving your home is adding space, using a custom design, and increasing functionality. While many people complete a home addition to put their home up for sale eventually, that isn’t the only reason to consider an addition.

During a home addition, any space added can be turned into a money-making opportunity. One of the best ways to add space is an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). These ADU home additions are a popular way to add an income stream in the Bay Area. During your home addition, these can be built in the back of the main home for rental unit opportunities. Your new ADU can immediately pay for itself by creating a new stream of rental income.

Drafting Cafe Architects offers pre-designed ADU house plans that save time and money. These unique, pre-designed units have a set timeline, price, and design specifications that are on-trend and modernize your home. While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, the DCA team can pair you with one of our remodel architects to help you decide which plan would work best. The architect will also be able to help you set an ADU budget.

Is Building an ADU Worth It?

Absolutely. You’ll increase your property value while creating new streams of income. Having both short
and long-term rental income can help offset the day-to-day expenses of the additional space. As travel continues to increase as Covid-restrictions ease, people will be looking to visit the Bay Area. This is an amazing opportunity to take advantage of the increase in tourism dollars.

The Home Addition Planning Process

There are a few things to keep in mind when planning a home addition project, especially one involving an ADU. Consulting with a DCA renovation architect helps determine what needs to be done, including the drawings and specifications, determining the budget, and deciding on a timeline that accommodates your needs. Understanding what a home addition entails can provide a snapshot of what to expect and what you should avoid.

The process of building an addition or an ADU can be time-consuming and tedious. The structure must be permitted based on local zoning and building codes, but the DCA team customizes these plans to meet your needs. When building an ADU, the height, size, and location of your property matter. With various pre-designed ADU plans available to accommodate the use, it will be easier to determine what works and what does not.

Once you start planning, the ADU budget will become clearer. The amount needed to complete the project varies based on the type of renovation, addition, and size. Having a clear idea of how the addition of a new structure will help justify the cost because spending more does not always end up in a higher return on the investment. It’s important to remember you are building another home, not dropping in a shed. The costs will be similar to building a small home due to all the infrastructure additions that are probably not there today: plumbing, sewer, electric, cable and more.

The DCA Difference

Creating an addition can add discretionary income to build savings, help pay monthly expenses, or pay off outstanding debts without impacting the current budget. The expert team at Drafting Cafe Architects is the best choice when it comes to planning and executing the design and building of your ADU. For more information on a money-making home renovation and addition, contact our team today.

How to Design an Entertainment-Ready Kitchen

As you entertain guests at your home, your kitchen serves as a central hub for all the action. If it’s not entertainment-ready, your party could come to a grinding halt as guests pack into that space. Thankfully, you can change all that by putting entertainment at the forefront of the design for your kitchen remodel. Here are some tips to help you get started.  

Make Room to Mingle

The kitchen serves as the best place to mingle while preparing drinks, dinner, and dessert. Even those who aren’t helping make the meal are often socializing in or around the space.

You can give everyone room to interact seamlessly with an open concept kitchen design. With this layout, the kitchen space flows into the dining room, living room, or other areas of the home without barriers getting in the way of the fun. You can also use color to your advantage to keep the spaces well-defined, yet smoothly integrated.

Add Multiple Prep Stations

If you are lucky to have many chefs in your home, you will want space for each to prep and contribute to the meal. This includes having different areas of counter space and possibly multiple sinks. Consider each of these a work station that may have unique needs.

Each station will require task lighting, at least one outlet in reach, and the right work surface for the job at hand. If you bake, you can also integrate heavy appliances like mixers into the lower cabinetry where they can be lifted into place for use.

Integrate Flexible Spaces

You cannot always anticipate how you’ll use your kitchen space, so be sure to integrate flexible spaces into your design as well. Your kitchen island, for example, can be a multi-tier design. With this option, you can use it as a prep space, serving spot, and dining area with just a few small changes.

You can also consider putting in a low side cabinet that acts as a serving space during parties and a laptop desk during the day. With plenty of flex spaces included in your design, you can easily go from daily life to big parties.

Mount Cabinets Up High

When entertaining often, you need the right cooking tools, serving dish sets, and table setting supplies for each occasion. Unfortunately, that can lead to a massive amount of clutter. So, to make sure you have enough storage while still improving your kitchen design, consider putting in tall, ceiling-height cabinets.

By mounting cabinets high up on the walls, you can boost your storage area and make the space look much larger. Just make sure to keep your lesser-used items on the upper shelves. Also, don’t forget to have a sturdy step-stool on hand.  

Entrust the Job to an Architect for Kitchen Remodel Perfection

If you’re ready to reimagine your kitchen for hosting, tap into the endless possibilities with help from experienced architectural designers, like Drafting Cafe Architects. We will help you come up with excellent entertainment-ready kitchen designs.

What You Need to Consider for Your Home’s Addition

By investing in a home addition, you can purposefully expand your living space and bring your vision to life. As you begin defining your budget, dreaming up your ideal design, and moving through the build, there are a handful of important things to consider. With these in mind, you can anticipate just what to expect and hire the right professionals for the job at hand. Here’s what you need to know.

Property Taxes

When defining your home addition budget, it’s important to remember that your property taxes could increase as a result of this project. These taxes are determined by your home value and large-scale additions can raise that value by $40,000 or more. For every $10,000 increase, expect to see your annual property taxes jump by at least $500, although the exact amount largely depends on the local tax rate.  

Foundation

The foundation accounts for up to 15% of the total cost of your home addition project, and for good reason. This important element serves as the base of your build, providing the ideal level of stability and support. The type of foundation you need and its overall cost depends on what the rest of your home uses. The most common types for additions include pole footings, slabs, and crawlspaces.

Electrical and Plumbing

Your builders will likely need to extend your electrical and plumbing connections into the home addition space. If you have a vented HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system, they will also need to extend the vents and confirm your furnace and air conditioning unit can handle the increased load. Since these fixtures are hard to change once in place, make sure that you’re satisfied with the proposed position of the light fixtures, electrical outlets, and vents before those sub-contractors leave for another job and the dry wall begins.

Flow of Your Home

A home addition is a huge renovation project that can either disrupt or improve the flow of your living space. For the best results, the rooms should naturally flow into one another as should the building materials. You can eliminate surprises that many homeowners experience using our design-build process, the service of our team throughout your build to maintain a level of project management and communication between you and your contractor. For example, the paint, flooring, and trim should never abruptly begin and end. You can get a perfect match or go with a pleasing contrast by comparing samples to the original materials in natural and artificial light. This is something we can watch out for and make sure your project has smooth transitions.

Local Ordinances

While planning your home addition, you have to keep local ordinances in mind, like setback restrictions, easements, and permit requirements. With a skilled architect and builder by your side, you can create the perfect design that works with your property characteristics, goals and local codes. During that process, those experts will also look up the location of your utility lines before finalizing your plans.

Ready to Start Your Home Addition? Partner with a Skilled Architect

Although this all might seem like a lot to think about, taking the time to consider all the different aspects of your home addition can help the project go smoothly. You can also partner with our full-service architecture and construction firm at Drafting Cafe Architects to streamline the process from start to finish. Get a free estimate and have us save you a spot on our schedule.   

What You Need to Know About Adding a Second Story

A second-story home addition can be an excellent way to add both space and value. This can also be a viable option if you aren’t able to build out due to limited lot space or other issues. 

Designing Your Second Story Addition 

While a second-story home addition can seem like a great way to start a remodel and expand your useable space, there are five crucial items that you should think about before moving forward. Taking these into consideration can save you a lot of frustration, time, and money. 

City Ordinances

This should be one of the first things that you work out before you do anything else. Contact your local planning department to ensure that you are able to remodel your home just as you have planned. While your contractor is usually the one who obtains the necessary permits for a home addition, you’ll still want to know the zoning, codes, and other requirements, so you can create a solid plan with your architect. 

In many areas, there are restrictions on the height of a second story. A review of the planned design, the environmental impact of the project, and notification of those living nearby could also apply, depending on the locality. 

Foundation

Another crucial consideration is whether your home’s existing infrastructure is able to support the additional weight. A soil test that determines the load-bearing values (LBV) of your land is typically necessary in order to satisfy the current building codes. The LBV of the soil determines the width of the footings. 

Integrating Stairs

When you’re envisioning your second-story home addition and how it will add beauty and value, the stairs might not enter your mind. Even if initially overlooked, this important home addition detail needs to be considered for several key reasons.

One of these reasons is that they take up space and must meet certain codes. Another consideration is the value and beauty they can add to your home. Well-crafted stairs not only can get you where you need to go but can increase your home’s visual appeal as well. 

Electrical and Plumbing

Chances are that your current electrical and plumbing infrastructure will need to be professionally evaluated. An upgrade to either system might be necessary to ensure compliance with the current building codes. 

Wall Demo

In order to upgrade your electrical and plumbing infrastructure, the contractor may need to demo the ceilings and walls. Even if these systems are up to code, your home might need additional structural support. 

Life Disruptions

While a major home remodel project will be disruptive, the rewards are well worth it. Many people opt to make other living arrangements. This choice often makes the work go more smoothly and results in fewer overall disruptions for you. 

Adding a second story isn’t a process that you can simply walk into blindly. You need the creative expertise of professionals at Drafting Cafe Architects. From designing your dream to creating accurate drawings of your existing home, they work closely with you to realize your goals. Contact DCA today for a free estimate for your home addition. 

Love Your Small Laundry Room

It’s important to have a functional laundry room in your home – especially if you’re a parent with small children. If your home lacks a functional laundry room, or if your current design just isn’t working for you, that can be fixed! Working with an architectural designer and a capable builder, you can have a laundry room that almost makes doing laundry fun. Below, we’ve listed some of the most important steps of the designing process.  

The Best Small Laundry Room Location

Where would you like to be doing your laundry? Is it better to have a laundry room near your bedrooms? Or would you prefer to build an addition on your first floor? And, if you’d like to put your laundry room on a floor that’s separate from your bedrooms, would you like a laundry chute to make transporting laundry easier? You get to pick.

It’s helpful to locate your laundry room close your plumbing to potentially save money and headaches during the construction process. The farther away from your plumbing, the more invasive your laundry renovation will be – and the more expensive. Proper ventilation also needs to be planned which contributes to your choice of location.

Space & Function

Regardless where you sort and fold shelves and cabinets with adequate storage are a must. You will want to discuss your storage needs with your architect or designer in advance.

Knowing the type of appliances you want may dictate whether you can choose floor-level cabinets with countertop space or upper cabinets. If you are converting a closet, stackable units could be a good solution.

Insulate Your Family From Noise

Washers and dryers can vibrate and make other loud noises, depending on your settings (and what you’re cleaning). Shielding your family from the noise can help you get rest at night or help your baby sleep during the day.

Ask your contractor about insulating to keep noise from reaching your living areas. The location you choose can also help with this. Work with your architect to find a place in your house where your laundry room will cause the least disruption. 

Double-duty Space

Many homes can double your room’s utility by pairing it with other short function rooms. Combining with a mudroom and powder roos make your laundry room useful for more than just laundry. You can get more than a single use with stylish cabinets, covers, or choosing fashion-colored appliances.

Getting Help

Sometimes what seems easy needs a professional to help integrate into your remodeling plan. Contact Drafting Cafe to discuss your remodeling project. It’s always better to get a professional opinion.