I have renovated and added to my own home for many reasons, including the fact I hated the existing kitchen.  I added a Porch and a bedroom because I love porches and my oldest daughter needed a room of her own.  Many people renovate a home because no one thought to incorporate light or views in the original design.  Sometimes the existing home is outdated, dark, too small, poorly laid out, or all of the above.

In any case, some of the additions/renovations, which we and our clients have found to have the greatest impact for the dollar, are as follows:

1.  Kitchen and Breakfast Room

The kitchen is the heart of most homes.  No matter how hard we try to direct family and friends to other parts of the house, they always come back to the kitchen.  A breakfast area or bay window is a natural accompaniment to the kitchen.  Again, this is the opportunity to increase the light and views in a part of the house where we spend a lot of time.

2.  Master Bath/Master Suite

My master bath had low ceilings and was poorly heated, so when we renovated it, we included tall ceilings and radiant floor heat, there is now a huge difference in the way we feel about a room we use every day.  The same is true when our clients renovate an entire master suite.

3.  Porches

One of the additions, which provides the most impact for the least cost, is a porch.  I can’t wait for the spring when I can drink my morning coffee on my porch and sip a glass of wine in the evening with my wife,  listening to our favorite music while swinging on the porch swing.  You can include many bells and whistles on a porch or make it quite simple, either way, they are a lot of fun.  Don’t forget screened porches.

4. Garage/Studio/Guest Bedroom

While a separate Garage with living space above is not technically part of a home, the overflow space and storage created can help the rest of your homework better.  When building a garage there is a real economy in adding useful space above since you already will have a roof and foundation.  Plumbing and mechanical systems can be added at a later date if you want to phase the expense.

5. Mudroom

Over the years, we have designed many mudrooms.  Sometimes they are designed as a room dedicated to getting the mud off of kids, pets, and everyone coming into the side door of the home.  Other times they serve light duty as entries with coat hooks and a place to sit and take off or put on shoes.  What they all have in common is that they change the way we live.