A master design plan for your addition part 1: flow of the house

If you  are thinking of adding space to your home, one of the most important aspects of the addition is the design. While it is important to determine the functionality of your addition, a master design plan will allow you to select the best placement of your addition and determine how the addition will transition from your original space to your new area and add more value to your home.

You may agree that you want a certain look, but have you really considered what elements should coordinate with your existing space? The flow of the house and the style elements of the exterior and interior will determine if your addition provides a seamless transition from your original to your new space. This month I will focus on the logical flow of an addition and next month's focus will be on the exterior and interior style elements of an addition.

Remodels that don't match the flow of the house include: illogical placement of rooms i.e. bathrooms inside dining rooms where there is no transition, 3 living areas that are all next to each other and have no other functionality and rooms with low ceilings. These are just a few examples of additions that may decrease your home's value even if you have added functionality to your home. The design of your remodel must fit within the master plan of your home. If your remodeler doesn't have a master design plan that evaluates your home's current footprint and incorporates your new space to transition with the old, you may not be getting your money's worth.

Look at the previous examples. If design had been a priority, what could have been done to increase property value as opposed to decrease the home's worth? A bathroom inside a dining room is not logical and does not provide enough privacy. However, many times a small bath could be located outside of certain rooms [think about closet areas) and give your guests privacy as well as powder bath convenience. Three living areas might have been remodeled into two separate spaces that flowed into each other. The homeowner would then have two different spaces and privacy as an option in either room. Low ceilings can be avoided by matching existing roof pitches. Matching existing roofs is extremely important for continuity. While adding a new roof may be inconvenient, the end result of an open airy room that matches existing rooms will provide the continuity to coordinate your spaces. This is only the beginning of the design process. Next month we will look at coordinating interior and exterior style for seamless addition transitions. Remember, your remodel is an investment that will increase your resale value provided you have a master design plan.

Bobby Sanders is a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) with an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.

The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of  successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum, and pledge to uphold the program's code of ethics.

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