February 2005
By
Bill Rauser
 With holiday
gatherings behind us,
some are looking
back and wondering
how in the world did
they manage to have
“that many” people in
that small of an area. For many “that
area” translates into the kitchen. While
it’s nice to have your friends and family
gathered around you, the host/hostess, how many people can you really trip over as you move from the sink to the range to
the table…and you get the picture?
Been there? (You know the kitchen is
the gathering place, no matter how nice
the rest of the house is…even if you spread the food and drinks throughout the house.)
While the occasional dinner party or
open house may cause some stress or
even laughable memories, such events
will probably not justify moving to
another home. But, what about when the
kids grow up and they decide to live with
you into their young adult years or after
college? What if you decide to turn that hobby into a business and want to work from home?
Worth moving?
With the cost of real estate skyrocketing
at an unprecedented pace, you may really find it is better to modify the home you have than to buy a new one.
With spring and summer months just
ahead of us, now is the perfect time to
admit you love (or at least like) your house, yet wish you could make some change to accommodate your 2005 (and anticipated) lifestyle. After all, what
worked for you when you moved in 5, 10, 15 or even 30 years ago, may not be
what works best for you now in terms of
space, room use, mobility/access, etc.
Kitchen renovations, master suites, and great rooms are topping the list of
changes people are opting to make to their existing homes.
Many of the kitchen changes are now
reflecting the reality—people gather in
the kitchen no matter how nice the rest of
the house is. Additionally, the new
kitchen now needs to accommodate our
growing reliance on gadgets and convenience appliances (bread makers,
water purifiers, pasta makers, even home
computers in the kitchen).
These new kitchens often include the
breakfast room or nook right in the kitchen. And, many seek to add a
screened porch off their kitchen to enjoy more outdoor living in our relatively
mild climate—extending their living space without the associated costs with
adding a completely new room.
For those who want to add a new room,
additions range in price from $150-250
per square foot, not including permits.
For this reason, you should think
carefully about your motive for the
change you are considering—is it something you want or something you
need?
Once you’ve decided that, whether
you’re thinking about the kitchen, bath,
or another room for a totally new
purpose—say an exercise/craft room—you will want to discuss your uses with
your builder to ensure the expert’s
recommendations make the room work
for you.
The builder will not only have to
consider dimensions, but also structural restrictions, zoning issues, the type of
foundation, weight bearing walls, and if
the budget can work for what is
requested. Basically, your builder should
work with you to make sure your
motivation for the change justifies the
budget you will spend.
A good builder who is really part of your
team, will not only guarantee his
company’s work for life, but will be
happy to offer “value-engineering”
suggestions to ensure your satisfaction.
These are ways to cut corners or delay
certain aspects of a project to save money
now, which can be easily addressed at a
later date by the homeowner or
contractor. For example, finishing a
basement may be a compromise if you
want a stone fireplace. Do the basement
later, but do the stone now. Or go ahead
and live with a vinyl floor that looks like
tiles for awhile; then lay real tile when
your budget recovers.
When your renovations get more complex than a design-build contractor wishes to handle, such as adding a
second story, as many have done to waterfront cottages in the area, it is best
to include an architect on the team. By
selecting the right team from the start, all
parties can ensure that the budget is
being spent in the most efficient manner
and that all the creative juices are
working together from the beginning—from the point that you articulate your
wishes to the final walkthrough when
you can all sit back and say, “We did it…and I love it.”
Bill Rauser is president of Rauser Professional Contracting. He can be reached at 410-833-3883 or br@rauser.com.
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