Home Additions: Budget-Friendly Options for Your New Home
When buying a home, people typically want to make their own changes or additions to the space that reflect their personal style. Finding the best budget-friendly ways to make these additions can be important to most. This is the case especially since a pretty penny was just spent on the home itself. This is the time to be conscious of your credit and how you’re spending your money. For most people, taking out a mortgage for a home is one of the largest sums of debt they will ever have in their life, and if you aren’t careful this can negatively affect your credit score. Be aware of this so that in the future when purchasing a new home, you’re sure to be approved for a mortgage.
The best way to make your newly purchased home feel like it’s yours is to find a few budget-friendly additions. Here are some of the more popular and money-conscious options to revamp your home.
1. Kitchen DIYs
A kitchen is where people spend most of their time whether it’s cooking, relaxing with a cup of coffee, or working from home at the kitchen table. Finding a way to refresh your kitchen on a budget is easy. One thing that can be done is add new backsplash tiles. There are hundreds of easy stick-on backsplash tiles you can buy online or at a local hardware store. These peel and stick backsplashes are almost always cheaper than traditional tiles, plus they are not a permanent fixture so they can always be updated in the future.
Another way to add to your kitchen is to install a dishwasher. Most modernly built homes have them already. However, if you’re buying an older house or a condo, you may be stuck washing dishes the old-fashioned way. To install a dishwasher, you may need to consult an architectural design engineer for some tips on where to fit it, but for the most part, the process is surprisingly easy. This addition will also help conserve water, resulting in a smaller water bill. Aside from the money-saving benefit, adding a dishwasher to your kitchen dramatically increases your home’s convenience factor and makes your kitchen more functional.
2. Hidden Storage
Finding ways to add storage to your home without taking up space is the eternal struggle of a homeowner. Fortunately, there are plenty of reliable solutions. Installing hidden storage drawers under your stairs is one of the most popular.
This may be a project that requires you to meet with a structural engineer first, to make sure the stairs are kept sturdy. However, it should otherwise be somewhat simple to install on your own. You could add storage drawers or a hidden doorway to lead into a small closet. Many people do this to store their cleaning equipment like a vacuum or mop. They may also use it for a coat closet depending on how close it is to the front entrance.
Another option for hidden storage additions is bathroom medicine cabinets. You can install one with a large mirror to keep your toiletries and medications to leave you with more space on your bathroom counter.
3. New Light Fixtures
Changing the light fixtures in a room can drastically update its appearance. This option is also a very affordable way to add to your new space. These are simple to install and you can find them online or at any local hardware store. If you’re interested in rewiring your new light fixture, which is not necessary for most, you may want to contact an MEP design engineer for assistance so that it’s done properly. Also, buying LED lights for your new fixtures is great for energy efficiency and their long lifespan will save you money down the road.
4. Shower Upgrade
There are several inexpensive ways to upgrade your shower to be more functional if you’re not satisfied with what you currently have. An effective and easy addition is changing out the showerhead. Many people like a removable shower head with multiple settings. Having the handheld showerhead option is also ideal when owning pets that need to be bathed. This is also a good option when bathing a child if it’s a bathtub and shower combo. You can purchase these showerheads almost anywhere and are very easy to install. Some showerheads come with filters inside to help with hard water or water that may be more contaminated in your area. And speaking of storage, you can always add proper storage in your shower. Placing a tiered tension pole for storing your shower essentials can help it feel less cluttered and is typically very sturdy.
5. Floor Plan Revamp
Open floor plans have become more popular as time goes on. So, if you’re buying an older home, you may not have this luxury. This can be on the expensive side. However, you can typically still make it budget-friendly if you know how to do it yourself. Regardless, meeting with a structural engineer may be safer before you start on your own. Opening up the floor plan can be as simple as removing a small awkward wall that sticks out. Or by even cutting out the top half of a wall, you can create a bar area in your kitchen. This home renovation can make your space look and feel a lot bigger. If the wall you’re removing doesn’t contain any electrical equipment, you’ve hit the jackpot. On the other hand, if there are some electrical wires you’ll want to meet with your MEP engineer before you begin work.
Final Thoughts
Homebuyers almost always want to make some changes to their new home. And you can certainly make an extensive amount of additions to your home. These additions can make it feel like your own while sticking to a budget. Doing the proper research and choosing the additions that cost less or can be done on your own will be a huge benefit. You can make it, especially if you are being cautious with your money. Consulting with a structural or architectural engineer first is always helpful. Once you do these additions, your space will feel brand new and personalized.
In case you have any architectural, structural, and MEP design requirements, or need full multifamily conversion design including structure and HVAC design, feel free to contact us. We provide you with the full permit set design + T24 for your request.