 |
Design Assistant
Get inspired with thousands of photos from Southern Living and more of your favorite magazines
- Rooms
-
- Room Detail
-
- Solutions
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's a Variance?
When it comes to building an addition, this Southern Living Homes editor
offers some great advice.
By Robert Martin
|
|
|
|
When properly obtained, a variance allows you to use some
portion of your property's setback area for new construction. Typically,
this process involves presenting your proposed plans and elevations
before the local zoning or planning board. Also, your neighbors will be
notified, and they'll be given the opportunity to support or object to
your proposal. Then, based upon all the input, the board either grants
the request or rejects it, which, in turn, should send you back to the
drawing board. Remember, you won't be able to answer important questions
if your building intents aren't specific.
During my years of experience at an architectural firm, I met and
consulted with many homeowners who were eager to add on to their
existing homes. Invariably, I found that folks were quite surprised when
they discovered the costs and effects new construction would have on
their daily lives. Before you take the plunge, keep these points in
mind. Good Advice Adds Up
- Just the facts. Start by answering these questions:
What will my family gain from an addition? What new room or rooms will
make our home more livable? How do we want it to look? Is there any
space within our home that presently is not being used to its potential,
such as an attic or basement? What are we willing to spend?
- Don't
forget the rest of the house. A successful addition should not only
fulfill your space requirements, but it should also make sense within
your existing floor plan.
- You can live in a house with the roof and
walls torn off, right? That all depends on the extent of demolition
required to accommodate your addition. If relocating elsewhere during
construction isn't possible, devise a game plan incorporating these
tips.
1. Keep at least one area of the house as clean and
sane as you can. To combat dust, vacuum often, and hang up protective
barriers, such as plastic sheets. Also, don't enter the building area
through the existing house.
2. If your kitchen will be out of
commission, plan ahead for meal preparation. Set up a microwave and
other small appliances in a closet or side room, preferably near a sink.
A small fridge is also a good investment.
- Get good design help.
Qualified architects and residential designers can advise you on both
the practical and aesthetic possibilities of an addition, along with
important structural matters. Also, building codes can be confusing, and
it's wise to have someone who can decipher them. Keep in mind that
construction costs vary from region to region, but an addition can run
anywhere from $80 to $120 per square foot.
For ideas on remodeling a bathroom, see "Updated Bath," on page 89
in the February 2003 issue of Southern Living. Home-Improvement Survivors
Homeowners Mary Leigh and Chip
Fitts, along with sons Ford (13) and Miller (10), have recently lived
through a substantial home addition. Through this experience, Mary Leigh
gained some insight worth noting. - Research builders as well as their subcontractors.
Make sure, first and foremost, that the contractors you're considering
are bonded and carry liability insurance.
- Get at least three bids for
your proposed addition, and compare price quotes of each bid carefully.
Going with the lowest amount may not always be wise, particularly if
certain steps or items were cut to get that price.
- Be very specific
about every facet of your addition, including light fixtures,
appliances, plumbing fixtures, paint colors, and so forth.
- Get a list
of names and phone numbers of all the building participants--plumbers,
electricians, cabinet installers, etc. Hold on to this information long
after construction's complete, just in case you need to contact them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
