Ideas for Home Additions

Does your house not seem big enough? Maybe, when you bought the home, you saw it as a starter house where you would eventually add more square footage. Whatever the scenario, you are looking for ways to get more out of your home. If this is you then perhaps you are considering a room addition of some sort, but are not sure what.

For some people, figuring out what to do with their home’s space is a challenge. Either they have no ideas at all, or they have more ideas than they have space. So, if you are trying to decide what you want to do with that extra space, then here are a few suggestions for room additions or Minneapolis home remodeling projects to get you started.

• A sunroom - These are particularly nice if you love to garden and want a place to keep your plants in the off-season. Of course, they also work well as a place to entertain guests. Just remember that they need to be treated like any other part of the house and will typically need electrical wiring and insulation-even if you aren’t concerned with plumbing.
• Master bath – Many older homes were not built with master baths, consequently, this is a great room addition-especially if there is a room where the wall can be knocked out rather than having to build the entire space.
• Refinishing a basement or attic – This is a tried true room addition plan, as it allows you to make good use of an area that is often overlooked.
• Kitchen expansion – If you love to cook and entertain, consider adding on to your existing kitchen to make it more conducive to this activity.
• Library or office- If you can’t seem to pass up a box of books, then why not add on a room to serve as a library. Add a desk or two to the design and you can also have a home office.

Room additions can be a lot of fun and not scary at all. If you are not sure how to go about remodeling your home’s space or perhaps want a room addition, be sure to give Dean Johnson Remodeling a call. We would love to help you.

Home Remodeling Projects To Think About ...

Did other projects demand your time this summer, not letting you get to that home remodeling project you really wanted to? With summer nearing the finish line, now is the time to get started if you really, really want to have that improvement ready for use by the time leaves begin falling to the ground.

In an article a few months back, we discussed home remodeling projects to consider for this (almost over) summer. Projects we discussed included room additions, basement refinishing, adding a deck or patio, and work on your kitchen and/or bathroom. Did you not get to any of these, or did you end up deciding to bring in a professional Minneapolis home remodeling contractor?

We noted that with room additions:

Room additions are especially popular among growing families. Are your kids getting too big to share a room, or have you recently added another member to the family? Adding another bedroom can alleviate issues. If a parent or in-law will becoming to permanently stay with you, adding on will give them the privacy they desire while having them close by.

Another option, although more involved, is to put another story on your home. Second-story additions add more than just necessary space: they greatly increase your home's resale value.

That's the beauty of home remodeling: it can expand your space and you won't have to look for another home if quarters are becoming too cramped. All the projects mentioned can do wonders for your home's resale value.

Read the entire article: "Home Remodeling: Home Remodeling Projects To Think About for Summer 2012."

Basement Remodeling Idea: Workout Room

For many homeowners who include a workout as part of their daily routine, options can be limited in terms of where to put equipment in the house. If a spare room isn't available, some might just opt to purchase a gym membership. There is one other way you can get your workout in without leaving the home, and it's the subject of today's remodeling idea post: a basement workout room.

If your basement is unfinished, you can contract with a Minnetonka home remodeling company, such as Dean Johnson Remodeling, to finish your basement and transform it into a home gym. Many basements are large enough to fit a couple of different workout machines, such as weight benches, treadmills, stationary bikes, and more. With this space, you could also have spare weights on weight holders, and other perks like mounted TVs. Mirrors can be installed on the walls to further create the look and feel of a real gym.

Do you like the thought of working out in your basement? If you have all that space available, you can put it to good use by turning it into a workout room. Not only will you bring all the benefits of a gym much closer to your home (in fact... in your home), you could also increase your home's value by finishing your basement.

Ready to get started on your basement remodeling project? Get in touch with Dean Johnson Remodeling today by calling (763) 479-4820.

Remodeling Project: Basement Arcade

Looking for a unique way to remodel that unfinished basement of yours? If you want to make the basement fun and inviting, and don't mind springing a bit for the game cabinets you'll have to buy, you could consider building your very own basement arcade, like game enthusiast Jeff Kinder did. Included below are a few shots from Jeff's finished arcade.







Construction of Kinder's basement arcade was done in seven phases, and led to the great-looking setup you see above. It just goes to show you that, with a lot of hard work and some imagination, you can transform any space into your home into something incredible.

Ready to build something equally great for your home? Get in touch with Dean Johnson remodeling, a company providing Minnetonka home remodeling services, by calling (763) 479-4820.

Home Remodeling: Attic Bedrooms

One of the big remodeling trends these days is the attic bedroom project, a transformation that can turn your dusty old attic into an extra bedroom for a family member or a guest. It's a great way to re-purpose space that is currently being used for storage, or perhaps for nothing at all. While there may be some additional steps that need to be taken to ready the room for an inhabitant -- piping your heating and air conditioning into this room, for example -- this home remodeling project can add to your home's value should you decide to put it on the market later.

Of course, if you're not up for adding a new bedroom, the attic can serve many other purposes, too. You could remodel it into a home office, where you'll have quite a bit of privacy when compared to home offices in other homes. You could also create an art or music studio in the attic, and give yourself a quite place to create, away from the hustle and bustle that other areas in the home might have.

You can make your Minnetonka home remodeling ideas a reality by calling Dean Johnson Remodeling today at (763) 479-4820.

Home Remodeling More Popular than Homebuying

More people are now remodeling their homes instead of buying a new residence. HouseingPredictor.com reported last week. The recession knocked down home values, but homeowners are getting some of that back with renovating rooms and other areas in their homes.

 From the article:

A new remodeling trend has emerged as a result, with bathrooms and kitchens being the two areas of a home that receive the largest number of upgrades. Homeowners are also opting for more hot tubs, exercise pools, art rooms, yoga studios, dog spas and wine tasting rooms to add to homes.

Another survey by the National Association of Homebuilders released just a week ago also shows home remodeling projects have increased over 2010. Almost half of contractors report seeing an increase in the number of homeowners who undertake remodels to avoid moving compared to 2010. Kitchen and bathroom projects are up 17% over two years ago, with bathroom remodels cited as the most common job by 78% of those surveyed.

If you're one of those who want to stay in your Twin Cities home, but are running out of room, get in touch with Minneapolis home remodeling company Dean Johnson Remodeling by visiting www.DeanJohnsonRemodeling.com. 

Most Popular Home Remodeling Projects

If you had to guess which type of home remodeling project is the most popular among Minneapolis homeowners, what would your guess be? Bedroom? Kitchen? Bathroom? If you said bathroom, you nailed it right on the head.

The National Association of Home Builders' Remodeling Market Index survey found that bathroom remodeling was the most common remodeling job in 2011, taking 78% among companies who completed remodeling jobs. Kitchen remodeling, which led the way for quite some time, came in second at 69%.

Other big projects that homeowners are finding important are window and door replacements, as well as projects that repair damaged parts of the property.

If your home is in need of a change, talk with Dean Johnson Remodeling. We're a trusted leader in the Minneapolis home remodeling industry, and have been serving the region for over 35 years. Get in touch with us today at (763) 479-4820.