Benefits of a Garage Addition

Could you, or your family, benefit from extra space? A garage addition is a great way to add more storage space, a play room, a work room, and more. There are many benefits to building a garage addition, which include:

Benefits of a Garage Addition

Storage

The most obvious benefit of a garage addition is the extra storage. After all, when you own a home it is easy to accumulate many items. While a garage addition is an obvious place to store cars, it is a also a great location for mowers, tools, holiday decor, and recreational items such as bikes and sporting equipment. There are many storage solutions to choose from for your garage, including built-in cabinets, shelves, and the like. Be sure to ask your garage builder about storage solutions.

Protect Your Vehicles

One major benefit of a garage addition is that it protects your car from the elements. With the consistently-inconsistent temperatures in Virginia, having a garage is a great way to keep your car in the best condition possible. In addition to better maintenance, you no longer have to deal with an uncomfortably hot or cold car in the summer and winter months. This includes scraping off ice or snow while waiting for your car to warm up in the winter, and cranking the AC to have your car cool down in the summer.

Increase Home Value

While it is true that nearly any project that adds space onto a home will increase its property value, a garage addition is a great investment. After all, many potential buyers expect homes to already have garages. Thus, your home will be that much attractive when it comes time to sell.

A Workshop Space

A garage addition is a great space for any hobbies, including woodworking, gardening, crafts, and more. If needed, you can even temporarily move the car outside of the garage if you are working on a project that requires a bit more open space.

Garage Addition Specifications

Now that you know the benefits of a garage addition, it is important to start answering a few questions about what you want from your garage.

Attached vs. Detached

First, do you plan on having an attached or detached garage? Each has its own benefits. Detached garages allow more flexibility in size and location. Additionally, a detached garage keeps out dust, fumes, and dirt away from the main house. This is especially nice if you do work or hobbies that produce dust. On the other hand, attached garages don't have as much flexibility in size and location since it has to be sized to the existing home. However, an attached garage is especially convenient for those rainy, cold days when you don't want to go out into the bad weather in order to enter the house.

Air Conditioning

Another factor to consider for your garage addition is if you want it to be air conditioned. If you plan on spending a lot of time in your garage, it will make sense to install air conditioning. After all, air conditioning will make a huge difference in making the space comfortable spend time in. One suggestion would be to install a mini-split system. We covered mini-split systems in a previous blog here and we highly recommend them.

Size and Style

The overall size of your garage addition will be completely dependent upon what you plan to use the space for. If you are using the garage as a workshop space exclusively, you could probably get away with a smaller size. However, if you want to use the garage to store cars, we suggest considering the size of your car, as well as whether you want to have any additional space, to help determine the best size. As a general rule, we suggest that the garage addition match the style of your existing home-whether it be a detached or an attached garage. That way, the garage will blend seamlessly with the rest of the home.

Overall, a garage addition can provide many advantages to you and your family. If your family could benefit from a safe place to store cars, or other belongings, then consider Balducci Additions and Remodeling for your garage addition project.

Creating a Cooking Focused Kitchen Design

Do you enjoy cooking? While some homeowners aspire to have a clutter free kitchen, perfect for entertaining, others want a kitchen built for cooking and preparing food. Surprisingly, cooking from scratch only ranked #4 in homeowner interests, according to the 2018 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study.

Although not everyone may not enjoy cooking from scratch, we believe creating a kitchen with cooking in mind can be beneficial for any home.  Thus, here are our top tips and trends for a cooking kitchen for 2018. Whether you are a cooking connoisseur, or if you plan on cooking more frequently for economical reasons, we hope that you'll get some inspiration from this post.

Creating Cooking Zones

When creating a kitchen for cooking, it is important to create a good working layout. This includes creating wider walkways to allow room for guests to pass by and perfecting the appliance zones. These include the sink, range, and refrigerator areas. By perfecting these zones, it will allow for a more efficient work flow and more enjoyable cooking experience.

Sink Zone

While there are many sink styles available on the market, we recommend farmhouse style or prep sinks for cooking kitchens since they often have larger basins. Installing a prep sink is a great option since it can have space for cutting boards, strainers, racks, and other accessories on the side. Along with a great sink, this zone should also house the dishwasher. In some larger kitchens, a dual dishwasher might be useful.

Range Zone

As for ranges, gas is often the most common choice for gourmet style kitchens since it provides the most control and accuracy while cooking. Depending on the amount of cooking you plan on doing, as well as the number of people you plan to cook for, it could be beneficial to upgrade from a 4 burner to 6 burner range.

Additionally, ranges with oversized hoods are becoming a big trend in recent kitchen design. That is because they can be personalized to the homeowner's style; in a sense, they can serve as as a sculptural piece of art in the space.

The range zone would also house any ovens, warming drawers, and microwaves.

Refrigeration Zone

If you have the space, it could be a good idea to invest in two refrigerators. The second refrigerator's main purpose would be dependent upon the type of cooking you plan on doing. A second refrigerator could be a great addition for extra food, such as homemade soups and sauces, or for bulky items that take up a significant amount of room in the main refrigerator.  On the other hand, if you tend to cook while company is over, it could be beneficial to install a refrigerator for beverages. This allows guests to serve themselves without getting in the way of meal preparation.

Another placement to consider, that is often in this zone, is the trashcan. There is nothing worse than a guest having to reach around you to use the trashcan while you are preparing the meal. Two separate trashcans are ideal - one where guests may be walking by, and other in the prep/cooking area. However, this isn't feasible for many kitchens. If you kitchen layout doesn't support two trashcans, place the trashcan between the cooking area and walkway for guests to also access.

Materials and Finishes

As far as materials go, it is important to choose items that will withstand daily wear and tear. This is especially true for the countertop, which is why 42% of home renovators splurged on this item. While granite was the leading material choice for kitchen countertops for many years, only 34% of homeowners chose it for their remodels in 2017-2018.  In comparison, quartz was favored by 43% of home renovators during this time. Quartz is a great option for a cooking kitchen since it is durable and requires less upkeep than granite.

Interested in quartz? We covered the advantages and disadvantages of quartz in a previous blog, read it here.

As far as appliance finishes, silver stainless steel continues to lead in kitchen trends for 2018. However, some manufacturers are coming out with black stainless and matt-black appliances. These are great options since they minimize the appearance of finger prints that often appear on silver stainless appliances, which is a large concern for most homeowners.

While there are many design tips that you can implement to make your kitchen more "cooking friendly", there is no one right way to design your kitchen. After all, your kitchen should work for the way you prefer to cook and bake. If you have any questions about getting started on your kitchen design, feel free to contact us. We proudly offer free estimates!

Sunroom Addition with Skylights

Sunroom Addition with Skylights

We are proud to finally show off this home addition! Our team at Balducci Additions and Remodeling recently finished this beautiful sunroom addition in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Our clients wanted a multi-functional space that their family could enjoy year-round, as well as for entertaining guests. The project included demoing and removing the screened porch. Initially, the clients wanted to keep the existing structure, add on extra square footage, and convert the screened porch into a sunroom. However, the existing structure could not support additional square footage. Our team made the call to completely remove the screened porch and start from scratch.

Before

Before

One of the main reasons our clients decided to go forward with the addition was to have a space for in-laws visiting, as well as for other guests from out of town. The clients made sure the sunroom had enough room for a day bed for any overnight guests.

This sunroom addition allows lots of natural lighting; after all, the room features 14 windows! The sunroom addition includes two skylights in the vaulted ceiling, as well as triple single-hung windows to the left and right walls. The back wall features a large picture window with a set of double single-hung windows on either side. To keep the wall from looking too overbearing in comparison to the other windows, we installed a decorative window above. As an added benefit, all of the the single-hung windows can be opened to allow fresh breeze to come in.

The sunroom addition also includes a full bathroom with a tub/shower combo, perfect and convenient for visitors and for anyone enjoying the space.

The new space also includes an informal dining area to the right corner. This area is perfect for sharing a meal with family on a nice summer evening, or for guests to enjoy a private cup of coffee in the morning.

Our company also installed a mini-split system to ensure that the space will be comfortable year round for family and friends. Balducci Additions and Remodeling highly recommends installing mini-splits in room additions since they are a cost effective way to provide heating and cooling. Additionally, they can even save you money since they can be turned on and off as you are using the space. To read more on mini-split systems, please check out this blog post.

The addition also features a living/family area with a media center for family movie nights, and the like.

Since the sunroom does experience direct light midday, the clients decided it was best to add shades to the windows. That way, the harsh sunlight can be easily blocked out so that the room can be enjoyed throughout the day.

To see more photos of the addition, please check out our Houzz page.

Wet Rooms - The Newest Trend in Bathroom Design

Have you noticed the recent wet room design trend? Wet rooms as extremely stylish and can add a contemporary feel to your home. According to Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, the formal definition of a wet room is "a bathroom in which the shower is open or set behind a single wall, its floor area being flush with the floor of the rest of the room and the water draining away through an outlet set into the floor." Wet rooms can be created from both small and large bathrooms, downstairs bathrooms, or as part of a master suite.

Photo: HGTV.com

Perhaps, a couple of reasons why the wet room has been gaining recent popularity is due to the sought-after spa like bathroom experience. Wet rooms convey luxury with their clean lines and minimal design. They also allow the free standing tubs with the chance to steal the show.

While many wet rooms have recently been found in luxury and larger bathrooms, they previously started out in lower budget and institutional settings. Over recent years, free standing tubs have become a staple in bathroom design and can perfectly complement a wet room. Free standing tubs are often complemented by floor-mounted tub fillers. These might invite some extra splashes and spillage. While this could cause concern, wet rooms have been professionally waterproofed to avoid any possible leaks leading to water damage.

One of the main challenges associated with wet rooms is figuring out an efficient way to keep certain items dry, including towels and toilet paper. One way to keep water from going everywhere is to install a frameless shower screen placed in front or to the sides of the shower. This allows the room to still feel open, while being able to keep some key areas dry. Another way to keep your wet room dry is by adding under floor heating. Adding under floor heating to your wet room is highly recommended. Not only does it mean that you will have a nice, warm floor to stand on, any standing water from showering will evaporate much quicker.

Photo: Pinterest

When planning any wet room, it is imperative to choose non-porous and slip resistant water-friendly materials. A couple of suitable materials include ceramic and porcelain. Choosing slate, marble, and limestone may not be the best choice since they are porous and would require sealing every few months to prevent water damage.

*Bonus: Although it may be expensive, a great way to create a luxurious feeling is by installing the same materials throughout the floor and run it to the ceiling.

While wet rooms can be a beautiful addition to any home, having the shower and bathtub in the same space may be a personal preference and may affect resale. If you are considering a wet room, or a bathroom remodel, please consult with a trusted contractor first. Balducci Additions and Remodeling is a well-known contractor and has been serving the metro Richmond area for over 30 years. Please contact us to schedule a free estimate.

Laundry Room Renovation Design

While kitchens and bathrooms are the most popular home renovation projects, the laundry room is beginning to become a sought after renovation area. Long gone are the days of having the laundry room hidden from the rest of the home. Nowadays, laundry rooms are now integrated into home design, instead of being thrown into the floor plan as an afterthought.

Location Changes

Over the years, laundry rooms have gone through several transitions. First, they moved out of the basement and onto the main floor. Still, they were often neglected and placed in the mud room or garage. More recently, they have been making a move to the second floor, or close to the bedrooms. Oftentimes, laundry rooms will be located nearest the master bedroom, or even part of the master closet. The biggest advantage in having the laundry room near the bedrooms, or as part of the closet, is because it is near where most of the dirty clothes, sheets, blankets, and other items are generated.

While laundry rooms were once an afterthought in design, many homeowners are striving to make the laundry room (and process) more enjoyable. This is often accomplished by making the laundry room more stylish and functional, and with better storage.

Laundry Room with Several Uses

Surprisingly, laundry rooms can be turned into the perfect multi-purpose room for anything from crafts, to an office space. Having a laundry room serve as a multi-purpose room is the perfect way to add a little bit of extra space that your family needs. Some homeowners might have their laundry room located right off of the kitchen area. The laundry room can then serve as a place to store overflow pantry items, or even a a wine fridge.

Photo: HGTV

Designing the Room

When designing a laundry room, it is important to create a functional design by placing certain elements near or adjacent each other. These items include the appliances, supplies, hamper, and work surface.

Appliances. Having the washer and dryer placed side by side makes it easier to transfer wet clothes without creating a mess.

Supplies. Having the laundry detergent and fabric softener in an easy to reach place will make the process that much more enjoyable. We recommend storing detergents, stain removers, and any other related items in a bin or basket, or on an easy to reach shelf.

Hamper. A great to maximize the efficiency of the laundry area is to add in a place for the laundry hamper. This can include a pull out cabinet solution, large shelves, or an open niche.

Work Surface. Having a counter or table top space is perfect for sorting, spot treating, or making any repairs to your garments.

Some other things to include in the laundry room can include drying racks, an ironing board, and a steamer.

Photo: Pinterest

Choosing the Materials

Choosing finishes and materials for the laundry room can be tricky. Since laundry rooms experience frequent spills and sprays, it is best to choose materials that are durable versus materials that are ultra luxurious. Some great options for floors are low cost linoleum, cork, or vinyl. Having wood floors in the laundry room may not be the best choice due to the likelihood of moisture in the room. As far as countertops go, it is important to choose something that is low maintenance. While natural stones, such as marble, are beautiful and timeless, they are porous and prone to stains. For a laundry room, it is best to stick with laminate or an engineered stone, such a quartz.

Overall, renovating your laundry room will add value to your home in more ways than one. If you are interested in a home renovation project, please call Balducci Additions and Remodeling for a free estimate!