Great Addition Choices for Smaller Homes

It’s no secret that many people prefer to live in smaller homes. They tend to cost less to buy and are much easier to keep up, too. Also, when there is a problem with a smaller home, it usually take less money to correct. So there are definitely some advantages to owning a smaller home. Despite this fact, there still may come a time if you own a small home that you will look for some ways to create some extra living space. Here are a few suggestions on how to do that. 

Popular Additions That Are Often Done On Smaller Size Homes 

Here are some of the most common ways that people choose to add-on to their small homes: 

• Add a partial second story 

Many small homes only have one story. That means that home has the potential to have at least a partial second story added onto it. These types of additions take careful planning and are a little bit costlier than some other types of small home additions. You will also probably not be able to stay in your home while this work is being done. Adding a second story on a small home gives you many design options. 

• Expand outward 

This is another great option for adding extra living space to a small home. Take out a wall or two and expand it outward. Be sure that when you do this you stay the proper distance away from property lines. This is a great way to expand a bedroom or create a larger size living room. These types of renovations are much less invasive than a second story addition and the home can still be lived in while it’s being done. 

• Build a Bonus Room Over the Garage 

Even smaller homes usually have a garage attached to them. Adding a very usable room to the top of any garage is a great way to give yourself some extra living space for your smaller home. Many times when this is done that room will then become something like a master bedroom and a wall can then be taken down inside the home to make a larger kitchen or living room. 

• Enclose your porch 

That extra living space you want may be closer and more affordable than you think if you have an open porch area. By enclosing that porch you will then give yourself a bonus year round living space. 

How to Get That Small Home Addition Started 

Unless you really know what you are doing and have lots of free time on your hands, it’s probably best to get some bids from some local renovation contractors. Start out by getting at least three bids for the project. Try and find a company like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon that will come do an onsite inspection and give you a follow–up estimate for free. If you like the price a contractor gives you and they seem knowledgeable, then do a little research on their background before agreeing to hire them.  

Visit the source link: Great Addition Choices for Smaller Homes

Tips for Building the Perfect Fire Pit

Have you always wanted to make a fire pit part of an outdoor living space around your home? Then, by all means, you should go ahead and do it. It’s probably much more affordable than you might think. This is especially true if you do some of the work yourself. There is, however, a right way and a wrong way to add a fire pit area to your home’s yard. We are going to offer you some tips in this article on how to do it the right way.  

Take This Advice to Help Make Your Fire Pit Turn Out Nicely 

Here are some suggestions to help your new fire pit turn out as functional and as fun as possible: 

• Overstating the obvious – Your Fires Need to Be Safe 

The location of your fire pit is very important for safety reasons. Don’t build it in areas that are very windy or are overly dry a good portion of the year. You also don’t want to build it too close to your house or in a location where the prevailing winds will drive the smoke towards your neighbor’s outdoor entertainment areas. 

Also, you want to clear a wide area around the actual fire pit to prevent accidents caused by drifting ashes or sparks. Even the cleanest burning woods give of these things. So make sure you completely clear the area around 10’ – 15’ feet in all directions around the fire pit. This should then be filled in with pavers, stone or gravel. 

• Dig your fire pit down a little 

This will make your fires easier to build and maintain while keeping them safer too. It will also make them feel more like an open fire than if you build a high containment wall around your fire pit. 

• Line your fire pit with metal 

Even if your fire pit is made of masonry stones stacked up it will still tend to deteriorate under high heat conditions. You can avoid some of this by lining your fire pit with steel to trap the heat better. It will also keep you warmer when using it. 

• Size your fire pit accordingly 

Having a fire pit that is too big or too small will take away from its looks for sure. The size of your fire pit should be determined by the number of seats that you will place around it. 

Getting Your New Fire Pit Professionally Done 

OK, so you came up with how you want your fire pit to be done but that type of work is not your forte. You may be wondering how to get started finding a contractor to do the work for you. A good place to start is finding a local contractor that specializes in outdoor living areas. Contractors like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon are always willing to help you with the design and installation phases of your fire pit project. So, get a couple of bids from some reputable local contractors and get started making that fire pit you always wanted a reality.

Visit the source link: https://evergreenteam.com/news/tips-for-building-the-perfect-fire-pit.html

Evergreen Renovations & Roofing Design and Build

Evergreen Renovations & Roofing Design and Build

Evergreen Renovations & Roofing Design and Build

Watch on YouTube here: Evergreen Renovations & Roofing Design and Build
Via https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCekuCecsx8XKdk1oP0OSSqQ /videos

Planning the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen

One thing that is becoming very common for homeowners to do these days is to build an outdoor kitchen; and why not if you are into entertaining family and guests and want to make it more convenient. Like any type of home modification, putting in a new outdoor kitchen requires careful planning. It’s definitely not always something as straightforward as it may seem. Get it wrong and you will have an outdoor kitchen that gets little use but if you get it right it will be a place you learn to love and spend many hours. Here are some suggestions to help you plan the perfect outdoor kitchen.

Tips for Designing the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen 

Here are some things we highly recommend you consider when designing your new outdoor kitchen: 

• Proper layout is key 

One of the biggest complaints most people have about their kitchens is the layout. It’s no different with outdoor kitchens. You want to make your layout as convenient, practical, and smart as possible. Consulting with a professional designer is a very good idea here for the small amount of money it will cost you. 

• Don’t forget the dining and entertaining space 

Chances are you are not building your new outdoor kitchen just because you love to cook. So you need to smartly design your dining and entertaining areas into the project. A suggestion here is to keep dining areas closer to the outdoor kitchen for easy serving.  

• Consider covering it 

No matter where you live, chances are you experience such things as rain, snow, and other inclement weather at times. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to consider covering your new outdoor kitchen. It will make it more useable all year round.  

• Take surroundings into account 

You want your new outdoor kitchen to nicely blend into the features of your home and yard. So taking into account your new outdoor kitchen’s surroundings is a must. By doing this you will make your new outdoor kitchen much more visually appealing. 

• Make sure you include proper lighting 

Proper lighting is a must for both cooking and entertaining guests. It also is a very good way to set a mood. We suggest lighting that is adjustable so it’s bright when cooking and can be dimmed for entertaining. 

If you consider these things your new outdoor kitchen has a much better chance of making you happy with the way it turned out. 

Consult With a Professional Contractor 

Building an outdoor kitchen area takes a lot more than meets the eye to get it right. That’s why we feel it’s always a good idea to at least consult with a professional remodeling contractor before starting the job. Companies like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon will give you a free quote to do the work and will let you talk to their experienced design team too. Their quoted price just might also be more affordable than you think. So even if you are determined to do your outdoor kitchen yourself; at least consider what some professionals have to say before starting the project. 

 Visit the source link: Planning the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen

Choosing Types and Sizes of New Gutters for Your Home

Most homeowners are under the impression that gutters are one size fits all products and there is not much variety in the materials that you have to choose from. This is not even closed to being correct. There are a wide variety of both gutter material choices and sizes. We will go over some of these in this article. That way if you are thinking about replacing your gutters you will know better what your options are.  

A Quick Overview of the Most Popular Gutter Choices 

Here are some of the pros and cons of the different style gutter choices that are available in the home improvement marketplace. 

• Aluminum 

This is the most widely used type of gutter material. It is very lightweight and easy for even do it yourself types to install. It is strong enough to support heavy runoff and snow loads. It does need to be painted occasionally but it will not rust. 

• Vinyl 

This material is a great budget–friendly choice that is catching up to aluminum in popularity. It needs very little maintenance to keep it looking good. Color choices are somewhat limited with vinyl and it’s not strong enough to have ladders placed against it. 

• Steel 

If you are worried about heavy snow load or heavy water runoff steel is a great choice. Rust can become an issue over time with steel especially in areas that have high salt content in the air.  

• Copper 

This is the preferred material if you have an older home or commercial building for which you want to maintain its rustic or classic look. It will dull a little over time but it will not rust. This would not be considered a budget–friendly gutter material choice, though. Also, it needs professional installation because the joints must be welded together.  

• Zinc 

This is the preferred type of gutter material for those that really are not on any type of limited budget. Zinc gutters look great, will last forever, and never need maintenance for their looks. Since the seams have to be welded together, these can only be installed by gutter professionals.  

What Size Gutters Do You Need for Your Home? 

We can get into a long discussion here about such things as annual rainfall, snow load and ice loads to help you figure out what size gutters you need to install on your home. The fact of the matter is there is a much better way to do this. That’s to leave this task to an experienced gutter installation professional. Gutter installation companies such as Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon have years of experience hanging the right size gutters properly.  

Gutter installation is much more affordable than you would think and is always best left to professionals unless you really know what you are doing. This is for safety reasons as well as proper installation. Take the time out to get a few estimates from some reputable local gutter installation contractors. We think the cost estimates you get back will pleasantly surprise you.  

Read the source link Choosing Types and Sizes of New Gutters for Your Home