Adding on a new room is an exciting prospect for your home but the planning process and knowing what to do can be a bit confusing at first. There's no need to worry about that after you've read this short guide helping you get to know what to do and who to call first. After you get to know this planning process, you'll be able to head off and plan your new rooms, get them built, and you'll be enjoying them in no time.
First Thing's First
Before you get going on any part of the planning process for building new rooms, it's important to decide what kinds of rooms you want, what you'll be using them for, and if there will be any special requirements such as handicapped adjustments, soundproofing, or extra safety features. These details will make it a lot easier to find the people you need to help get your rooms built and they will be right people who specialize in the types of rooms you're planning to build.
The Architect
Once you know what kinds of rooms you want to build, an architect will draw out plans for how the rooms will look, where the windows and doors will go, where the closets and any other built in features will go, and where electrical outlets will be placed. This is the part of the planning process that will probably take the longest. You may go through more than a few drawings before you find one that's perfect for you and depicts the way you want everything to be placed. This is normal for architects so don't feel bad if you want them to draw up a new plan or make adjustments to the one you've been working on with them. Even if you go through more than you think you should or it seems like your architect is feeling the strain, it's better to cause a little annoyance at this stage than to end up with something you don't want.
Building Your Rooms
After the architect comes the builder. You should ask your architect if they recommend any specific builders they've worked with in the past and are well versed in the types of rooms you want to build. This is the part of the planning process that might seem a little scary because it's the big leap. This is the building new rooms part actually happens so it makes sense that you take a little extra time to make sure the builder you hire is just right. Be sure to work with your builder for a reasonable time period for building your rooms and then all you'll have left to do is planning how you'll decorate when they're finished.