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Is It Better to Build Up or Build Out For A Home Addition?
If you have the desire to add onto your home, you are often experiencing the joys of an expanding family. Maybe you have young children and now are excited to welcome a newborn into your family. Perhaps you are planning for your college student to move back home after graduation. Or you could be preparing for your elderly parents to come live with you.
One of the questions we at ELM Construction are often asked by those considering an addition is, “which is the better choice when expanding my home: should we build up or build out?” It’s our opinion that there’s no real right or wrong in the “up vs. out” question. We think the decision has to be made on a case by case basis, and there are several factors that may come into play:
First, make a careful analysis of your home’s lot and how your home sits on the lot.
Discover whether it is conducive to add space onto the side or rear of your house.
If your house is close to the property lines or if the lot is severely sloped, it may be difficult to add onto the side or rear.
In this case, it makes more sense to look at staying within the existing footprint of the home and build up.
What to keep in mind when building out:
Will the extra space meet your needs and fit with the style of your home’s structure?
Are you willing to trade valuable yard space for the addition?
Adding onto a home requires new footings and foundations that can be quite expensive to install.
When excavating, there can be buried ‘surprises’ you may encounter—such as large rocks, natural springs, old septic systems, etc.
Consider these if building up makes more sense:
What is the purpose for the extra space?
If you are looking to add a kitchen, it may not make a lot of sense to put it on the second floor.
As an alternative, it is possible to expand the existing kitchen into an adjacent room, such as a first floor bedroom. Then we could relocate the bedroom to the second floor.
It’s also important to research the following when deciding on a home addition:
Are there any height restrictions in your neighborhood? Many municipalities limit the heights of structures.
Removing or modifying your roof structure can be disruptive to your family. In most cases it will require your house to be empty during renovation.
Can your existing home’s structure support a second floor? Are the footings, foundations, and load bearing walls able to support the new load? This is best determined by consulting with an engineer, and that should be considered in your budget.
Where will the new stairs go? Do you have an area in the house that you can use for a stairwell?
Are there members of your family who cannot climb stairs due to disabilities? If so, you may need to install a residential elevator.
A home addition is a great option if you love your home and neighborhood, but you’re running out of space. Most often homeowners in the Birmingham area want to stay put in their home, but don’t see how to make it work.
Whether you’re looking to add on or reconfigure your home’s existing layout, we can work with you on answering all the above questions. By putting extra thought into the details early in our process, you can feel confident you have made the best decision regarding your remodeling project with very few, if any, surprises. Give us a call when you’re ready to go!
Creating an Outdoor Living Space for All Seasons
We are excited to share with you the details of this spectacular, award-winning screened porch project that won a 2018 Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards (AREA) in the category of Outdoor Living.
This house had a simple small back deck with old patio furniture and a faded umbrella. The homeowners wanted a screened covered porch that could be used as a place to drink coffee and host guests outside without worrying about the weather or mosquitos. The original deck had begun to show a lot of moisture damage and some rot especially along the edges. It seemed much older and more worn than the rest of the house and it also didn’t match the house.
We could have easily done a deck replacement, but the homeowner wanted a true outdoor living space with protection from all the elements. This remodel needed to match the rest of the house in style. We wanted to make this new addition look like it had been a part of the house since the beginning, while also maintaining the feel of a true outdoor living space.
The deck was replaced and expanded so that more seats and an outdoor dining table could fit comfortably. The main supports and columns were a specific size and were spaced to a certain length, not just for structural support but also for style. The column size and spacing created an interior look while the size of the screen around the columns and framing still made it an outdoor area. The combination created an atmosphere that could be enjoyed during any season and for any occasion. These homeowners actually had Thanksgiving lunch on the outside patio just after completion.
See more photos of this project in our portfolio here.
ELM Construction Celebrates 10 Years: Our Anniversary Story
We at ELM Construction LLC are excited to announce the celebration of our company’s 10th anniversary in business!
There is no quick and easy formula for long-lasting success. Just ask Elliott Pike, our managing member who officially started this business on October 28, 2008. That was the same year our country’s economy was going under, and most people would say it was not a good time to start a business. However, Elliott was willing to begin small and persevere through the tough times. He is someone who likes to work with his hands, is quite the DIY’er, and has always been interested in construction projects. Therefore, he had a great desire to own his own remodeling business.
ELM Construction is an acronym for Elliott’s wife, LeArden, and his two daughters, Emma Grace and Mary Laslie, who were very much involved in the growth of the company. For eight years, Elliott and LeArden moved the company office from one location to another as they grew. Starting with a folding table in a corner of their master bedroom, then moving to their daughter’s nursery, the garage, graduating to rental space in Hoover, and finally to our current location in Vestavia Hills. The process wasn’t entirely painless, but ELM Construction not only managed to survive—we flourished!
Today ELM Construction has evolved into a professional design/build remodeling company that specializes in kitchens, baths, home additions, basement renovations and custom homes. Our company serves Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook and the Birmingham Metro area. Our amazing team has the expertise to provide our clients with a tremendously satisfying process and the beautiful finished projects they desire.
We are very thankful to our clients, employees, vendors and subcontractors for helping ELM reach this wonderful 10-year milestone! Based on the firm foundation of the past 10 years and the current strength of our company, the ELM Construction team is moving forward with great expectations for future success.
Above Left: Elliott and LeArden serving lunch to volunteers at a Habitat Build in 2010. The little red head toddling around in the background is their youngest daughter who was about two years old at the time. Last April she turned ten!
Above Right: Elliott with his family who are the inspiration for the ELM acronym: LeArden, Emma Grace, and Mary Laslie.
ELM Construction and Elliott Pike’s Achievements in the past 10 years:
Associations
2018 Remodeler of the Year by the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders
2018 2nd Vice President Board of Directors of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders
Past President of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council
2018 Home Builders Association of Alabama Remodelers Chairperson
2018 Serving on Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders—Remodelers
Current Member National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
Certifications
Master Remodeler
Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR)
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS)
Alabama Accredited Lead-Based Paint Renovator
Awards
January 2016 National Association of Home Builders Remodeler of the Month
Alabama Remodeling Excellence Award Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
2014 Home Builders Association of Alabama Remodeler of the Year
Best of HOUZZ 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
2012 Professional Remodeler 40 Under 40
You May Regret Renovating To An Open Concept...
I recently read an article from Readers Digest (yes.. Readers Digest is still around!) about renovations that you are likely to regret later. It was fairly accurate (I thought), including the first one on the list "Creating a Great Room." My wife and I created a great room when we remodeled our house 10 years ago and yes, there are many times we regretted it.
"While the room may be very large, it doesn't offer many options: It leaves the family with only one room to relax in, any mess is immediately visible and remains that way until tidied, there is no table where you can relax and enjoy a meal, and sometimes you don't want to hear whatever the kids are watching on TV," says Michele Morrison, a realtor in the Greater Bay Area of California.
Yep... she's nailed it. When we "opened up" our living space (turned three separate rooms into one really big room), we rearranged our furniture a hundred times before we finally settled on a layout. When it was said and done, we found we used the spaces the same as before, just no walls between the rooms. Granted, the open floor plan was great when we had parties or a bunch of family members over. But if I wanted to watch a football game or a movie and the rest of the family wanted to make a batch of homemade cookies, it was TV volume vs stand mixer (the mixer usually won).
With hindsight, would I have done things differently? Maybe. But we did not have a lot of options with our old layout. And with growing kids, it was nice to be able to be working in the kitchen and keep an eye on the activities of everyone without having to stick our heads around a wall to peek.
I think we are starting to see the trend move away from the full-blown "open concept" to more of a large kitchen with maybe a keeping area and then a separate living space or den. Not so sure that formal livings will be coming back anytime soon for your average homeowner either.
Elliott
Source: https://www.rd.com/home/improvement/home-renovations-youre-likely-to-regret-later/
Prepare Your House For The Family Staying Over The Holidays
"Christmas Vacation" 1989
Cleanup, and Quick Fixes, for the Holiday Season and Family Gatherings
1. The water heater: Check the temp, and check the functionality
Young kids and grandparents are susceptible to the hot water heater over the holidays. Be sure you turn down the temperature for children and the elderly. Make sure you check the lines and the pilot light. The water heater will get used a lot over the holidays, make sure it operates to full potential.
2. Air Filters, and Fans
Put in new air filters, there will be a lot more people in the house. Dust, dirt, and other particles can quickly choke an older air filter. Make sure ceiling fans are spinning clockwise during the winter months for better warm air circulation. Check fans/ vents in bedrooms, the overhead fan in the kitchen, and most importantly the bathrooms. Moving air is clean air for the family.
3. Smoke detectors
Change the batteries! Space heaters for grandpa, the oven left on by a great aunt, or a cat chewing on the Christmas lights can cause major fire damage. If you have time try and put one on every floor and large space in the house. An operational smoke detector can protect against extensive damage.
4. Door stoppers
Kids will be running around the house, and doors will slam in a rush of excitement for presents and food. Save your drywall this Holiday season and install doorstops for every door. The standard “spring” stops are easy to install and cheaper than new drywall and paint.
5. Wheel Chair access, or limited access
A grandparent may be in a wheelchair this year, and you’re hosting them for the holidays. You may not have time to build an approved ramp, but you can help them get from one room to the other. Taking some doors off the hinges, moving furniture, and removing a rug on hardwood are all ways to make it easier for them to move around with the kids.
6. Check the drains and pipes
The added use of drains and pipes suddenly could cause problems during the holidays. Make sure water is flowing smoothly, and any obstructions like hair are removed from the drains. If you’re on a septic line make sure you add the enzymes at least once a year to keep it from filling up too fast.
7. Gutters
A rainy day before the holiday festivities could mean a leak from plugged gutters. If you are not able to get on the roof, or are not comfortable in climbing ladders play it safe and call a gutter guy. This is also a great project to do while your putting up Christmas lights on the roof.
Turning Antique Building Materials Into Living History
The Slide show above shows how the floor joists turnes into a decorative shelf
Demolition day is exciting and can get a little messy, but there can be treasures found on demo day with ELM.
It is not just the millennial hipsters recycling old wood, doors, and copper piping to decorate homes. This restored style in today’s homes encourages recycling those old wood boards into something spectacular.
Here are some ideas:
Old pipes for a towel rack
Antique doors as a breakfast or dining table
Scrap hardwood flooring into picture frames
In one of Elm’s most recent projects we took some old floor joists from the late 1920s in a guesthouse and gave them a makeover. After some delicate sanding, the ELM crew put pieces of the original floor joists on the wall as a decorative shelf.
ELM has gotten a few of these requests to take pieces of an old house and repurpose the beauty of aged materials into another use.
If you are not ready for a remodel anytime soon, or do not have an older house with a treasure trove of old materials, that is not a problem.
Elm is not encouraging dumpster diving, we are encouraging recycling and getting creative to put some living history into a home.
Yard sales, asking about that junk on the side of the road from a neighbor, or finding materials online can be great ways to create an original piece in your home with a little bit of effort, sandpaper, tools, stain, or paint.
If you have a remodel in mind and have some older pieces you would like to keep in the house for another use, give ELM a call and we can talk about that in an estimate.
If you need some ideas on restoring old materials, check back with us and we will post more of our creative projects.
ZipUp The Deck For Game Day
It is 4th & 1 with minutes left in the game, a storm is approaching and a very superstitious fan base believes moving inside will only mess up the positive vibes for the team, and they don’t want to split the TV with the rival fan base in the house.
A mad dash for the tarps, the pop up tents (usually reserved for tailgating), and the jumbo garbage bags with duct tape to protect the deck and flat screen is a temporary, and usually unsuccessful attempt at saving the game day experience.
Yep, that sums up watching college football in Alabama.
Birmingham is the number one city for College Football TV ratings almost every weekend. The Magic City is also known for blue skies one minute and a monsoon the next.
Football season is almost here, the weather will be cooler, and you will be having fanatic college football fans over for the big game. Don’t let your friends and family in a house divided fight over the living room TV when the games are overlapping, and the deck is soaked.
Turn unused space under a leaky deck into an outdoor area to celebrate victories throughout the football season with a Zipup UnderDeck. The Zipup ceiling diverts water coming through the deck above to a gutter, keeping the space underneath dry. The Zipup can house a lighting or a fan fixture, and can match any size or shape of deck.
Once your Zipup is finished set up some outdoor furniture, a big screen, and enjoy the game outside worry free.
ELM Construction is a Birmingham dealer for this product, and can keep your game day parties going during the storms.
If you have questions about the product check out the website below, checkout the slideshow above, or contact ELM Construction.
www.zipupceilings.com
War Eagle, Roll Tide & Go Blazers !
What's Your Remodeling Etiquette IQ?
I came across this interesting infographic produced by thebathoutlet.com about "Home Improvement Etiquette." Some of the answers surprised me, but most did not. What do you think?
Source: https://www.thebathoutlet.com/
One Hidden Solution That Makes Laundry Less Of A Chore!
One of the things I love most about working with our customers is going in after the job is completed, and seeing all of the changes that were made during the renovation. It is always fun to see the vision on paper become a reality! One of my favorite projects from last year was this kitchen remodel. Our customer was a couple that had lived in their home for over 27 years. They raised their children in it, moved them out of the house, became empty nesters and then decided it was time to do some remodeling and renovate the kitchen! In addition to wanting the kitchen updated, we also had a problem to solve- the laundry space in the basement! One of the chores the homeowner dreaded was trudging up and down the basement stairs with a laundry basket full of clothes! Our solution was moving the laundry space from the basement into the kitchen.
The before and after pictures really show an amazing transformation. However, the feature that I love most in this kitchen is the laundry area. Not only is it discreet, but the countertop can be used as a folding table while doing the laundry, or as a serving area when having guests over! The side panel is removable, which provides easy access for service if needed. The washer and dryer are front loading appliances, and the doors concealing the space open just like a cabinet! Unless you live there, you would never know that the laundry space is hidden in the kitchen!
This remodel not only updated the space, but also helped the owner solve the problem of having a laundry room in the basement!
Resources
Cabinets and Countertop - Alabama Cabinet Company
Cabinets: Americana Capital
Door Style: Atlanta Raised panel
Finish: Champagne Chocolate glaze
Countertop- New Venetian Gold Granite
Whirlpool Appliances- Southern Kitchen and Bath
Photo Credit- Natan Shar, BHam Tours
Tools We Love & Use Everyday
As a consumer, walking into a big box store to pick out a tool can be a bit overwhelming. At ELM, we can get a little "geeky" when it comes to gadgets, and even more so when it comes to mobile apps! I recently asked the crew to let me know their favorite tools (other than smart phones) that they use most often, and I wanted to pass along the info to you.
Elliott was given the Fenix PD25 LED flashlight as a fathers day gift from Emma Grace and Mary Laslie. As much as we love to give him a hard time about always having his "trusty" flashlight, it has been a winner on job sites and at home! He loves it because it is compact and he carries it in his pocket with his keys. The light is LED with with the ability to strobe and has four different lighting levels.
Fenix PD25 Flashlight
As far as apps go, Elliott uses Construction Master Pro several times a week. It calculates feet and inches, roof angles, and quantities of concrete,just to name a few. This could easily be considered one of the best things we have ever spent $20.00 on! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hydrix.laurene&hl=en
Adam spends so much time in the field, making sure are jobs running smoothly. His "can't live without" tools include a tape measure and The Weather Channel mobile app being installed on his phone.
Matt and Steve are very hands on during our projects. Their favorite tools include:
This impact drill is a favorite on ELM projects. It is lighter and more compact than a regular drill, which makes work easier. It also has a hammer drill function that helps when applying screws.
The DREMEL is great for sharpening other tools, cutting nails and can grind materials such as metal, wood and plastic.
This small, multi use pry bar works well on demolition as well as making fine tuned adjustments on doors, trim and windows.
I hope you enjoyed our Tool Box round up, and hopefully you got a new gift idea for the handy person in your life!