Home expansions add comfort, value

That’s the consensus from area remodelers, who say that the type of residential addition varies by customer.

Addition trends

Mark Sechler, owner of Sechler Remodeling, said many of his customers want to add space to their master bedrooms.

“People are putting money into their home to make themselves comfortable,” Sechler said. “They’re not looking for a big investment or return; they like their house, their neighbors, their neighborhood, and they want their house to be comfortable.”

George Zarras – designer, contractor and owner of Affordable Home Improvements in Springfield – has seen a variety of additions, including sunrooms, additional bathrooms and even some second-story additions.

Zarras said the type of addition depends on what’s needed.

“Maybe the family is getting larger, or the in-laws are moving in,” he said. “Some people want an in-home office – a lot of people are doing away with their offices away from home.”

“Maybe the kids are getting older, and they want another living area for them or for the parents away from the kids, or maybe they need an extra bathroom.”

Sechler and Zarras agreed that when it’s comfort versus added value, homeowners are most interested in making their homes more livable.

“They want a lot of windows, big walk-in closets, a master bath that’s very handy – typically with a couple of lavatories and maybe a bathtub whirlpool or walk-in shower,” Sechler said.

“Like when you go to a motel suite and it’s very comfortable – people want their home to feel like that, like a place to go home and veg out,” Sechler added.

Zarras noted, however, that customers he has dealt with are keeping in mind resale value.

Among Zarras’ recent customers are Terry Bower and her new husband, Don Young. The couple decided to remodel Young’s home just east of Springfield because they like the location.

“There’s plenty of area for wildlife, and a pond and a garden,” Bower said. “Also, we’re outside the city limits but we can get to Sam’s Club in literally four minutes. It’s the best of all possible worlds.”

The work Bower ordered does not add additional square footage, but she said it’s like having a new home. When the work is complete, the home will have new bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room with fireplace and additional storage space.

The materials

For many home additions, the interior look is getting lighter.

Zarras says customers are looking to lighten up wherever possible – from adding more natural light through additional windows to lighter colors in woods and wall treatments.

“The most popular trim today is light-colored or white, where all the doors and trim are white,” he said, adding that neutral colors like beige and taupe are also popular. “If you have a neutral tone throughout the house with a white trim, you let your accessories do their thing – pictures, framed prints, wallpaper borders or muted wallpaper treatments.”

The move to lighter colors – and away from dark materials such as oak for floors and cabinets – is partially a result of increased exposure to other ideas from TV shows and design magazines.

Zarras, who is a member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, adds that part of the popularity of those lighter colors comes from increased influence from other parts of the country.

“We’re benefiting from what’s happening across the country because people are coming here from other areas, and they’re bringing design ideas from their old houses to Springfield,” Zarras said.

Both Zarras and Sechler said their customers are more educated about design – and more adamant about what they want – than ever before.

“The consumer is a lot more educated about products and availability of fixtures, plumbing, lighting, flooring – they just know,” Sechler said. “Most of the time they come to me and they really know what they want.”[[In-content Ad]]