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Discuss These Things Before Planning a Home Renovation

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Home Renovations Are you starting to find that certain aspects of your home don’t work for you and your family anymore? You could get out there and start looking for a new home—or you could do a home renovation and make your house more functional for everyone without having to move. Before you do a home renovation, you should consider a few things. Ask yourself these questions prior to getting started.

What do I want to change about my home?

Do you wish that you had a larger kitchen so that you and your family could actually hang out in it, or do you wish that you had an extra bedroom or bathroom space? When you’re thinking about doing a home renovation, you want to spend time thinking about exactly what you want to change. You should also brainstorm some ways to go about giving yourself the space that you need in your home, such as knocking down a wall or rethinking the way you’re using closet space.

Do I have the budget to do a renovation?

After you have decided what you want to do during your home renovation, it will be time to figure out if you can afford to do it. A small bathroom renovation job might be well within your budget, but a total kitchen makeover might not work once you crunch the numbers. You should see if you can get some quotes from contractors in your area so that you can assess the situation.

How will my home renovation affect the value of my property?

If you’re going to spend a lot of money to renovate your home, you want to be sure that it’s going to pay off. There are real estate agents in your area who would probably be more than happy to let you know how a renovated kitchen or bathroom would affect your home’s value. This will allow you to see whether it makes sense to spend a large chunk of change on renovations.

Who can bring my home renovation ideas to life?

If you’ve considered all your options and decided to move ahead with your home renovation, it’ll be time to find the right contractor for the job. You need someone who is experienced, affordable, and willing to get started right away.

At Scott Merle Builders, we specialize in doing home renovations and can help you make your home more functional than ever before. We will complete your renovations quickly and make sure you love the work we’ve in your home. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to get started.

What to Know Before Adding a Bedroom Over Your Garage

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Bedroom Above Garage If you’re looking to add a bedroom to your home, one of the most logical places to put it is over top of a garage. This will allow you to add square footage to your home while building up instead of out. However, you will need to keep a few things in mind before you add a bedroom over a garage space. Take a look at those things below.

Make sure your current garage can hold the weight of a bedroom.

Before you build a bedroom over a garage, you should bring an engineer in to see if your garage’s existing frame will be able to support a bedroom being on top of it. There are some garages that aren’t up for the task of supporting a bedroom. You may need to add a support beam to the top of a garage before a bedroom can be built.

Use fire-rated drywall on a garage’s ceiling and walls before building a bedroom.

In the event of a fire, most garages would burn down quickly since they aren’t always built using fire-rated drywall. If you’re going to be putting a bedroom over your garage, you need to fix this by using 5/8-inch-thick fire-rated drywall on all your garage walls as well as your garage ceiling. This will ensure that your garage and new bedroom don’t burn down quickly during a fire.

Figure out how to access the new bedroom over your garage.

To make your new bedroom functional, you may have to rethink the way the upper level of your home is laid out. As it stands now, a bedroom or bathroom might be located in the area where you’d need to place a door for the new bedroom. You should figure out the best way to give yourself access to your new bedroom without compromising the rest of your upstairs space.

If you want to add a bedroom over a garage, you should work with a trusted contractor who knows how to get the job done. Scott Merle Builders specializes in all types of home renovations and has experience with adding bedrooms over garages. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to see how we can help your new bedroom become a reality.

Why a Deck Could Be a Wonderful Addition to Your Home

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Deck Installations Do you wish you had more space in your home to throw parties and entertain guests? Putting an addition on to your home might not be an option. However, one great way to give yourself all the space you need to invite people over is by adding a deck to your home. It will provide you with an area to bring people when they visit your house. Check out some other benefits of adding a deck to your home below.

It will improve the look of the exterior of your home.

If the exterior of your home looks kind of blah right now, you can completely revitalize it with a deck. A deck will instantly bring your backyard space to life and make the outside of your home more aesthetically pleasing than it was before. It won’t be long before everyone wants to come and hang out at your home because of your deck.

It will bring the value of your home up.

It’ll obviously take some money to add a deck to your home. However, it will be well worth the investment. If you ever go to sell your home one day, your deck will be a selling feature as potential home buyers will love the idea of inviting their friends and family over to spend time on the deck. No matter how much your deck costs to build, you will likely get a hefty return on your investment one day as long as you maintain your deck and keep it looking its best.

It will come together in a short amount of time.

There are many home improvement projects that will take weeks, if not months, to come together. It can sometimes take an entire season to put an addition on to your home. Nevertheless, a deck can usually go up in a matter of just a few days. You won’t have to wait long at all to start enjoying your deck after you decide to have it built.

If you would like to learn more about adding a deck to your home, Scott Merle Builders can lay out your options and find the right deck for your space. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to schedule a consultation.

 

The Advantages of an Elevated Home

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Elevated Homes If you live in a part of the country that’s prone to flooding, it’s a good idea to consider elevating your home. By putting your home up on stilts, you can avoid sustaining water damage to your home during a flood. However, that’s not the only benefit of elevated homes. Let’s discuss a few more.

It will be more secure.

It’s harder for burglars to break into an elevated home than it would be for them to break into a home closer to the ground. They will need to use a ladder or climb up on your porch in order to get access to your house when your home is elevated. You will feel a whole lot safer in an elevated home than you would otherwise.

It will provide you with more ventilation.

When your home is located close to the ground, it can be hard to get the ventilation you need to keep it cool in the spring and summertime. An elevated home will provide you with all the ventilation you need. Since your home will be up on stilts, air will circulate underneath of your home and all around it as well. This will keep the temperature down in your house. It will also reduce the risk of you being forced to deal with mold and mildew in your home.

It will give you a better view.

This might be the biggest benefit of all if you live in an area that provides you with scenic views. From the ground level, you probably wouldn’t be able to get a great view looking out of your home’s windows. However, when your home is elevated, you will be positioned up above the tree line, which will give you an excellent view of everything around you. You’ll love the way things look from up above when your home is elevated.

For more information, contact Scott Merle Builders at 315-409-4124 today to hear about the custom home plans and designs we can provide for you.

Places to Consider Adding an Extra Bathroom

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Bathroom AdditionAre you struggling to think of a place to put an extra bathroom in your home? Even if you don’t have an obvious place to do it, you can make space by getting creative with the current layout of your home. Take a look at some of the ways you can find room to build an extra bathroom in your house.

Basement

This one might seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many people have big, empty, unfinished basements and don’t consider putting a bathroom in them. You don’t necessarily have to finish off your basement to install a bathroom. You can simply section off one part of it with the right water hookups and turn it into a bathroom your family can use.

Hallway

Is there a long hallway in your home with a space at the end of it that might be big enough for a bathroom? It might only be 30 square feet or so, but you can wedge an extra bathroom into it. As a bonus, you might even be able to either cut a new window into an exterior wall or use a window that is already located in the hallway for your bathroom.

Closets

Whether you have a large walk-in closet that you would be willing to sacrifice to build an extra bathroom or back-to-back closets in bedrooms that could be used to build a bathroom, you should examine the closet space in your home to see if it would make sense to use it more effectively. Turning closets into bathrooms is one of the most common practices in home renovations.

Bedrooms

Maybe you have a large bedroom that you could “steal” some space from to create a bathroom. Or maybe you have an unused bedroom next to your master bedroom that you could transform into a large master bathroom. Whatever the case, you probably have at least one bedroom in your home that you could consider making smaller for the sake of adding a bathroom.

Regardless of how you decide to do it, Scott Merle Builders can help you find space to build a bathroom. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to check out your options.

 

Conversations to Have Before Buying Land to Build a Home On

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Building a New HomeBuilding a new home from scratch is the best way to ensure you get everything you want in your next house. However, before you decide to do it, there are some things you should keep in mind to make sure it gets done right. Check out the questions you should ask yourself before building begins.

How much am I willing to spend?

Creating a budget is obviously one of the first things you’re going to want to do when planning a new home. It’s very easy to get caught up in all the excitement of a new build and forget about the budget. So be reasonable when you make a budget and then stick to it as best you can. It will prevent you from overspending on your new home.

Who am I going to trust to build my home?

There are plenty of builders that will offer to help you build the home of your dreams, but not all of them are qualified to do it. You should find an experienced builder who fits within your price range and who can tackle the task. Make sure you do your homework before proceeding with a builder since you could end up paying dearly for making the wrong choice.

Do I want to take any green measures?

More and more people are finding ways to make their homes as green as possible. It’s much easier to take green steps while building a home as opposed to trying to incorporate them later. If you want to make your home eco-friendly, talk to a builder who is qualified to do it.

Will anyone want to buy my home in the future?

We know, we know. Selling your home is the last thing on your mind when you’re building it. But at some point, you’re probably going to want to do it. So don’t make your new home too personal to you and your family. It will make it harder to sell one day.

If you need a hand building your new home, Scott Merle Home Builders would love to assist you along the way. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to start building your new home with us.

Keep These Things in Mind When Building a Dream Home

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Building a Dream Home Have you finally put yourself into the position to build the home of your dreams? Congratulations. It’s going to be absolutely amazing—as long as you plan ahead and keep a few things in mind. Here are some things you should consider when building your dream home from the ground up.

Your dream home is going to be a big investment, and you need to make sure you can afford it.

Maybe you’ve been saving up for your dream home for years, or maybe you just received a large sum of money as part of an inheritance. Whatever the case may be, building a dream home probably isn’t going to be cheap, so you should create a budget before you do anything else. While you might want your dream home to have everything in it, you need to be realistic and stay well within your means. The last thing you want to do is build your dream home and then realize you can’t actually afford to live in it for very long.

Your dream home might not be the home you live in forever.

When you’re building your dream home, you might be under the impression that it’s the home you’re going to live in for the rest of your life. That might be true, but you never know what life is going to throw your way. You could be forced to move due to a job change, or you could find that your home is too large when your kids move out one day. Whatever the case, you want to keep in mind that you might need to resell your dream home one day. So you want to shy away from adding anything to it that would make it hard to sell later.

Your dream home should be built by a reliable contractor.

When you move into your dream home, you don’t want to discover that you have a leaky shower or a bunch of windows that won’t close. To avoid running into any issues, big or small, you should work directly with a contractor who has experience building homes in your area. Interview different contractors to find the one that’s best for you. Your dream home will probably be the biggest investment you ever make, so don’t settle for anything less than the best.

Scott Merle Builders can provide you with custom home plans and designs for your dream home. You will love our attention to detail and our fine craftsmanship. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to schedule a consultation with a trusted contractor.

How Technology Has Impacted the Construction Industry

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Technology and Home Construction Technology has helped transform just about every aspect of our lives. Every industry in the world has been impacted by it, and technology has helped pushed many industries to new heights. The home construction industry is one of the many industries enjoying the benefits of advanced technology. Here are a few ways technology has changed—and improved—the home construction industry in recent years.

It has made it easier to survey land.

Land surveying is a big part of the preparation process for those building homes. It’s also where things can go wrong at the very beginning on many construction jobs. Technology has helped reduce the chances of errors in surveying by introducing automation into the equation. Land surveying companies are able to provide home construction companies with more accurate readings, which helps everyone plan for new construction better.

It has made projects easier to manage.

Way back in the day, construction companies were forced to manage projects by jotting down notes by hand. As you can imagine, this way of doing things slowed everything down and also caused a lot of companies to make mistakes. Construction management software changed all that. Companies can now stay on task and finish jobs on time by managing their projects more effectively. From budgeting money to managing time, construction management software makes everything simpler.

It has made designing new construction easier.

Blueprints are still very important in new construction projects. Nevertheless, there are so many different forms of technology that can also be used when designing a new building. Additionally, there are blueprint apps that can be put onto various devices to get everyone involved in a construction project onto the same page. It has made the design process more convenient for construction companies.

Scott Merle Builders utilizes technology to complete home construction projects. Are you interested in building a home or tackling a renovation? Call us at 315-409-4124 today to hear about our home construction services.

 

How Home Renovations Can Help You Age in Place

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Aging in PlaceThe “baby boomers,” born between 1946 and 1964, are currently in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. There are about 76 million of them in the U.S. and as they age, are they going to stay in the home they’re used to or move into senior homes/nursing homes?

What is Aging in Place?

For many baby boomers, “aging in place” is a concept they’ll be considering in the years to come. Aging in place basically means a person does what they can to stay in the house or apartment of their choice for as long as they can with the comforts that matter to them.

How Home Contractors Can Help

You probably know some people who vow never to “go into a home,” because they truly want to stay where they are– they’re happy in their current home. That said, there might need to be some changes to their existing home if they’re to remain there into old age. For instance, adding “grab bars” to the bathroom or replacing steps with a ramp are two ways to “retrofit” a place for aging in place purposes. Others may choose to move into newer housing, built by builders like Scott Merle, which are specifically designed with the aging in place concept in mind.

The older a person gets, the more likely they are to have poorer eyesight/hearing, reduced muscle mass (less strength), decreased mobility/flexibility, and less energy overall. They may end up using a walker or spend most of their day in a wheelchair. It gets harder to open doors and cupboards. Their balance can become unsteady. If there aren’t enough lights in the room, it’s easier to trip and fall and hurt themselves.

So, what makes aging in place homes distinct? They’re typically single-level designs with wide hallways and doorways for easy wheelchair access. Shelving might be pull-out/pull-down. Counters are multi-leveled. Faucets are twist-free. Door handles are levers. Floors are designed to be slip resistant. Blinds and windows are remote controlled. Moreover, ideally, there’s an open floor plan so the aging in place house doesn’t feel cramped.

Are you interested in aging in place? Contact Central New York’s Scott Merle Builders at 315-409-4124 to talk about having a custom home built for your retirement years.

 

Why Your Home Needs a Functional Kitchen

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Kitchen Remodels While all of the rooms in your home are important for different reasons, the kitchen is arguably the most important room in the entire house. It’s where your family spends most of its time. Between preparing meals, eating, and just hanging out and talking, you would probably be surprised if you sat down and calculated exactly how many hours you spend in the kitchen on a weekly basis. You probably spend more time there than you do in your family room.

The Importance of Having a Functional Kitchen

For that reason, it’s extremely important to have a functional kitchen. Your kitchen should do more than just provide you with a place to cook meals. It should also give you the space you need to sit and talk to a family member. Additionally, it should provide you with more than enough storage for all of your various kitchen gadgets. It should look nice and fit the style of the rest of your home. Moreover, you should take a certain sense of pride in your kitchen when you have people over. Kitchens have turned into communal spaces in homes, and if yours isn’t functional, you won’t want to have guests spend too much time in there.

If you aren’t happy with the way your kitchen functions right now, it might be time to remodel it. By doing a remodeling job, you can completely rethink the way you are using the kitchen. You might be able to start spending more time with your family than you are now if there’s enough space in there. You also might be able to have friends and family over more often when you have a kitchen that can fit multiple people at once. You might even find that your entire home functions better when the kitchen is designed differently. It’s truly amazing just how much a kitchen remodel can transform the look and feel of a space.

Do you want to find out more about kitchen remodeling? Scott Merle Builders would love to help you design the kitchen of your dreams. Call us at 315-409-4124 today to get started.