Serving Pensacola and surrounding northwest Florida panhandle
At Brennan Custom Homes our goal is to make your remodeling project go as smoothly as possible. Your satisfaction is our number one priority and the quality of our work is very important to us as we have built a solid reputation inPensacola as a leader in home remodeling
Brennan Custom Homes can explain exactly what’s involved and help you to develop a design that meets your needs. We often begin by making a sketch of your property including buildings and landscaping. Or you can make a copy of the survey provided when you bought your home. A larger sketch of the proposed addition for more detailed consideration is also useful.
Marking the position of the sun throughout the day on the sketch will help to determine the best window and door placements. This in turn will influence the positioning of interior walls, closets, fireplaces and entertainment centres, for instance. Your renovator can advise you on the best type of windows to avoid overheating in the summer and prevent fading of furniture fabrics and rugs.
Consider what you want to see from inside. You might want a clear view of the children’s play area from a work area, or be able to smell the flowers right outside your window. Place exterior doors intended for regular use close to an established outside traffic path to minimize maintenance, such as snow shoveling. Also think about closet or storage space close to entranceways.
A well-planned traffic pattern will make the most effective use of your new space. Your renovator will offer sound ideas for connecting new and existing areas in your home, or suggest where best to position the door from your new family room to the deck to minimize space lost to traffic flow. Ideally, traffic flow should not account for more than 5 to 7% of the total area.
Before finalizing the plans, think about how you will furnish the addition. On your sketch, draw the furniture you intend to use. Will it fit? Add the fireplace, entertainment center, shelving, cabinets and anything you plan to have build in. Is there still enough room? It’s much easier to enlarge the addition at the planning stage than later.
The foundation for your addition is important to the overall quality and lasting value of your renovation. A professional renovator will explain the options in detail: e.g. placing the addition on piers sunk into the ground; developing a crawl space; or excavating a full foundation. A simple soil test can provide the necessary information about the condition of your site, such as solid rock below the surface or unstable soil. The new foundation will also need proper exterior drainage to prevent moisture problems.
These “invisible” elements can add up to a sizeable part of the work and budget, particularly when kitchens and bathrooms are involved. Your renovator will conduct a thorough inspection to determine what’s required for your addition. and what modifications or upgrades may be needed to your existing systems.
Municipal zoning bylaws can affect your plans: height restrictions; rear- and side-yard setbacks; percentage of windows to wall area; and even the location of an air-conditioner condensing unit. Your renovator knows what information is required to ensure your addition complies with regulations, and how to get it.
A successful addition should look as if it was always there! Inside, your renovator may recommend matching or complementary colour, trim and flooring to blend the old and the new. Outside, new siding for the whole house, repainting, the addition of window shutters or landscaping will all help to create a harmonious look.
Your renovator will take a close look at your property to determine if there is enough room for heavy equipment (e.g., backhoe), and what needs to be done outside before work can begin, such as moving a fence or protecting your garden.
Our Design/Build Process, customers become a team member throughout the project in order to ensure their expectations are met. Continuous daily progress, daily communication and timely completion are crucial to the success of a remodeling project.
