A bungalow-style home is one of the most sought-after houses on the market. With a roomy, open floor plan, great accessibility, and beautiful architectural elements, it’s no wonder these homes are like little paradises all their own. When it’s time to lift your bungalow, there are a few things to keep in mind. We’ve organized a list of seven tips for lifting a bungalow-style home that’ll help you prepare for the big day.
Keep Mobility in Mind
Bungalows are typically only one or one and a half story dwellings. This makes them perfect for homeowners with mobility issues or who simply don’t want the hassle of walking up and down stairs all day. Bungalows also offer open floor plans, perfect for wheelchair users. It’s these architectural aspects that make a bungalow a bungalow. That’s why you’ve got to keep mobility in mind when you’re planning to lift your bungalow-style home.
If you’re going to be lifting your home a few feet or even an entire story, bear in mind that you could be altering one of the things that’s so appealing about a bungalow-style home: accessibility. If you do choose to lift your home a considerable height off the ground, solicit a general contractor to create an accessible entrance into your home. Most bungalows have a porch or veranda with steps leading down into the yard. You’ll need to plan for your general contractor to build new steps or maybe even a ramp once your lift is complete.
Preserve Your Porch
One of the hallmarks of a bungalow is the breezy front porch. When you’re working through your lift with your contractor, make sure they have a plan for keeping your porch or veranda intact. If that’s not going to be possible, communicate with your general contractor so you can have a plan for a new porch once the lift is finished.
Remember Resell Value
Because bungalow-style homes offer so many benefits and amenities, they’re almost always in high demand on the real estate market. Realize that as a bungalow owner, you’re in an advantageous position. When you plan a lift for your bungalow, keep the idea of resale in the back of your mind.
However high you decide to lift your bungalow, whether it’s just a few inches to add a crawlspace or many feet to protect against high water levels, think about how your lift might affect your home’s value. You’ll want to hire a contractor who you can trust and who will execute the lift in such a way that it meets your needs and will meet the needs of potential future owners should you ever decide to sell.
Take Advantage of Your Space
If you own a bungalow, you already know that you’ve got a really unique and desirable home. As you’re making the decision to have your house lifted, consider lifting enough to add a functional crawlspace or even a basement. Adding these spaces to your home will not only make it a more enjoyable place for you, but adding this kind of square footage will contribute to your home’s value and functionality.
Mind Your Landscaping
Most bungalows are built on spacious private lots—no need to worry about shared walls or lots with no green space. When the day of your lift draws near, you’ll want to make sure you’ve taken care of your landscaping, trees, or any yard ornaments or furniture. You need to uproot and temporarily transplant your landscaping, so your contractor’s equipment doesn’t crush it the day of. They’ll need to get close to your home in order to place the lifting equipment in the correct spots around your house, and you don’t want your flowerbeds destroyed in the process.
Keep Remodeling Options Open
If your bungalow is like most, then you’ve got a spacious lot all your own. And that means you’ve got room to expand your home. As you plan for your lift, let your contractor know that you want the lift to happen in such a way that you have the option to add on your home in the future. You have the yard space, take advantage of it for adding on to your living space. Just because you’ve lifted your bungalow, that doesn’t mean additions are no longer an option.
Hire A Lifting Contractor with Experience
The most important aspect of your lift is the team who will be conducting it. Your home is your biggest asset. More than that, it’s where you lay your head at night. That’s why you want to ensure you’re choosing the very best house lifting contractors on the market. Working with a lifting contractor who has experience with a variety of homes—including bungalows like yours—is key. The team at DeVooght House Lifters will work with you to make sure your lift is executed professionally with as little stress as possible on your part.
Conclusion
You want your bungalow to be functional and safe, no matter how high your lift. Working with a professional, dependable house lifter will make the process easy and will ensure the job is done right.