KRB Kitchen & Bath Design Center

Basement remodeling offers a high return on your investment — 69% — and it adds valuable living space without increasing the footprint of your home.

An opened-up staircase such as this one provides a seamless transition from the finished basement to the upstairs living areas. The cut-out ceiling adds an extra architectural touch. Image: FinishedBasementsPlus.com

If you want to increase the size of your home, the answer lies right beneath your feet. Remodeling basement space is a good way to gain living area without building an addition, and it’s a good investment.

Remodeling your basement into living area typically costs $36,000 and returns 69% of the original cost, according to according to the “2015 Remodeling Impact Report” from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Continue reading →

The smartest features to build into your garage addition are plenty of simple storage solutions, a basic work surface, and room to move around.

If you want to build a garage addition that won’t break the bank, don’t go overboard on creating a showcase car barn. With a little planning, you can add smart, useful details that maximize the benefit you’ll get from a basic garage addition without adding too much to the price tag. Here are some great ideas for low-cost garages:

Layout and Design

Roof: Most garage roofs are held up by standard trusses. They’re economical — about $88 each in a length that spans a two-car garage — but their design blocks the storage space you’d otherwise have in the attic. For just $25 more per truss, a total upgrade of about $350, you can switch to storage trusses, which are open in the middle. Or, for an upgrade of about $1,000, you can get attic trusses, which allow for a boxed-in upstairs that’s easy to outfit with shelves or even use as a bonus room.  Continue reading →

Do you want casements or double-hung windows? Wood or wood-clad windows? Simulated divided lights or snap-in grilles? Here’s how to pick windows for your sunroom addition.

Awning windows hinge at the top, so they act like rain shields when open. Image: Florian Solar Products

Windows make a sunroom. When planning sunroom additions, you’ll need 20 or more windows, so the style, material, and price point you choose will have a huge effect on the project. There are hundreds of window options to choose from, and the selection process becomes far easier if you think about a few big-picture questions before you head to the showroom. Continue reading →

A master suite addition is limited only by your imagination and pocketbook. Here’s a look at master suite must-haves.

Options for a master suite addition are limitless. Your budget, not so much. Indulge yourself, express yourself, but control yourself, too. Here is your guide to the master suite features that matter most.

Master Suite Basics

With midrange finishes, such as ceramic tile and solid-surface countertops in the bathroom, a master suite has a national median cost of $112,500 ($280 per square foot) and you’ll recover about 53% of that at resale, according to the “2015 Remodeling Impact Report” from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Continue reading →