When Homes Get More Crowded, Strategy Is Key

Posted: May 22, 2009

As the old woman who lived in a shoe discovered, squeezing more people and possessions into a household requires a shoehorn and a strategy. Housing trends today include adult children moving back in with their parents, elderly parents moving into the home of adult children, and older couples taking on the new role of raising their grandchildren.

 

These trends will be highlighted on June 12, which is designated as Crowded Nest Awareness Day. However, as anyone trying to stack yet more storage boxes into the basement knows, logistics are a year-round concern.

 

Because these housing situations don't last forever, flexible arrangements are needed to accommodate the future use of space when the house is emptier. Members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council, Inc., the area's leading home improvement and remodeling industry resource for more than 47 years, offer tips for living in a crowded nest.

 

Basement Remodeling

It's most economical to use existing space in a house, so basements get the first look. Ken Connor, CR, owner and partner at Connor Remodeling & Design, Inc. in Germantown, notes that basement bedrooms are more popular with so-called "boomerang" children moving back with their parents, while elderly parents prefer to be on main floor or in new additions to the house.

 

Overall, he says, consider flexibility in adapting space, as the home's next owners might not need a bedroom in the basement. For instance, Connor has seen clients use French doors in a temporary basement bedroom so that, in the future, the room could revert to office space.

 

Connor cautions homeowners to be aware of building code requirements, including for window sizes, when adding basement bedrooms. "One thing to be concerned about is the code for egress windows. Sometimes you have to excavate and create a window well, putting in a masonry wall or stackable stone wall. They also have units made of a plastic for this purpose of holding back the surrounding soil and allowing access out of the house," he says.

 

In the Milwaukee market, he notes, there are some common approaches taken by clients. One is to add at least half a bath with a basement bedroom. Another is to use wall space for audio-visual equipment, with speakers in the walls and flat-screen TVs hung on a wall.

 

Soundproofing is often a concern. "Depending on how the bedroom space is adjacent to other space like a rec room, there may be extra insulation put in for soundproofing in walls or ceiling," Connor states.

 

A relaxing ambiance can be created with lighting, including recessed lights and sconce lighting on columns. Often, gas fireplaces are added for atmosphere and warmth in a basement.

 

Building an Addition

Housing elderly parents is the most common reason to add on to a home, according to Jim Klappa, founder of JDJ Builders, Inc. in Greenfield. Klappa is both a CGR (Certified Graduate Remodeler) and a CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist). He says, "It just works out so well, because if you look at the cost of assisted living, it's reasonable to add an addition."

 

Klappa notes, "Sometimes, empty nesters say they deserve a master suite and additions come as a reward. Other additions are a necessity because of an expanding family; more kids need more bedroom space."

 

It's common to sell the family house when one parent dies, and build an addition for the surviving parent, Klappa says. The household might contain owners in their 40s, with children, and a parent age 65 to 70. Eventually, the couple may use the addition as a master suite.

 

A typical addition might contain one large room with a bath that has been equipped with a seat, handheld showerhead, and grab bars, among other touches. The room typically would hold a bed area, a kitchenette with a microwave, and a sitting area with a television. Meals usually are not cooked in the addition, for safety and convenience, but eaten with the family. An addition often has a separate entrance, which could be wheelchair-accessible, with a ramp to a side door.

Klappa says important considerations are to provide a necessary amount of separation and privacy, and to provide elderly parents with zoned thermostats to control heating and cooling in the addition.

 

Personal Comforts

Melissa Steigerwald, designer at the Design Resource Center in Elm Grove, finds that simple solutions can make a big impact when welcoming new members to the household.

 

"For example, the new resident will have his or her own belongings. Maximizing storage space, including under the bed, is crucial. If there is a closet in the room, consider having a closet organization company come in and make best use of the space. Also, use vertical storage solutions such as bookcases and tall furniture pieces," she advises.

 

A well-planned furniture layout should allow a proper traffic pattern and make the most of the area. For instance, Steigerwald says, if a new college graduate is moving into the current home office, combine the office into another space by rearranging the furniture. Change standard closet doors to sliding doors; this provides more floor space for furniture arrangements.

 

Steigerwald points out that when the use of a room changes, so should the lighting. Determine what the function of the room will be, whether dining room, office, or bedroom, and install task or ambient lighting as needed. “Allowing the new person to change the wall color is an easy update that creates the feeling they have their own personal space,” she said.

 

The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council was chartered in July 1961, as a Chapter of the National Home Improvement Council. In May of 1982, the National Home Improvement Council merged with the National Remodelers Association to form NARI – the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

 

The Council’s goals of encouraging ethical conduct, professionalism, and sound business practices in the remodeling industry have led to the remodeling industry’s growth and made NARI a recognized authority in that industry. With over 900 members, the Milwaukee Chapter is the nation’s largest.

 

For more information or to receive a free copy of an annual membership roster listing all members alphabetically and by category, and the booklet, “Milwaukee/NARI’s Remodeling Guide,” call (414) 771-4071 or visit the Council’s Web site at www.milwaukeenari.org.