There are a lot of reasons why homeowners choose to add on to their existing homes rather than go on the market for a new one.  If you are simply looking for some extra space, additions can provide what you need with far less disruption than a move.   And if you are particularly attached to your neighborhood, one where the pace of life seems to suit you perfectly, it’s a great idea that allows you to preserve the space you have already established. 

As with any project, building the addition yourself is an option to consider.  Doing it this way can allow you to set your own pace and perhaps accommodate a busy work schedule.  But on the same token, finding the time to actually do the work could prove difficult.  Most homeowners will choose to either manage the project while others do the work, or hand it all over to a general contractor with the experience to handle complicated issues as they arise.  In any case, knowing the scope of a project and what it entails will help you to choose wisely once you are ready to proceed.

To help you along the way, you should always first ask yourself the following: how is the addition going to affect my existing home? You need to consider, especially with older homes, that a new addition may bring to light certain inadequacies in your home that you weren’t aware of.  Existing aspects that were once acceptable to you, such as the roof, siding, and windows may seem worn and dated.  In addition, the essential systems of the house, such as electrical, plumbing, and HVAC may need upgrades to accommodate your goals.  By taking all these factors into account you can make sure your project will meet your family’s present and future needs.

Basic Types of Home Additions in Los Angeles

Bump-Out  Additions
These are least disruptive and least expensive usually, but that does not mean they can’t have a dramatic impact.  They can be from just a few feet deep to the length of an entire wall, and while the square footage gain can be minimal, they can allow you to add features that were otherwise impossible to have.  In pushing out an existing kitchen wall, for example you could create a new seating alcove or nook that provides valuable family space.  And by adding a few extra feet of depth to your bath you could install a built-in jet tub that would have otherwise been too large for the room.  

To see if a plan like this is feasible for you, you will first need to check the setback requirements for your area (meaning the necessary footage between your home and your legal property line). Prepare to address this issue by having accurate dimensions of your plans and a measurement of the distance between your home and property line.

Two Story Addition
If you need more space than a single bump-out can provide, but have no desire to forgo the expense of excavating an entirely new foundation, your best solution might be to build on top of your current frame.  A lot of homeowners with little existing yard space are reluctant to give up more of their precious outside property area, and so choose to build another level.  This is also the case when tight property lines which are already pressed by setback requirements rule out lateral building-on altogether.  This choice is likely to cost less than adding on a wing to the home, but nonetheless, it will also give you the option to dramatically evolve the face of your home by introducing new architectural features bridging the old and new square footage together.

Building- On
By simply building-on to your existing home you can add anything from a new room to a new wing in your house from any direction on the property.  It’s also a great way utilize lateral space if you have too much yard area.  This type of remodeling is best utilized for a home office, studio, master suite, or guest room.  A good example of a less dramatic variant on this is the los angeles garage conversion we recently completed.   In effect, repurposing structures already on your property are good ways to also build-on to your current livable space with far less cost.

The most important component to a home’s structural integrity, its load bearing walls support the bulk of the weight the structure must endure.  Needless to say, any remodeling project must take care preserve the structural integrity of its load bearing walls—but that does not mean that once in place they cannot be modified.  When your plans call for a large open space, one in which load bearing walls cross between two rooms you want to connect, then the only option you have is to install a beam structure that can take the place of the former load bearing wall.   Strict building codes are set up to help you determine exactly what size this beam must be, and in almost all cases it is recommended that a structural engineer be involved to create a plan.

Using a stud finder, first check to see if the wall you have in mind is a bearing one.  If the wall is load bearing, you will almost always find that the ceiling and floor framing will run perpendicular to it.  An experienced contractor or local building inspector can help you to verify your findings.  Once you make the determination, you will then need to consult a structural engineer or architect to find the right size of beam needed.  The size of the beam will be determined by two factors: the length of the opening you desire, and the overall length of your home.  It takes an experienced tradesperson to make these calculations, which will have to be verified by a local building inspector in order to proceed.  In some rare cases, the size of the beam needed will require you to have new dedicated footings dug out and poured to support the structure.  The requirements for this will be determined by your local building codes, and your local inspector will be sure to let you know if this is the case.

For these long spans, a common material used is known as LVL, or laminated veneer lumber.  It is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of wood assembled with glue.  As such, it offers a number of advantages over milled lumber: it will remain straighter and more uniform, and it will resist warping and shrinkage.  This inevitably saves you money on onsite labor and this is why we use it in most cases where we are installing a large beam.

A laminated wood beam opens large areas where load bearing walls once were

Remember, a header, or beam is required to support the load over any framed opening.  This means all openings in exterior walls and over all interior load-bearing walls.  In recent years, a lot of homeowners have been opting for the large open spaces that these types of structures afford.  It’s a great way to create a flow within your home that gives you a lot of latitude with your decorating choices—especially with furniture and fixture placement.  But this is certainly the domain of construction professionals, so be sure to consult your local codes before you proceed.

These days you have a number of choices when it comes to new shower units.  There are custom designed systems that can easily stand alone as the centerpiece of any bathroom and there are a number of off-the-shelf designs that can be installed by ambitious DIY homeowners.  If you do choose the custom unit, a bathroom designer or specialist contractor is your best bet, as they will be most familiar with the details of any custom piece.  For the DIY’er, fiberglass or acrylic enclosures are specially designed to make installation relatively simple.

The floor space you have and the features you desire in your unit are going to determine the size and shape you will be working with.  Plenty of room can be had in a large space meant to serve as a master bath (such as this Santa Monica master bathroom), where a separate shower and tub is an attainable goal.  Smaller rooms (example bathroom from Culver City) pose more of a challenge and will require you to set firm priorities for your needs, as a small corner unit, called a neo-angle, might be the only option you have.  Begin the process of determining the potential of your bath by taking exact measurements of your space.

Most of the bigger shower manufacturers make it easy to find the sizes and specs of their products by making them readily available on the Web.  It’s a great benefit that you can use this information as your starting point, as it can help you save time when you are ready to actually go out and test units in person.  When you are ready to go to some showrooms, take the time to step into the various units and move around to see how they fit for you.  Remember, the more time you spend feeling your way around the various units available to you, the more likely it is that you will make a great choice that serves you well for years to come.

You can find most types of shower surround in fiberglass or acrylic enclosures that are assembled in one to three pieces.  A floor pan is usually included also, but if you do have to add one yourself the added expense is relatively minimal.  The great thing about these multi-piece units is that a single person can move them into the space section by section.  Then they are simply fitted in place an sealed with caulk.  Certain tongue an groove systems are also available which minimize or eliminate the need for caulk, further adding to the simplicity of the installation.

One piece units fit in one shot and need no caulking to seal up joints, but getting them in place will require you to have a bit more help on hand.  For these, you will not be able to simply bring them inside in small pieces—you will have to have a very wide access to the bathroom, or even better, an open wall through which to move the piece in place.  Bear this is mind, as the lack of sufficient entry space may make your single piece install far more complicated than you bargained for.

In either case, these enclosures can be your standalone shower sitting in a wall recess or be freestanding as a centerpiece of the room.  If an additional tub is in the plan, remember to take heed the need for plumbing lines to serve both units.  Choosing a configuration where both can be back to back is best as this will allow the plumbing lines to run side by side.

There’s nothing like the well-aged look of natural wood.  Like many metals, wood does form something like a patina—an effect of oxidation on the product over time.  Colors become richer and more complex, and the inherent beauties of the natural material shine through.  But as woodworkers, we don’t always have the time to get such naturally seasoned materials. This is where staining comes in, as it is the best tried and true method to giving wood that aged look from the start.  With staining, you can bring out the special character of a fine hardwood, but you can also make less expensive woods appear to have much more luster than they would otherwise have.

Adding color through staining or dyeing requires a clean, well sanded surface to begin with.  You must also know what type of topcoat you are going to use, such as urethane or shellac, as this is going to affect your options with stain choice.  The three main categories you will have to consider are oil-base, water-base, or lacquer-base stain products.  Below I have outlined the main differences between the most common products to help you choose.

Pigment stain is a very common product available off the shelf at home centers.  These products use minerals to create color—not by actually changing the color of the wood, but by embedding the color of the minerals in the pores of the wood.  These small mineral particles can be suspended in a variety of solvents, including water, mineral spirits, or lacquer thinner.  In addition, a binder is added to the mix to actually seal the minerals to the pores of the wood.  As such, these stains are great for wood with even pore structure, such as mahogany.  In a wood such as this, the pigments will make the natural grain pattern pop out visually, creating a beautiful effect that has been a favorite of woodworkers for centuries. 

The medium to use for these stains is very important, and you will generally have three choices: water, oil, or gel.  Depending on the type of wood you are using and in what application, you will be best served by one of the three more so than the others, so it is important to know the basic properties of each one.  On this redwood gate we built in Westwood, for example, we used a water based dark walnut stain that was topcoated with durable outdoor urethane.

Water stains are very popular these days because they are non-toxic, simple to clean up, versatile with various topcoats, and layer well to achieve a gradual application of color.  One thing to look out for with these is the raising of the grain in the wood, as the water is easily soluble by the grain and will cause it to swell slightly.  For this reason you should do a light sanding after applying your first coat of water-based pigment, then apply your further coats to get your desired color.

Oil based stains were the go-to for decades before the development of good water-based stains.  They do have an inherent toxicity, which has made them unpopular for most uses today, but they do still offer some advantages over water.  For one, they dry slower, giving the novice stainer more time to work with the product.  They also are great for achieving an authentic, old style look that your would see in old furniture.  So if you are working with old furniture, or want to get that look, the oil-based might be a good choice for you.

Gels are actually oil-based products, but they act slightly differently.  On non-horizontal surfaces they can be helpful as they are thick and tend to drip much less.  On blotchy woods they work well also, as they don’t soak in to the same degree as other stains.  The big drawback however will be price, as they can be a bit more expensive to purchase. 

With this info in mind, make a good choice of stain and you should have a successful treatment that really improves the look of your wood.  It’s a simple and easy thing to do, even for novice homeowners, and it will have your wood looking great for years to come.

In any business relationship, good communication is key.  This is especially the case when the person you are doing business with is tasked with improving your home.  This is why you should always look for a contractor that understands your home improvements are not only meant to endure long after he or she leaves the site, but also that the best way to give you what you want is to foster good communication even after the job is done.  

After a recent project completed, we were pleased to receive the following message from a great client. It’s a perfect example of what I am talking about:

Hi Tara,
I’m just following up to let you know that I sent Chad over to finish your new gate today. He installed all of the remaining decorative nails and I also had him put in a damper on the latch. The damper is made of soft foam rubber and will keep the gate much more still as you type in your entry code. I think you should notice the improvement right away.
I’d also like to take the opportunity to say thanks again for your business. It was a pleasure to work with you and I wish you the best with your home. In the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions, as I would be happy to discuss with you any issues you may have.
If you do find a moment to do so, it would also be greatly appreciated if you could leave a few words on our Google page regarding your experience with us. Reviews from clients are always welcome and we look forward to hearing how you found our work. Here is a direct link to our Google listing.
Best regards,
Marc Jannone
General Contractor

 

Thanks Marc – the gate looks fantastic and everyone who was at our house this weekend commented on it as well. Will be happy to leave a comment on your Google page.
Thanks again for building such a nice gate and so quickly.  We look forward to using it in the years that come.
All best,
Tara and Carlo

Having a solid understanding of how your home plumbing works is essential to the performance of routine maintenance on your home.   Whether you are remodeling a new bathroom, kitchen, or outdoor area, knowing how a basic plumbing system works will help you to understand the process before you.  It may seem like a complex task, trying to get a mental grasp of all those pipes and fittings hiding under your floors and in your walls, but in reality a solid understanding of how your plumbing works is easy to attain.

The first step is understanding the three basic parts of any typical home plumbing system: water supply, water and waste drainage, and your appliances and fixtures.  Your main supply line, almost always provided by your city’s water company, is found passing through a meter which measures the amount of water used.  A family of four averages about 400 gallons a day with the use of all their internal appliances, including washers, refrigerators, and bathrooms.  This main supply line splits off once it enters your home to create a constant supply to your hot water heater.  At the heater, your hot water line will run right next to your cold water line and thus supply water to all of your home’s fixtures.  These include everything from sinks, tubs, clothes and dish washers, showers, and the like.

To control the flow of water to these fixtures, valves are fitted in between which allow or prevent water from reaching the appliance.  A main source of plumbing troubles, these valves do have small moving parts which at times can fail.  They are usually inexpensive and easy to replace, but if the health of your valves is ignored, expensive problems can occur.

Used water, or waste water enters the drain system by first moving through a drain trap.  This is the U-shaped piece that you will recognize each time you look under your sink.  The U-shape is no arbitrary detail however, as it allows the pipe to hold standing water and prevents sewer gases from entering your home via the drain opening.  For this reason every fixture in the home must have a drain trap.

Removing your waste water is achieved entirely by force of gravity, as a series of pipes lets it flow downhill to your city’s sewer system.  Where sewer service is not available, waste water empties into a septic system.  Attached to the drain pipes will be a system of vent pipes, which you may recognize as small diameter pipes protruding from your rooftop.  These vents are very important, as the allow fresh air into the drain system and prevent suction that would slow your drain water from freely flowing.

Believe it or not, this is the basic setup of any home plumbing system. Hopefully this quick guide will help you to understand those various pipes and fittings in your home, and to know a little more when it comes time to get repairs done.  

There are quite a few reasons that bathroom projects are the most often botched aspects of a home remodel.  Besides having precious little real estate to work with, no other room in the house is as exposed to one of a home’s most dangerous foes: water.  Going for a homerun on the design of a bath often means that the construction basics are given too little attention, or even glossed over entirely.  This is a recipe for disaster in the long run, as any bath that is not adequately built with the effect of water in mind will demand fixing in the years to come.

Several mistakes such as this come up again and again, giving homeowners hours of headaches down the road.  Below I have outlined my top four that everyone should take care to avoid when planning out a new master bath:

1. Inadequate waterproofing:  You should understand that first and foremost, bathrooms are going to be the wettest rooms in your house.  With this in mind, every detail of your planning, including design, should take this fact into account.  If a single badly made piece fails you can have major damage that soon migrates to the rest of the room and sometimes your entire home as well.  For this reason cheap materials should be avoided.  Never go for inexpensive materials such as MDF and particleboard as they are not meant to last in this type of environment.  Fixtures also will wear out before their time if they are made of cheap materials covered with a shiny veneer to make them appear nice (I have outlined a few tips in choosing good fixtures from my years of work remodeling Santa Monica bathrooms in a previous article). In this category I would put thinly plated metal fixtures, cheap veneered cabinetry, and most laminate counters.

Conversely, think of durable and natural materials as your tried and tested friends.  Stone, glass block, and hardwoods last and look far superior to their cheaper substitutes.  Although you may hesitate to put hardwood in the bathroom, with the proper installation it can be an exceptional choice that proves more durable than synthetics.  Here’s some more info on bathroom countertops to help you out.

2. Inadequate floor traction:  Remember that if you desire a shiny, glossy floor you are begging to slip and slide on your bathroom floor.  Glossy tile is known to cause falls in addition to being hard to maintain as they show every blemish and defect.  Porous tumbled stone or a natural tile gives great traction and is far more forgiving as time wears on.  In addition, simply choosing a smaller tile size will give you better footing as there will be more grout joints to provide traction.  In showers, small tile is a good choice for this reason also.

3. Inadequate or non-existent natural light:  If you don’t mind your bath being murky and uninviting, than a lack of natural light won’t be a problem.  But you would be surprised how far a little natural light can make the room far more comfortable and inviting. If your options are scarce consider using etched glass or glass block interior windows to carry in light from an adjoining room that has exterior windows.  Skylights are great for this purpose also.

4. Bad layout planning: In a room where space is at a premium, it is of the utmost importance to properly lay out your work.  Small errors that occur during installation can lead to glaring problems with tile layouts.  But this is just the tip of the iceberg, as you can also find yourself not meeting code minimums if you don’t properly measure before purchasing your fixtures.  To ensure a successful installation, measure multiple times with care before materials are brought in.  And take the time to make drawings and templates to help you visualize the job.

When it comes time to add the finishing touches to your remodel, remember that a monochromatic paint treatment is not your only option.  With some imagination and some handy tools of the trade, there are a variety of techniques that will allow you to put a unique personal touch on your home.  You can go from the very simple—say, adding a stripe pattern to your walls, to the somewhat complex as your stretch your creative powers.   With blending, muting, combing, and even stenciling you can add texture and depth to your surfaces, giving them an eye-popping appeal that can last forever.

In most cases your basic tools for this type of project will be simple.  Latex and acrylic paints, easily available at your home or crafts store, will serve you best as they are water based and easy to clean up.  With these types of paint, a little hot water and soap will do the trick as long as the paint hasn’t completely dried.  If you are unsure about your skills, you can give yourself more time to work with them by mixing in an additive to extend the paint’s open time (time of workability).  In addition, there are additives and conditioners made especially for latex paint to make it much more forgiving and easy to work with.  A common one used by many painters goes by the brand name Floetrol, and this and other additives are readily available at paint retailers and craft supply stores.

Paint glazes, a slightly different product than straight latex paint, will allow you even greater latitude to experiment with different effects.  They can be applied directly, or used in conjunction with store bought latex to change it’s properties and workability.  By mixing a glaze with other mediums, you can achieve textures otherwise impossible to attain with off the shelf products. 

A basic tool kit for decorative painting, often sold as a set in home stores, will include a multi-compartment tray for separating different paint colors and mediums.  Tools should also come in the package, including textured applicators such as wool and sea sponge pads and textured roller covers.  Edging and finishing tools should be included too to help you work on two-tone designs and to get into hard to work corners.  It’s a  good bet to start off with one of these kits as they will help familiarize you with the tools and give you a broad survey of the types of effects you can achieve.

The designs below, all multi-toned treatments using latex paint, were recently done in a modern Santa Monica remodel.  To achieve this striking effect throughout the space, we first sketched a bunch of design ideas to get a feel for what would work best with the room’s architecture.  We decided that long, broken lines would work well with the loft’s modern feel, so we then transferred our plan onto the wall with blue painter’s tape.  With our design in place, it was as simple as painting in the lines using our predetermined palette of colors.  The effect was stunning, giving each room a completely unique feel while maintaining a modern elegance throughout.

As you can see, for any type of decorative painting project the bang for the buck is immense.  With just a little more prep work and creative energy, you can easily have a finish like this in your home.

Full immersion soaking tubs have been gaining in popularity throughout America for the past few decades.  Once thought of as only a luxury item, many homeowners with modest dwellings are choosing this feature as the capstone of a major bath remodel.  This is because the benefits vs. the cost are quite favorable, once they learn the details of the feature. 

An actual soaking tub is one where the bather can sit fully immersed up to the chin in warm, soothing water.  This is the key difference between this type of tub and a typical one.  They are often manufactured with sides that rise 36” or higher, and with a high overflow drain to allow for the tub to be almost completely filled for the bather.  They are almost always built on a custom platform, but they can also be sunk into floor in certain circumstances for a flush appearance.  The benefits of a platform schema are multiple however, as it makes easing in and out of the tub simple and it gives you a lot of space to stage additional décor and mood enhancements such as candles, bath salts, and plants.

A full immersion tub in Santa Monica

One factor we always make sure to address in the installation of these tubs is the access panel.  When installing your tub in a drop in framed platform, it is common to create a door to provide access to drain hookups, and if you are using a slip connection this is required by the Universal Plumbing Code.  But no matter what the particular setup is, you will want to make sure your contractor includes an access panel of some sort to allow you to troubleshoot future issues.  Having only one mishap with your drain or water supply will make you appreciate this advice.

In the installation seen here we have created an opening for a removable access panel on the opposite side of the wall to provide access to the jet motors and supply hookups.  This is going to allow us to finish the framed platform with tile in one solid pattern, and not have to break up the design that the homeowner chose.  This is simply to show that there are many ways an access panel can be done, but you will always want to make sure it is created with sufficient space for its purpose without imposing too much on the aesthetic quality of the fixture.

As with any project, installing your own kitchen cabinets requires good prep and planning.  Before you start, make sure your surfaces are finished, including walls and floors.  Having your flooring done is very important as it will affect your measurements and could result in a bad installation if you do it after the fact.

Start off by giving yourself an easy visual template to follow.  Draw lines with a pencil to mark the location of all your wall studs, and then the cabinets themselves.  At this point, make sure you are allowing space at the corners so you don’t have to cram the cabinets too tightly.  Then you should inspect your cabinets, especially if you have purchased them ready assembled.  Many times, mass produced home store models are not built to perfection, and you will not be able to return them once they are marred with screw holes.  After you assess your items, you must take a look at your walls and your floor to determine if they are plumb and level.  If they are not, you may have trouble fitting everything in, and you will want to know this beforehand.  In this layout phase, make any adjustments with your drawings to head off problems before you encounter them later.

With your helper and stepladder on hand, you are ready to go.  Following these basic steps you can install your cabinets piece by piece with success:

1. Secure a straight 2×4 with its top edge where you want the bottom of your cabinets to be.  Level the 2×4 and attach it to the wall with a few screws in the studs.  This piece, called a ledger, is the best way to put up cabinets correctly as it provides a sturdy, fool proof level for you to balance your cabinets on as you fasten them to the wall.

2.  Begin attaching cabinets in a corner.  Have a helper hold the cabinets, using the ledger for support, and check again for plumb in both directions.  Once positioned, drive in your 2 1/2 to 3 inch screws through the cabinet framing pieces and into the wall studs.  At this point your markings for the studs are going to be essential. 

3.  Each cabinet is then installed completely flush to the next.  Check both the front and top surfaces and clamp them tightly before you drive in your screws.  It is recommended that you drill pilot holes and sink in the screw heads for both aesthetic and structural reasons.

4. Where the last cabinet meets a wall, you are going to need space for the door to operate properly.  Install your spacer that you left room for previously and then attach the cabinet to the wall with the same technique. 

These two setups show how we installed new kitchen cabinets in Santa Monica and Culver City.  As you can see, no two setups are created equally, but by following our simple rules of thumb, you can have a new, great looking kitchen in about a day.

A few months back, we had the pleasure of installing this new kitchen cabinetry in Brentwood, with a sleek modern design.  Any number of arrangements are at your disposal to make your space not only functional, but visually striking with some good planning.