The exterior of your home is the very first thing that people see upon arriving. As such, this is also the first area that you should consider when planning major property upgrades. By taking advantage of the following ideas for a new porch, you can significantly improve the overall curbside appeal of the building structure.
Before attempting to determine which types of porches are going to best enhance your property investment, it is vital to consider some of the unique benefits that these structures can provide. In every instance, they are going to increase the amount of usable space that people have access to. These covered areas are great for reading, gardening and relaxation among many other things.
Areas like these are also used at the back of the property to create covered, outdoor cooking areas. This is a great place for storing an electric smoker, a propane grill or even a complete cook top or brick cooking oven. If you are looking to add permanent outdoor cooking elements to the property, you can look forward to vastly increased, resale price as well. Porches and outdoor cooking areas are among some of the best forms of home improvement for those looking to build sweat equity.
If the overhang is large enough and strategically positioned on the primary building structure, these additions can also have a positive impact on your home heating and cooling costs. During the months of summer, this addition will provide ample shade for limiting the demands on your HVAC system. Over time, improvements like these are actually capable of paying for themselves given the additional equity they build and the associated energy costs.
You might want to consider investing in an enclosed porch. This is especially important to do if you feel like your family is on its way to outgrowing your house. Enclosed porches have a much higher level of usability than those that are not. They are great for gardening and many other forms of recreation. Much like covered porches, these elements also contribute to greater levels of energy efficiency indoors.
Wraparound porches are massive undertakings. These structures travel completely around the entire building. They are attractive additions that provide all of the benefits of ever other porch design given that they add usable space and can be both covered and enclosed as needed.
Another benefit that you might want to gain from your new porch is the ability to set your home apart from others within the area that look much like it. Also known as cookie-cutter designs, properties like these can sometimes be hard to sell. If you are interest in finding a way to get qualified buyers to flock to your listing in the future, this is definitely an upgrade worth considering.
Water features can also be added to these areas as well. For instance, you might want to incorporate a built in waterfall or add a hot tub in a discrete and completely enclosed or covered area. Ultimately, there are countless options to choose from and the only limitations that you’re likely to face during the design process are your budget, local building codes, and your imagination.
