Add a Home Office
By oakhill
Is it time to add on or remodel your home so that you have the ultimate home office?
With more and more people working out of their homes either in home-based businesses or telecommuting, the beginning of the year is the perfect time to start planning, says remodeling expert Tom Vitale, founder of Oak Hill Building & Remodeling.
“You probably have the space to add an addition for a home office and don’t even realize it,” says Vitale, whose company specializes in additions and complete home makeovers.
You need to ask yourself what you want and what would work best:
Do I want an addition that is a completely separate space?
Should I add an office suite over the garage?
Should the office be part of a complete first-floor renovation?
Will I like an office in the basement?
Is the drop in resale value worth turning part of a two-car garage into and office?
The location of your office is crucial. It will make the difference in how productive you are and how much you like “going to work.”
If you don’t want to hoof up and down stairs, you might reconsider whether a lower level or basement office is for you. Unless you have a walkout on that level, Vitale says an office there has a drawback.
“You don’t want to be trapped in ‘the hole or the dungeon,’ as I call it,” Vitale jokes.
“If you’re in and out a lot, the best place to be is on the first level where it’s airy, light and bright.”
The type of business you run and zoning regulations will help you decide your office’s location. Fairfax County makes distinctions between home occupations and home professional offices, so zoning regulations are different for an owner of a cleaning service versus a doctor who sees clients.
In terms of space, think about not only how many people will use the office, but also about whether you’ll need an additional bathroom. An office that’s 14-feet by 14-feet may be too small for two people, while an office that’s 16 feet by 20 feet or 20 feet by 20 feet may be perfect.
“The last thing you want is to be cramped, so try to see the room with furniture in it -- maybe a desk, a table, chairs and a work table,” Vitale says.
And ahead of time, think about organization, even if you’re only going to use the office to pay the family bills.
“There’s no question. You are going to want storage,” Vitale says.
If you think about the proper storage – built-in shelving and closets – before you remodel, you’ll be more efficient.
Reduced stress, increased productivity and the ability to design your own workspace are some of the key benefits to teleworking, according to the Telework Network.
Whether the office is on the first floor or added over the garage, Vitale says the window you add will capture daylight and make it a pleasant place -- one that gives you peace of mind.
Vitale cautions against chopping up an existing two-car garage to add an office, unless that’s really the only area of your home where you can add an office.
“You don’t want to kill your resale value,” he says.
Location, size and storage aren’t the only things to keep in mind when adding an office.
Vitale says you need to make sure you have the following:
Adequate lighting
Lots of outlets
Dedicated circuits for equipment
The proper set-up for your phone and Internet services.
##30 ##
Oak Hill Building & Remodeling/VCI Inc., a fully licensed, bonded and insured construction company specializing in remodeling and new home construction, has been serving Northern Virginia since 1978.
RELATED RESOURCES:
Oak Hill Building
http://oakhillbuilding.com/
Fairfax Co. Home Occupation Guidelines
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/zoning/homeoccupation/
Checklist for What Your Office May Need
http://www.teleworknetwork.com/pdfs/76.pdf
Benefits of Teleworking
http://www.teleworknetwork.com/pdfs/72.pdf
You must be logged in to post a comment.