Financial constraints, cultural norms, and personal reasons have driven multiple generations of San Diego families to live under the same roof. As the number of family members per house continues to increase, homeowners have started thinking about ways to incorporate all age groups into the current living space. In this guide, we will share some tips to help you with your multi-generational home remodeling.
6 Expert Tips on Approaching a Multi-generational Home Remodeling Project
While a growing household can be a blessing in disguise, it can lead to serious problems if you don’t remodel your house according to the needs of all of the stakeholders.
Here are a couple of tips for a multigenerational home remodeling project that you should follow:
1. Plan Your Multi-generational Home Remodeling Project Properly
To make multi-generational households work, it’s important to take privacy into consideration. Each family must have their own space where they can relax, a separate bedroom, and an area for socializing with others.
There are many ways you can achieve privacy in a multi-generational home. Pony or retractable walls are great for ensuring separate living and socializing spaces. You can also install soundproofing materials to reduce noise disruption.
Planning ahead is crucial. Think about your needs and also respect the wishes of the other family members. Having a separate entrance can support privacy and independence, allowing for a more accommodating living arrangement for everyone involved.
2. Invest in Separate Bathrooms
Since using a bathroom can be a private moment, keeping them separate across different age groups is essential. This can ensure that the space caters to their unique needs, promoting a sense of comfort, dignity, and autonomy for all of the families in the house.
Children, adults, and other age groups may also have different requirements. A child, for example, will need a stool to reach the sink, or they may require a bathtub instead of a shower. On the other hand, grab bars, wider doorways, or a roll-in shower are some things that you must consider for the elderly.
Since different age groups have unique requirements, having separate bathrooms can prevent conflicts and ensure a private space that allows family members to access facilities tailored to their specific needs.
3. Consider a Room Addition
If your current living arrangement offers little space, you may want to think about a room addition when planning for a multi-generational home remodeling project. This will allow other family members to be more independent and ensure privacy.
While a room addition can be a fantastic option for multi-generational homes, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is also a viable alternative that offers independence and privacy while still maintaining close proximity to the house. Plus, when the family members don’t need it, you can rent it out and create a source of income for yourself.
4. Incorporate Universal Design Features in Shared Areas
While every family should have their own space, focusing on shared areas is also crucial. When planning for your home remodel, think about all of the things that could help improve accessibility and functionality for the different age groups in your house. These may include the following:
- Anti-slip flooring
- Better and brighter lighting solutions
- Accessible storage
- Open floor plan
- Clear and wider pathways
- Flexible furniture arrangement
5. Create an Open Kitchen for Everyone
One of the best tips for a multigenerational home remodeling project is to create an open kitchen that caters to the needs of all family members. If you have elderly people and children in your house, you need cabinets that are easily accessible to everyone.
Most designers recommend getting countertops of varying heights. However, this can adversely impact the kitchen’s aesthetics. Instead, try to opt for better seating solutions that allow people of all age groups to sit at the table without experiencing discomfort.
Since you’ll have many family members using the kitchen at one time, it’s important to consider wider pathways. This will allow the individuals to move around freely without bumping into each other.
You can also take steps that can help save time and reduce movement in the kitchen. A swing-out tap, for example, is a great way to fill pots and pans at the cooktop, eliminating the need to go over to the sink every now and then.
Another thing to remember is that you may need multiple sinks and appliances. As your household continues to grow, you must have a kitchen that is ready to accommodate the growing needs of your family. Invest in two dishwashers, induction-free cooktops, and anything else that may make it easy for others to live together.
6. Consider the Water and Electrical Requirements
If you live alone, you may not consume much water or electricity. However, this will change once you have more people in your home. You must consider the growing demand for utilities and invest in solutions to optimize efficiency and reduce waste.
A water heater, for example, may not be able to provide a continuous flow of hot water during winter for your growing family. Your electrical panel may be unable to accommodate the increased demand for electricity, and you may need to upgrade your HVAC systems.
To avoid problems in the near future, think about the water and electricity requirements of your multi-generational home. This is something that most homeowners fail to realize until they’re faced with potential shortages or inefficiencies.
Custom Remodeling for San Diego’s Multi-Generational Homes with Paragon Builders
Whether it is financial constraints, taking care of your parents, or other personal reasons, you can make multi-generational homes work with the expert tips mentioned in this guide.
We at Paragon Builders are premium contractors that have over 90 years of combined experience, offering a wide range of quality services, including custom homes, garage conversions, room additions, remodeling, and more.
Call us at +1 (858) 336-8336 to schedule a free consultation with our skilled professionals to transform your vision of a multi-generational home into a reality. We will ensure that every detail reflects your family’s comfort and functionality needs!
