Renovate to Stay at Home
By rememberme
How will you be able to live in your house when you get older? That’s a question that comes up time and time again as baby boomers living in Northern Virginia colonials age.
“I hear it all the time,” says Tom Vitale, owner of Oak Hill Building & Remodeling/VCI Inc., a home remodeling company based in Fairfax.
“People say to me, ‘I don’t want to move. I live in a great neighborhood. My neighbors have been my closest friends for decades. But how will I be able to climb the steps as I get older?’”
But those homes can be modified so you don’t have to make a life-altering move and can continue living in the community you love.
“Homeowners don’t realize their greatest asset can be changed. We do it all the time.
“An addition on the side or back of your home can give the master suite bedroom and bathroom you need to stay on the first floor. So can a garage that’s been remodeled into a luxury suite. You can always turn the extra footage on the side of your home into a new garage,” Vitale says.
In colonials, elevators are another option, and so are redesigned floor plans.
“Think about redesigning your first floor. By changing the floor plan, you can open up your home so you have the space to accommodate a wheelchair – if you ever need one.”
Vitale says you might be surprised by the possibilities.
“Bottom line: If you love your home, there’s probably no reason to move. Your home just needs an upgrade to give you the freedom to age gracefully with the rest of your neighbors,” he says.
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Resources:
Oak Hill Building & Remodeling
http://www.oakhillbuilding.com/
National Association of Remodeling Industry
http://www.nari.org/
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