Home Addition Ideas for More Room to Roam

Your home should be the place where you are the most comfortable. If it feels as though the walls are closing in because you lack space, it might be time to do some creative thinking. Home additions are the perfect way to create the space you lack. There are many creative ways to add space within your home without putting a huge dent in your budget.

Think outside the box

Sometimes the perfect way to create additional space is to look outside. Screen porches, decks and patios are a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors while providing more livable space. Outdoor kitchens, dining areas and living rooms provide a peaceful sanctuary to relax and unwind after a busy day while enjoying all that mother nature has to offer. In addition, simple solutions like installing a fabric canopy can provide protection from the elements for little cost.

Add on

Do you have extra space outside your home to add to the footprint of your current living space? Perhaps now is the time to build an addition. This is the best way to add year-round living space to your home. First, determine how you want to use the space. Perhaps you have been longing for a master suite, or maybe you want to install a sunroom or even an extension to your current living room or dining area.

Work with an architect or qualified home improvement contractor to determine the best design options. The contractor can also give you a cost estimate for building and labor expenses and can get the process underway by determining and zoning requirements and pulling all necessary building permits.

Finish up inside

Do you have a basement that would work perfectly as a man cave? Or perhaps you have an unfinished attic space that would be perfect for your dream master suite. Is your garage space unutilized? It might make a great family room addition. Using indoor space can be far more cost effective than building existing square footage; however, it does require careful consideration with regard to load bearing walls, electrical, plumbing and other features. It is important to work with a contractor who is experienced in interior remodeling projects to ensure that your job is finished to the current building codes.

JD Coussens Inc has been providing quality design and construction since 1990. Contact us today to start planning your dream addition.

Perfect Exterior Projects for Spring

While winter might still be putting up a fight here in Davenport, Iowa, warmer temperatures are closer than you might think. With the onset of spring comes the urge to get outside and get to work on the spring fix-up projects around your home.

• Roofing – Did the winter weather wreak havoc on your roof? Are you finding areas with loose shingles, soft spots or even worse leaks? Spring is the perfect time to upgrade your roof. While it might be a costly project, it is an important way to keep your home protected from the elements while maintaining structural integrity.
• Landscaping – The warmer temperatures of spring often bring out the gardening bug in people. In addition to cleaning out garden beds and adding mulch, constructing a retaining wall or other landscaping feature is a great way to highlight unique areas of your yard.
• Painting – Adding a bit of color or freshening up your current paint job is an excellent way to add a bit of sparkle to your home. Consider a whole new color scheme for a brand new look.
• Additions – Do you need more space in your home? Home additions are an excellent way to create extra living space while adding interest to the exterior elevation of your home.
• Decks – Spring and summer beckons us to spend time lounging outside. A deck is the perfect place to enjoy the exterior of your home. Design an outdoor kitchen or dining area and even a fire pit or cozy seating nook to add square footage and extra entertaining spaces.
• Fencing –  Are you struggling to keep the neighborhood dogs out of your yard, or keep your own pets in? Or, perhaps your home is nestled up to a busy road, shares a lot line with nosy neighbors, or connects to a public space. Privacy fences are a great way to create your own outdoor oasis without sharing it with curious onlookers.

At JD Coussens, we offer a variety of residential building and remodeling services. Speak with one our team members about your exterior renovation projects. We are here to help you plan, design and construct the exterior space of your dreams. Contact us today to start the planning process for your spring renovation project – spring might be closer than we think.

Interior Projects Can Cure the Winter Blues!

The holiday season has long since passed, but the weather outside continues to be frightful—and the cold, harsh temperatures aren’t going away anytime soon. It seems like every year, countless people seek new ways to beat the winter blues and find a creative outlet to get to spring. This is the perfect time of year to explore new hobbies, spend time with new friends and acquaintances, and get creative in whatever way inspires you.

Around this time of year, your friends and experts at JD Coussens look for ways to beat the winter blues that are a little closer to home—we look for the things we can do at home to make it to spring! This is the ideal time of year to give your home a fresh look, and it isn’t as intense or as expensive of a process as you might immediately assume!

Take a look at our four helpful interior design tips to give your home the boost it (and you) need to get through the upcoming, continued chilly months!

Make Your Walls Make an Impact

Change the look of your home’s interior without the burden and expense of a complete renovation. This can be done by breathing new life into your walls. Consider adding a bold coat of paint, crown molding, or modern trim work this winter!

Make Your Kitchen Reflect Your Personality

Adding new backsplash to your kitchen walls is a great way to give your kitchen a new and innovative look without breaking the bank.

Give Your Bathroom New Life

There’s no better time than the winter to turn your boring bathroom into a spa retreat. While replacing a faucet, re-grouting tile, or repainting are relatively easy for the do-it-yourselfer, more ambitious jobs like replacing the tub or adding tile floor might be better left to a professional. If it’s in your budget this winter, we absolutely recommend it!

Let There Be Light!

Floor lamps, table lamps, and ceiling lighting are quick and simple ways to give your home’s interior an exciting new look.

From design to finish, JD Coussens is your resource for anything and everything redesign! Give us a call at 563-388-0967 or pay us a visit at our location at 4621 Cheyenne Avenue in Davenport!

How to Avoid Frozen Pipes This Winter

The winter months in Davenport, Iowa can mean tranquil beauty, but they can also bring less than desirable weather conditions. Once frigid temperatures hit, they can wreak havoc on your plumbing system, causing pipes to freeze and creating large headaches for homeowners.   

What causes pipes to freeze?

When the weather gets excessively cold, any water that is in any pipes located on the exterior walls or unheated areas of your home can freeze. When the water freezes, it expands and creates immense pressure within your pipes. If the condition is not addressed promptly it could cause your pipes to burst. This can create a host of problems for your entire plumbing system and can leave a huge mess to clean up, as walls, floors and other surfaces that come in contact with water can warp, mildew and mold. The best way to keep your pipes from freezing is to prepare ahead of time. Here are three tips to avoid a costly catastrophe.

• Turn off outside spigots – If your exterior hose bibs remain turned on, any water in the pipes can freeze starting from the outside of your home and working its way inside. Before cold weather hits, turn off the water supply to the exterior of your home and bring in garden hoses, which can also become damaged in freezing temperatures.
• Open doors of exterior cabinets – During extreme cold spells, be sure to open the doors of any exterior wall cabinets that house plumbing pipes. This will allow the warmer air from inside your home to circulate around the pipes. If the temperatures are excessively cold, consider running a ceramic space heater near the cabinet to help raise the air temperature.
• Turn your faucet to a slow drip – If your faucet is located on an exterior wall, turn it on slightly to allow the water to consistently drip. Keep it turned on until the temperatures outside moderate. The steady flow of water through the pipes will make it more difficult to freeze.

If freezing pipes continue to be a problem or your home is in need of repair because of a leaking pipe, it might be time to consider remodeling your home to move plumbing pipes away from exterior walls. Contact the experts at JD Coussens to determine the best option for your budget. We have been providing full-service remodeling since 1990.