If you want to expand your living space without seriously contracting your bank account, a backyard renovation might be the solution. By consulting an expert, you can create a beautiful outdoor living area for relaxation, entertainment and communion with the outdoors.
Brian Hogan is the owner and founder of Hogan Design & Construction, a full-service design-build firm that has been specializing in luxury high-end remodels, renovations and new home construction throughout the Chicago suburbs since 2000. If you have an idea for what you want to create, he recommends sitting down with a design team and mulling over options and considerations.
Early conversations focus on the essentials, such as a feasibility study, design needs, finishes, sizes and any restrictions that might exist in your neighborhood.
While this may seem like a heady process, this is all in a day’s work for a design-build firm. A pool house that Hogan designed and built took about 12 weeks of planning with another eight weeks of construction. And that includes the pool.
Swimming is fun, but many of Hogan’s clients are looking for a place to relax. For the recline-inclined customer, a screened-in porch is a popular choice for an addition.
“We just finished working with Cara Mamott, from Haven Design Group, on one of my favorite porches we’ve ever done,” Hogan says. “It has phantom screens, which drop like garage doors with the touch of a button.”
Another rising trend among suburban homeowners is the “she shed,” a small outdoor structure that’s typically used as a personal retreat or workspace.
“They’re like a little living room,” Hogan says. “They typically don’t require plumbing, just air conditioning or heating.”
The possibilities are truly endless, but the results are oh so satisfying.
Hogan Design & Construction is located at 21 N. Sixth St. in Geneva, (630) 991-8700.