Check out my building blog to learn more about construction for your home or office in Austin! David L. Traut, President, CAPS Certified (512)444-0097

Austin Home Additions

Posted byDavid L. Traut, CAPS on Thu, Apr 26, 2018 @ 12:04 PM

    If you believe you are located at the perfect address, and you have a new member in your family or are simply a multi-generational family of today taking care of a parent and you find yourself short on living space then give us a call. Inevitably at one time or another all homeowners envision potential improvements to an existing home that can significantly enhance their living experience. Regardless of the reason you require home modifications we can help you to transform the functionality of your existing living situation or add additional living space to suit your present family's needs. Fall in love with your home again while the professional remodeling contractor's experience helps guide you through changes to your existing home which better fit your daily lifestyle.

Discover the Principles Of Universal Design

Austin Home Remodeling Contractors/Home Additions

Austin Remodeling

The Finished Product From Above Picture

Home Remodeling Austin, Texas

 

Aging In Place Home Modifications

Bathroom Kitchen Remodels

    It's time to find yourself either a qualified architectural firm and proceed with the endless task of interviewing residential remodeling contractor or a local design/build construction company with in house design capabilities that can build what is designed.  The latter situation is usually your best shot at getting what you basically need to solve your living situation problems allowing you to cut out the beyond budget frills.  You will also save on the soft costs of your construction project that have nothing to do with the structural building process itself.  Many local residential contractors are quite capable of pushing out a wall in your home or putting a top on a new structure.  This capability is based on both their experience and knowledge of all the building trades, especially the framing aspect that will certainly be involved.  Actual experience in this particular facet of the project could prove to be very helpful for visualizing the construction and it's possibilities.  Has this contractor ever done this kind of project before?  Does he himself have skilled experience or does he appear to be a drive by limited contractor at the mercy of his subcontractor's capabilities?  Any depth of design is totally based on experience.  You will need to completely check out the contractor's references.  Don't be taken in by paid contractor listings  and referral sights that promise you successful and competent businesses with free background checks.  They were listed there for one and only one reason, somebody paid for the listing fee.  Membership to national associations like NARI reflect only a self paid fee but says nothing about the contractor's experience and creativity.  That only comes from past customer's testimonials that you can fact check through the local BBB, Yelp, or Houzz.

    T-Square Company originally came into being as a remodeling company driven with the purpose to maximize the potential of existing homes.  When updating elements of functionality, style, efficiency, accessibility, and comfort, a home can be brought into your present day needs and desires of it's occupants. We approach complete home remodeling, renovations, and additions with the same targeted mindset using universal design techniques to build for the future. With our CAPS training, we are able to offer accessible home designs and modifications for our clients with special needs or disabilities.

    If you have contemplated and dreamed of an addition to your home for years and now find it's time to make a decision to move forward let us help you.  Certain changes in your lifestyle may have dictated an expansion.  Your living space has grown more crowded over time with additional family members being added as children, extended family members, or  an elderly family member.  Any and all of these life changing situations can add stress to your daily lifestyle creating the need for additional living space or home improvements in Austin.  As our children grow older they generally require more space and sometimes privacy.  This sparks a need for an additional bedroom space once an aging relative or spouse requiring special care is introduced into the original home's square footage. Privacy can truly become an issue if only to keep everyone happy while underneath the same roof.  Perhaps even private entrances will be required for some of the home's new residents.  These private entries could  be required to begin a new accessible route if there are ADA compatibility issues involved. 

     T-Square Company is a local design/build General Contracting firm registered with the City of Austin, Texas.  We have a competent team of in house craftsmen for your structural job aspects.  They are complemented by a force of long time affiliated subcontractors holding a masters license with the State of Texas. We are certified accessibility experts holding  nationally accredited CAPS and Universal Design (UD) certificates to assist in removing any architectural barriers limiting mobility within your home.  We offer complete home modifications for independent living for our aging in place customers in Austin.  Let us show you how to adapt your home to fit your ever changing accessibility needs.  Perhaps an expansion to a defined living space would solve a changing living situation.  How can this be accomplished without altering your home's basic footprint?  How can you go about this without a costly addition?  Maybe it's time to look under the hood, so to speak, for a solution that is right under your existing homes roof line.

Certified Aging In Place Specialist

    How about pushing a certain room's perimeter out into your existing unused attic space to create attic remodeling?  You can expand a small child's bedroom space to create a play or activity room.  Storage needs can be met by taking in part of the attic to create a closet or other additional storage area.  Entertainment areas can be created without taking square footage out of the living space once the equipment is installed beyond the existing inner wall line into the attic space.

    How you accomplish adding this additional square footage can be quite easy if you obtain the advice of a qualified building professional.  Any reputable residential building contractor can give you direction for such a task so that your roof's structural integrity is not put in jeopardy.  You must not under any circumstance interrupt the structural balance of your roof.  Not only could you cause a structural failure of the roof itself but other areas of your home could be affected by this interruption in stability.

   Whatever your situation please rely on the experiences of a local building professional.  Check out their credentials and references over merely price checks against other bidders.  Don't make the mistake of letting a cabinet making subcontractor play the part of a general contractor because his knowledge will be limited to that of the cabinets and not much else.  You get what you pay for with proper planning.  Call T-Square Company today at 512-444-0097 for a complete design/build experience for the home remodel or addition you've longed for.

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Universal Design:Building For The Future

Posted byDavid L. Traut, CAPS on Tue, Apr 24, 2018 @ 14:04 PM

     Can you envision building a house as a young adult that you can live in comfortably while you age no matter what your basic physical needs require? This evolving home will contain wide doorways and hallways that can accommodate both a stroller and a wheelchair or walker. There will be a wide open feeling throughout the house's main living areas in the bathroom, kitchen, and living area that do not restrict moving about. There will be blocking behind the finished walls to accommodate secure grab bar installations or the towel racks in the kitchen can double as grab bars as you become unsteady from lack of balance. All the entryways from the front door to the shower entrance are smooth to prevent tripping from high thresholds. All doors and faucets will be controlled by lever hardware. This universal designed home is barrier free without looking modified and is accessible to everyone no matter of their age, size, or capability of movement. This home will be accessible to everyone from your father to your son.

Discover the Principles Of Universal Design

Certified Aging In Place Specialist

roll in shower

     Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Some universal design/build ideas just make good sense. Once you bring them into your home, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them.

    Universal Design isn’t just for the elderly or the permanently disabled. As Americans age, they’re beginning to realize that their homes need to accommodate future life changes. Consumers are more cognizant today of the benefits of a universally designed home, but they may not realize it can be beautiful as well as functional. Everyone can use universal design! It doesn't matter if you are young or old. You could be short or tall, healthy or ill. You might have a disability or you may be a star athlete. Because of universal design ideas, people who are very different can all enjoy the same home. And that home will be there for all its inhabitants even when their needs change.

Download Our Free Aging In Place Remodeling Considerations Checklist

Seven Low-cost Universal Design Elements

• Wider hallways and door openings (recommended widths are 46 inches and 36 inches, respectively)

• Kitchen work surfaces at different heights from 30" to 34"

• Lower light switches to 48" and higher electrical outlets at 18"

• Roll-under sinks with lever faucet controls with a 27" vertical clearance

• Open knee space under counter tops and islands that are at least 30" wide

• Lever door handles instead of knobs for arthritic clients

• Blocking for grab bars around showers and bathtubs

     The aging in place phenomenon or movement is characterized by the needs and wants generated by an aging society of homeowners. People age differently because the aging process is based on their individual genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment. These three factors combine to drive the need for Universal Design within the Aging In Place market. People's personal needs vary with age and the Universal Design of products, services, and environments provide adaptations for aging in place to everyone regardless of their age, ability, or situation. Universal Design becomes invisible when incorporated into a home remodel and is present when help with accessibility is needed. Furthermore, an appealing universal design project creates a greater resale potential. Aging in place construction provides immediate accessibility while universal design techniques provide for accessibility now and when needed in the future.

Aging In Place Home Modifications

      Knowledgeable construction and design professionals are utilizing their CAPS training across the nation. CAPS stands for Certified Aging In Place Specialist. This designation is taught through the National Association of Home Builders in collaboration with AARP. CAPS connects responsible professionals with home owners who need these services on an ever-increasing basis. CAPS is a nationwide initiative and all active CAPS members can be found at nahb.org/CAPSdirectoryAging in place home design is a concept promoting independence and livability for all types of living environments no matter the age or level of abilities of the occupants. The principle is not entirely age related as recuperation periods from injuries or the progression of debilitating diseases like MS can happen to anyone at any age.

     The National Association of Home Builders, in partnership with the AARP and Home Innovation Research Labs, created the CAPS program, which includes training and education on the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry--home modifications for aging in place.  David L. Traut, CAPS owner of T-Square Company in Austin, Texas is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills and knowledge necessary to remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners or their visitors.

      For additional information about the CAPS program, visit nahb.org/CAPS.  For more information about T-Square Company, visit www.tsquareco.com or call 512-444-0097.

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