Demand is going up for room additions. In a world of high home prices, interest rates, and cost of living, we are seeing more of our homeowners choose to expand on their existing properties rather than sign up for a new mortgage.
We looked at our data from 2026 so far. We found the 5 most popular ways our homeowners are adding usable space this year. We hope this list inspires you on how you could expand your own home:
#1 In-Law Suites
A live-in suite has been our most popular room addition this year. More and more families are looking to bring multigenerational living back into their spaces. This year, we’ve seen families create space for parents, grandparents, or even older children. Often, these rooms come with a dedicated external door to allow for ultimate flexibility for the tenants. An external entrance also allows for the option of renting the space out in the future.
#2 Finishing a Basement
Finishing existing space is another way to make room for additional family. Prices are relatively lower compared to a brand-new room addition because builders are working in an already enclosed space. We have seen our homeowners choose this year to transform their unfinished square footage into more bedrooms, entertainment, and multi-use spaces.
#3 Main Floor Bedrooms
A bedroom on the main floor offers easy access, often with its own bathroom. For grandparents and guests, main floor bedrooms unlock accessible living in a multi-story home. Homeowners looking to improve their home for aging in place also consider this over mechanical options like chair lifts.
#4 Expanded Living Room
Indoor/outdoor living spaces are about comfort and relaxation. Climate-controlled sunrooms are lovely ways to bring in additional reading, entertainment, or childcare space. We’ve seen strong demand for this type of room this year.
#5 Covered Decks & Porches
Covered porches add function and value. The cover provides protection from the weather with a great view, perfect for entertaining and functionally extending a living area. This year, we’ve seen a mix of front porch and back deck encapsulation requests.
Screened-in porches have been particularly valuable to our homeowners in mosquito-plagued months.
Before choosing the best type of addition for your home, check HOA rules, zoning, setbacks, permits, utilities, and whether your property can support the work. If expanding your property is something you’d like to explore, we can work through what’s possible for you in one of our 30-minute ballpark estimate calls. We’d love to hear what you’re dreaming up!
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements, and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media LLC (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses, or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability, or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party.
