Watch CBS News

Angie's List: Maximize Your Space

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Are you looking for more room in your home to accommodate your family?

One of the most common reasons for remodeling is to create more space in your home. Here's some tips for how to maximize and make the space you have work for you.

Lori's house was built in the late 1940s, and her kitchen's appliances were falling apart. In addition to updating the appliances, she thought it was also a good time to remodel the kitchen and change up its space.

"We changed the layout," Lori said. "We made the space more open to the family living area beyond."

One of the most common reasons to remodel a home is to create more space, especially in older homes that have smaller rooms and less square footage.

The latest trends in remodeling is opening rooms up rather than adding on.

"A lot of times we'll come in and we'll open up a wall in between two rooms; usually a family room and a kitchen," said Patti Smith, a general contractor.

"They are trying to make their house become what it is if they go into the newer homes on the market today," added Geoff Horen, another general contractor.

However, remodeling can make quite the mess.

"The idea of opening up space in your house might seem like a simple project, but it's actually pretty tricky because when it comes to taking walls out of your home you want to be sure you know exactly what you are doing," said Angie Hicks, of Angie's List. "Consulting with a professional, like a structural engineer, to make sure you're not taking out a load bearing wall, which could lead to disaster."

"First of all, I just tell them we are going to make a big mess. Second, we try to contain that mess the very best we can; it depends on their situation in how well we can do that," Dennis Smith, a general contractor, said. "Construction is not an easy thing and it's not an exact science."

Here's an inexpensive way to save space: you can remove bulky bookcases and entertainment centers and replace them with shelves and cabinets.

RELATED LINKS:
More Angie's List Reports
More Reports by Susan Koeppen

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.