REMODELING TIPS

Renovating your home doesn't necessarily mean making it larger. Here are a few suggestions on how to remodel within your home's existing footprint, from Jeff Lindgren, a designer with Streeter Renovation & Design.

• Simply adding more square footage to a home may not solve the space issues. Restructuring traffic patterns could enhance how the home functions in the same amount of space. Assess your project and devise a list that breaks these items down into wants, needs and maintenance issues. Then decide which features you truly need.

• Determine your budget before you start. Knowing how much you can spend will help an architect, designer or builder manage your expectations.

• Understand local building codes. When renovating older homes, extra dollars may have to be spent to bring features such as stairs and electrical outlets up to code.

• Make sure the home's "shell" is healthy. Fix any exterior problems first to protect the investments you plan to make to the interior.

• For more ideas on how to make the most of your existing space, visit "The Not So Big House" author Sarah Susanka's website at www.susanka.com.