Custom Home Offices Make Remote Work Easier

An increasing number of Americans are working at home, whether it’s office workers who spend a few days working remotely, full-time telecommuters who rarely see the inside of a traditional office, or self-employed individuals who occasionally meet customers at their home office. While some homes are built with an office, many are too small or old to have a space already reserved for that use.

If you’re thinking about remodeling an existing space into a custom home office, you have a lot of decisions to make, but everyone’s needs are different. Below are some considerations to keep in mind before you launch your custom home office remodeling project.

Converting a Space
If you’re an occasional home-office user, you may not need a custom office. You might be able to make do with a computer armoire in the corner of a living room. You can fold it up and get the clutter out of sight when visitors come by.

On the other hand, if you’re working at home all day every day, you’ll probably want to carve out a larger, more permanent work space. You might find available space in your basement, attic, or an underused guest room. Even if you don’t have that much space, don’t despair. Some nice home offices have been converted from stair landings, hallways, or even closets.

Location in the House
If you’re designing a home office custom fit to your needs, think carefully about where you want it located. You may need it away from the noise of children and dogs, or you might need to be accessible to questions about homework. Will you have visitors to your home office, especially clients? You don’t want them to walk past piles of dirty laundry or rowdy kids to get to your office. Maybe you need a space with its own outside entrance.

Technology
Today’s home offices are energy intensive. If you’re remodeling a room into a custom home office, make sure the room’s wiring is up to the challenge. You may need to have it re-wired and more outlets installed.

Light
Try to bring in as much light as possible by adding windows and skylights to your new home office. Natural light makes you a more efficient worker. Also make sure you have good lighting over the computer and any other work surface, which this will reduce eye strain.

Storage
Storage is one of the primary functions for a home office, so be sure to take it into account when you’re planning your custom workspace. Do you store a lot of paper? Plan where to put filing cabinets. A lot of books? Think about built-in shelves. And make sure you have a nice desk with plenty of room to store those office supplies.

Home Office Value
Adding a custom home office can help its resale value, but don’t create a home office mainly as an investment in your house; think of it as an investment in your business. Be careful about assuming you can take a big tax deduction. The IRS has regulations concerning home office deductions. If you’re thinking about taking those deductions, be sure your home office usage meets these criteria.

When you take into account all the different aspects of designing a custom home office, you’ll have a better chance of creating a workspace that is roomy, well organized, and allows you to work the way you need to. Case Remodeling can help you make all of the decisions involved with your home office. Find a home remodeling company near you.