Remodeling and Enlarging A 1970s Ranch Style Home

Tract housing built in the 1970s can be a bargain for first-time homeowners or empty-nesters seeking to downsize. But how do you modernize and make that ranch style home more contemporary? Remodeling and, if small, adding an addition can make a ranch house the perfect home.

The ranch style home is a distinctly iconic homestyle in many American communities, even here in Madison! The ranch-style provides many benefits for homeowners, including efficient use of space, large lots, affordability, and convenient single-story living for those who choose to age in place.

The ranch-style home originated after World War II as GIs returned home. They were looking for affordable housing, and the style quickly became one of the dominant "modern" architectural styles in suburbia. What the ranch-style lacked in design, it made up for in spaciousness, solid construction, attached garages, and larger lot sizes.

The Return of The Ranch

Because most of these homes were built in the 60s or 70s, they often have a dared design that modern homeowners want to improve. Today, thanks to the many remodeling options available to update the style and make it fit into our modern lifestyle, ranch homes are once again growing in popularity.

With the popularity of mid-century modern design, and more homeowners choosing to age in place, the single-story lifestyle, and design sensibilities of the 70s ranch home have been instrumental in its renaissance!

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Larger multi-winged ranch homes that open expansively utilize space and stretch across the building site are called ramblers. Because of the way these single-story homes are designed, there are some innovative ways to maximize space, and they're one of the easiest home styles to enlarge as you have two directions to build... up or out!

If you love your current ranch home but feel that it's limited in terms of space, or has an awkward flow, an excellent design-build contractor can show you some innovative ways to maximize your space and help create your dream home.

Lighten Up Your Ranch

A common complaint when it comes to ranch style homes is that they can feel somewhat dark and claustrophobic due to limited windows and low ceilings. A great way to update the look and feel of your ranch style home is to open up walls and windows to bring in more natural light! Here are some ideas for lightening your ranch home...

Open Up Interior Walls

You can often increase the natural light coming into your home by removing some interior walls. Today, with the growing trend toward open-concept living, removing interior walls can open up the flow of your space and give you a brighter, more open feel.

Add or Expand Windows

Although many ranch homes have some larger picture windows in various spaces, like the living room, other areas, like the kitchen and bedrooms, may suffer from fewer, smaller windows. Adding additional windows, or increasing the size of existing ones can improve the interior light quality while updating the exterior look of your home.

Replace Exterior Doors

Adding a glass patio door in the back of your home, or sidelights to your main entrance can improve entryways, update the exterior look of your home, and bring natural light into more high-traffic areas in your home.

Add Skylights

Want to make a dramatic change in the interior design of your home? Skylights are a great way to counter the effects of low ceilings and add lots of light to any room. Consider vaulting the ceiling in the living area and adding skylights for a truly dramatic effect. Want more light in the kitchen or bath? Light tubes are a great option that will add a modern look to any ranch home. Skylights are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, so you can always find the perfect options to match your personal style and design!

Build "Up" Your Ranch Style Home

One of the best ways to increase the square footage of a single-story home is to build up! In fact, that's one of the attractive elements of the ranch-style home. If you're needing more space, a full or partial second story addition might be a great option! This option also allows you to build on your existing footprint, so you're not going to lose yard space while getting the extra usable space you need.

Often referred to as a "pop-top," this type of renovation can allow for drastic changes to your home's interior and exterior design. A popped-up ranch can easily be redesigned as a colonial, craftsman, or contemporary, all while staying within your home's original footprint.

If you need a LARGE addition to your home, then building a 2nd story might be the way to go. It will allow you to get the maximum amount of space without needing to excavate for a new foundation. You can add on multiple bedrooms, a laundry room, and a master bedroom or ensuite. You’ll change the entire look of your home. However, the scope of work will also grow, as you’ll typically end up installing new siding for the entire house, and if you are doing that, you typically also replace your windows.

Therefore, the main disadvantage of "building up" is the cost overall clost. This type of remodeling can cost about 25% or more over the price of standard addition, even while costing less per square foot of total space. If this is an issue, consider...

Build "Out" Your Ranch: Adding an Addition

If you have the yard space and are seeking additional usable living space, a less expensive alternative to building up is building out with a traditional addition. This can be less expensive as long as you keep the addition smaller, such as a single bedroom addition or a sunroom. An addition can help you to keep living areas on one level if you're considering aging in place.

Your design-build contractor should help you with every step of your project, from determining if you have enough space to meet zoning regulations to helping you choose the right location for your addition. They can also design your new addition to match and extend roof lines to keep your home's design coherent.

An addition will cost more per square foot because you are working with foundation, roof, and exterior - while not achieving an economy of scale. But if the overall budget is a concern and you want to choose an addition of modest size, then this is a great way to go.

Adding Space Within Your Home's Existing Footprint

Sometimes building up or out may not be an option. For example, if you don't have enough yard space to build out, and are hesitant to build up, for instance, if you're planning on aging in place. Transforming your basement or garage into usable living space is an attractive option. Often, a ranch style home will include a full basement or an attached garage that, with a little planning and a creative design can be transformed into stylish, usable space.

The basement is a flexible space that can be converted into many different types of rooms, for example, a media room for the family to enjoy, a play space for the kids, or even additional bedrooms. If you're moving in aging parents, the garage can be transformed into the perfect in-law apartment. Plus, when it comes to infrastructure, the basement and garage have much of it in place, for example, walls, floors, wiring, and plumbing. This can make converting these spaces even more affordable!

Creating your dream home if you live in a ranch-style home is easily possible! You have several options from building up or out, to opening up the interior space, or transforming the basement or garage. With a creative approach, you can turn your ranch into a larger, more comfortable space with plenty of additional usable square footage to meet your family's needs. Your design-build-remodeler can work with you to explain your options along with the costs involved.

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 5/6/21.

If you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and are considering remodeling or updating your ranch style home, give the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. There's a lot to love about the character of an older classic ranch style home. At Degnan Design-Build-Remodel, we can show you the options for redesigning your older ranch to bring new life to your living space!