Converting a Bonus Room Into an Office? Don’t Forget These Steps!

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2020 has been the year of the home office, and across the country, people have scrambled to find a suitable space to work from home. If you happen to have an unused bonus space in your Portland or Kennebunk home, such as an empty room above your garage or extra space in your attic, you may have moved in with a desk and a laptop, thinking it would be a temporary workspace. But as remote work becomes the norm here in Maine and throughout the country, many people are searching for a more permanent solution, and a converted bonus room offers just that. 

As you begin the process of converting that spare room into a permanent home office, you may be tempted to put your entire budget towards decorating the space, but you’ll be a lot more comfortable in the long run if you invest in performance upgrades instead. Bonus rooms tend to lack the same kind of insulation and energy-efficient windows that your core living space likely has, which can make them cold and uncomfortable in the winter and blistering in the summer, not to mention a drain on your energy costs. To make the space as comfortable as possible, consider these key steps as you get started on your bonus room transformation:

Upgrade the Insulation in Your Spare Room 

Insulation slows the transfer of heat between your home and the outside world. Without it, your bonus room will be freezing cold in the winter and sweltering hot in the summer. This makes for an extremely uncomfortable working environment, so it’s crucial to invest in proper insulation for your new work space. Depending on where your bonus room is located, you may need: 

Without the right insulation, your HVAC system will have to work overtime to regulate interior temperatures, which can cause your energy bills to skyrocket. Poor insulation may not have been a major problem if you weren’t using your bonus room much in the past, but if it’s going to become a permanent workspace, you need it to be well insulated. Plus, a properly insulated space is quieter, which can help make working from home more productive.

Seal Up Any Air Leaks 

Air sealing is the process through which gaps and cracks in your home’s construction are located and filled in to keep conditioned (heated or cooled) air in and outside air out. This helps the room maintain a consistent temperature without having to rely as heavily on heating or air conditioning, which can help you save on your energy bills. 

Air sealing also helps keep contaminated outdoor air from getting inside your home, improving your indoor air quality so that you can breathe cleaner, healthier air. 

Air sealing works best when paired with proper insulation, so you should consider investing in both in order to get the most out of your bonus room renovation. And if you’re wondering just how much air sealing and insulation could help you save on your energy bills, the answer is a lot. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that, with proper air sealing and insulation, homeowners can save an average of 15% on their heating and cooling costs.

Have New Windows Installed by a Replacement Window Contractor   

If your bonus room has been unused for a while, chances are the windows are outdated and need to be replaced. And if you’ve ever had to sit by a drafty window for a long period of time, you know how important it is to outfit your home office with energy-efficient windows. New, high-performance windows will stop conditioned air from escaping through your windows, keeping your office more comfortable and helping you save energy. Plus, a variety of glazing options makes it possible to reduce glare and improve working from a home computer. It’s important to hire an experienced replacement window contractor to upgrade your windows, rather than go the DIY route, as energy-efficient windows can only do their job if they’re installed correctly. 

Hire a Professional! 

Working with a skilled contractor is crucial when you’re doing any kind of renovation work, especially when the project is extensive. For insulation, air sealing, and window replacements, you definitely want to work with a contractor who knows what they’re doing — especially as we head into the coldest winter months here in Maine. These are complex upgrades, after all, and you want the job done right. Homeowners in the Portland and Kennebunk areas can feel good about turning to Evergreen Home Performance for an exceptional upgrade. 

We’ll start your project with a comprehensive energy audit that will show us where you’re losing the most energy so that we can guide you toward the products and services that will have the greatest impact on your home’s energy efficiency and overall comfort. With us at your side, you’ll achieve:  

  • Maximum energy savings 

  • More comfortable and consistent interior temperatures

  • Better indoor air quality

Want to turn your bonus room into a permanent home office? Evergreen Home Performance can help you make the space as comfortable and energy efficient as possible. Call 207-594-2244 or reach out here to get started. 

Converting your bonus room into an office?

Our expert team can help! 207-594-2244

We had Evergreen Home Performance of Rockland come in to make our home more energy efficient, and what a TOP notch crew. Brian and his crew did an amazing job from start to finish. Very knowledgeable and professional. We would Definitely highly recommend this crew to anyone who is looking for energy efficiency in their home with a company that truly is an expert and knows how to do a quality job and truly cares about their customer.

Melissa S.

Owls Head

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Ryan Adams

Our house still the most efficient home we’ve ever lived in. And we have you folks to thank for that! A special howdy to Brian Robinson please!

Bruce O’Donal and Eva Butler

Evergreen is the "go-to" company for improving the efficiency of your home. There are others to choose from but none so effective, honest, and capable as Evergreen. They did a great quantity of dense packing cellulose to improve our home (both for energy efficiency and for sound insulation) and it was totally successful. They are on-time, helpful, and caring. They clean up to a level that can't be over emphasized. This was the second time we employed them and we'd use them again if the opportunity came. You'll not be sorry to select Evergreen.

Dirk F.

Belfast

I used to spend winters in the bathtub because my house was so cold. This was my first winter roaming around my whole house comfortably. This even led me to decorate a little. My heating oil usage has been reduced by over a quarter: I rarely have to boost the thermostat because the temp stays at a constant. The Efficiency Maine rebates, together with the energy savings, make it affordable for me to pay for the loan I took out to finance the project. I do not worry about my pipes freezing.

Claire Helene Bevan

Camden

Working with Brian and with Nate and the rest of the crew was a pleasure. They made everything very easy and understandable. This was a major renovation and they were always at the ready with a lot of information. We had an extensive renovation on the basement which was a dirt basement and it came out beautifully. We can already tell from all of the insulation work what a difference it's made in sound and temperature. Brian worked with me on the rebates that are available when you do this kind of work. I would highly recommend this company to…

Valerie L.

Rockland

Evergreen was so helpful in securing us Efficiency Maine funding for a big attic insulation project early this winter. They did all of the paperwork, and totally guided us through a vermiculite removal process that included a payment from a trust for the procedure. I could instantly feel the second floor being so much warmer than before. The boiler does not kick on nearly as frequently since they completed the job. It was worth every penny! Brian Robinson was so thorough throughout the whole process including a full walk through after the job had been completed.

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Camden

From beginning to end – that is from the moment Justin McEdward stepped into our home to assess our energy conservation needs until the crew left – the Evergreen Home Performance process went absolutely smoothly. Justin made a thorough inspection and took pictures with an infrared camera. His proposal described the scope of work in detail, and he explained what we could expect the proposed work to accomplish. Our proposal was forthcoming within a couple of days, and Justin was available to discuss it and answer questions.

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Rosalind J

Damariscotta

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Noah

Peaks Island

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Kennebunk

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Westbrook

The Evergreen Team did a fabulous job, well exceeding our expectations, In just over a week they transformed our very drafty, noisy 213 year old house into a snug, draft-free, quiet haven with warm floors! The team was prompt, did everything they said they'd do and more. We are thrilled!

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Bridgton

Thorough, smart, informative, integrated, and communicative -- that's how my experience was with Evergreen even with the covid interruption midstream. The team picked up where they left off, insulated basement and air sealed attic and knee wall in 100' temps under the eaves! This business group was a pleasure to work with.

Karen W.

Gray

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