What is an open concept addition and does it work well in Ottawa homes?

Open concept additions are a common design approach. Leaving out walls between the kitchen, dining and living areas creates a sense of space that many families appreciate through long winters spent mostly indoors. In a cold climate, though, an open design brings specific structural and mechanical considerations.

An open concept addition is a large, uninterrupted floor area without load-bearing partitions to define separate rooms. Without those walls, the roof and any floor above have to be carried by beams instead. That usually means engineered beams such as LVL, or steel beams, sized by a designer or engineer. Open spans can push the cost up compared with a design that has more interior walls, because the beams, posts and footings under them all have to be larger. Ask contractors to show the beam work as a separate line in their quotes.

The structure is not a place to cut corners. An undersized beam can sag over time, causing cracked drywall, sloping floors and doors that won't close. Structural alterations need a building permit, and the City's Building Code Services can tell you what drawings your submission needs. Your designer or engineer will size the members for your spans and loads.

Heating and cooling need careful planning. Warm air rises and cool air settles, so rooms with high or vaulted ceilings can feel cold at floor level. Large windows in an open room can create cold zones near the glass in very cold weather. In-floor radiant heating suits open spaces well because it warms from the floor up without registers or drafts, and ceiling fans can push warm air back down. A heat loss calculation should guide the system design.

Acoustics are a frequent complaint after people move into an open space. With no walls to block sound, kitchen noise reaches the living area and conversations carry. That can be frustrating if the family room doubles as a home office. Area rugs, soft furnishings, acoustic ceiling treatments and careful placement of noisy appliances help. Some people choose a partly open plan, using half walls, columns, pocket doors or sliding doors to switch between open and separate spaces.

Plan the open space so it can work as several areas at once. That means enough electrical outlets, lighting zones that can be controlled separately, and heating and ventilation that keep the whole room comfortable. Think about where a television, a desk and a dining table will sit before the electrician roughs in.

An open plan isn't right for everyone. If you value quiet rooms, or the addition will host different activities at the same time, a more defined layout may suit you better. Ask your designer to sketch both versions. When you're ready, you can browse addition contractors in the Ottawa Construction Network directory and compare itemized quotes.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Luxe Painting and Renovations
• JC Carpentry
• ALM Construction & Landscaping Inc.
• MAK Construction and Development Inc
• Somar Contracting Inc.