Maximizing The Flexibility Of Flex Rooms
A home is an important part of any family’s life, and every homeowner wants their house to be their own. Flexibility of layout and design is important to buyers, and while the majority of builders are somewhat tied to a finite number of floor plans and layouts, there are ways to make homes more personalized within that framework.
Over the last five years, flex rooms have emerged as one of the most popular ways for builders to deliver a wider array of options to homeowners without sacrificing the efficiency of standard models and floor plans. As formal living and dining rooms have fallen out of favor, they have been replaced by flex rooms in many design plans.
Flex space is more than just having a spare room to use as you like. It involves making the modifications necessary during construction to make the space suit the buyer’s intentions. If it becomes an extra bedroom, it needs a closet. If it’s a home office, it gets doors. An extension of the living area might benefit from a large arched opening.
Whatever use a flex space ends up serving, it requires materials that are high performance and flexible. That includes the walls. Habito™, the new performance wallboard from CertainTeed®, is the one drywall solution that is flexible enough to take on flex space. Available now in select markets, Habito is the industry’s strongest 1/2-inch drywall. It can hold up to 30 lbs on a single #10 screw fastened directly to the wall — no stud finder, wall anchors or special fasteners required.
This means that homeowners can mount and remount electronic equipment, shelves, home décor or other items without the concern of doing long-term damage to the wall and limiting changes in the future. Habito’s high-density gypsum formulation gives it the impact resistance of a 5/8-inch abuse board in a 1/2-inch product, and also delivers a higher level of sound insulation than standard 1/2-inch drywall.
All of these qualities are extremely helpful when putting together a room that might serve as anything from a children’s playroom to a workout space. Its strength is perfect for mounting the heavy equipment found in a home theater, while its sound deadening qualities are great for a study, library or home office.
The inherent strength of Habito also means that it can withstand change. If a family grows and suddenly the playroom morphs into an office or craft space, Habito can handle the change. Because it doesn’t require drywall anchors, holes are minimized, making it easier to repair and reuse the walls if the room is repurposed.
Flex rooms allow builders to offer buyers custom-tailored spaces that simply can’t be found in resale homes. Plus, flex rooms built with Habito add a level of flexibility, durability and ease that only increases the appeal. For potential homebuyers with an eye on the future and the long-term possibilities of a space, being able to offer flexibility and durability is a distinct advantage in today’s market. It speaks to a homebuyer’s aspirational nature, allowing them to see their home as a personalized, dynamic place that they can shape to their needs and that can grow with them. Habito delivers the adaptability that life so often requires.
For more information about Habito, visit CertainTeed.com/Drywall/Habito.
