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laundrymom 10:29 AM 02-05-2015
We are in the market for a new home. New home will have a complete dedicated space for daycare. Since 1987 I've co-lived with a daycare and I finally will get some distance.
So my question, as I look for a new home,
What works. What doesn't. What you wish you had. What you wanted but do t use.
Spam me with ideas, pics, links. I'm actively searching. We've had a couple hundred thousand dollars to spend since thanksgiving but no home has caught our eye. Fully funded mortgage so when we find it, things should move fast. We are waiting on it to come up for sale I guess.
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SilverSabre25 10:41 AM 02-05-2015
jealous....gonna live vicariously through youuuuu....although I'm in the midst of some major home changes that will hopefully respark my tolerance and love for my job so there's that.

Have you thought of building your own?
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laundrymom 10:48 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
jealous....gonna live vicariously through youuuuu....although I'm in the midst of some major home changes that will hopefully respark my tolerance and love for my job so there's that.

Have you thought of building your own?
In order to build we'd have to give up on daycare. And since I make 6grand a month at it, that's not feasible.
Here the only places to build are subdivisions who hate home businesses.
So we are waiting on a house with no covenants against daycare, space to park our camper, in my kids school district, with a big enough yard to make hubby happy.
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Heidi 10:49 AM 02-05-2015
1. Prefer a bathroom big enough for a changing table, and preferably one you can see into or out of when you're changing someone.

2. One or two separate sleeping rooms nearby.

3. A separate entrance, with an area big enough that you can set up cubbies or coat hooks and parent mailboxes. I like mine gated off so that parents can deal with behavior, take off their shoes (no shoes beyond gate), etc.

4. Big windows in the daycare area. preferably on at least 2 sides. If it's a basement, higher ceilings would be a bonus.

5. A separate little kitchen area, or the daycare room adjacent to your kitchen.

6. It'd be nice to have a messy art area that you don't have to worry about, but not have it accessible to everyone, all the time. That could double as the eating area, too. Again, some sort of half-wall or gate system to separate that would work.

7. If you're in a cold climate and it's a basement, heated floors.

Have you thought about building? NM! Just saw that....
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SilverSabre25 10:52 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
In order to build we'd have to give up on daycare. And since I make 6grand a month at it, that's not feasible.
Here the only places to build are subdivisions who hate home businesses.
So we are waiting on a house with no covenants against daycare, space to park our camper, in my kids school district, with a big enough yard to make hubby happy.
Oh my goodness well yes I guess you wouldn't give up on that much income! Wow! I'm jealouser now. Good luck. SOunds like you're looking for a purple unicorn with zerba striped tail and a pink horn.
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Annalee 10:54 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
We are in the market for a new home. New home will have a complete dedicated space for daycare. Since 1987 I've co-lived with a daycare and I finally will get some distance.
So my question, as I look for a new home,
What works. What doesn't. What you wish you had. What you wanted but do t use.
Spam me with ideas, pics, links. I'm actively searching. We've had a couple hundred thousand dollars to spend since thanksgiving but no home has caught our eye. Fully funded mortgage so when we find it, things should move fast. We are waiting on it to come up for sale I guess.
I like being able to close the daycare completely off on weekends. I do not like when we have company and they always want to go in daycare but I DO NOT allow it...I am into organization and everything has it's space. I tell my company that my daycare has to stay in order for state inspections because some parents will ask me to let their kids play in the daycare I also like having the bathroom and kitchen (small with stove/sink/refrigerator) as well.....I do not have to enter the other part of the house and neither do my clients. I provided daycare in the living room for 10 years in the beginning so I feel other provider's pain in that endeavor.....The past 12+ are much better! Best wishes to you!
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AuntTami 10:59 AM 02-05-2015
We will be in the market in the future too. I don't have a seperate space right now(well I use my upstairs most of the day, but still co-op for meals) but I'll share my list of *wants* for our new home!

1. Separate entrance!-Self explanatory
2. Door on the BOTTOM of the stairs leading upstairs. Oh gosh, I have this now and it AH-MAZING!
3. LOTS of windows/light- I hate turning on the lights, so I love to have a lot of bright sunlight shining in during the day! I like to keep the blinds closed though because I don't like it blasting my eyes, so I need a LOT of windows so it's still bright enough!
4. Place to prepare food, even if its just microwaving it, or plating snack
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Annalee 11:01 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by Annalee:
I like being able to close the daycare completely off on weekends. I do not like when we have company and they always want to go in daycare but I DO NOT allow it...I am into organization and everything has it's space. I tell my company that my daycare has to stay in order for state inspections because some parents will ask me to let their kids play in the daycare I also like having the bathroom and kitchen (small with stove/sink/refrigerator) as well.....I do not have to enter the other part of the house and neither do my clients. I provided daycare in the living room for 10 years in the beginning so I feel other provider's pain in that endeavor.....The past 12+ are much better! Best wishes to you!
Here is a pic of my small kitchen and my entrance with foyer connected to other part of the house!
Attached: SD537641.jpg (98.0 KB) SD537635.jpg (97.4 KB) 
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laundrymom 11:08 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by Annalee:
Here is a pic of my small kitchen and my entrance with foyer connected to other part of the house!
Oh my!!! I love that!!!
The new house will be in the " mr magorium , magic emporium" style. Big, nonsensical props with no real purpose. I want a train, near the ceiling as well. That travels throughout the house. And of course, a laundry chute/grand kid slide into the basement.

There are two on market that would work but it's seven degrees out. This girl is waiting to see what lists come warmer weather. The one is an old Victorian with stained glass windows and tin ceilings. The other is a mini "home alone" style. About 3400 sq ft w a beautiful sunroom, original woodwork, chefs kitchen and two masters.
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Annalee 11:11 AM 02-05-2015
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
Oh my!!! I love that!!!
The new house will be in the " mr magorium , magic emporium" style. Big, nonsensical props with no real purpose. I want a train, near the ceiling as well. That travels throughout the house. And of course, a laundry chute/grand kid slide into the basement.

There are two on market that would work but it's seven degrees out. This girl is waiting to see what lists come warmer weather. The one is an old Victorian with stained glass windows and tin ceilings. The other is a mini "home alone" style. About 3400 sq ft w a beautiful sunroom, original woodwork, chefs kitchen and two masters.
Sounds AWESOME!!!! I know you are excited! It can happen! I had always dreamed of a separate room and it finally come to pass!
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Controlled Chaos 12:14 PM 02-05-2015
We just moved into a new space. We had a very specific area we wanted to stay in (to keep current clients) so it limited our choices.

We ended up getting a split level, so dcfs enter, then head straight downstairs to the basement. Its a large room, nice big windows, and its own bathroom. We turned the bathtub into a changing table, but I do wish I could see kids better while changing a bum, though I can see half the room in the mirror.

I wish: There was a door that lead straight to the back yard. I wish I had a little kitchen down here. I have a fridge which helps. I wish I had a seperate nap room and maybe an art area I could keep gated off. I have big kids who would glue, cut and color all day long, but it is hard keeping the toddlers away. I sometimes put the play yard around a table so big kids can work and little can't get to them, but it is awkward.

Yard - I have a huge yard yay! I wish there was a bigger paved area for bikes, cars, scooters etc.
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kendallina 05:32 PM 02-05-2015
My favorite things now that I have a separate space...

Parents do not have to see my living space EVER. This is BY FAR my favorite thing about my new set up. My family has our messy days and I'm sooo happy about this.

Having direct access to the backyard from my preschool space.


Things I wish I had in a separate space...

Bathroom attached to the preschool space...it's actually closer to my living space, so the kids see my livingroom, but don't go in it. Still, I'd much prefer a bathroom that was right there.

A larger entryway. I have 6 parents that all drop off at the same time, because I run a half day preschool and it's impossible for everyone to fit in my entry space/help children with boots/etc.
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NightOwl 05:34 AM 02-06-2015
We're in the planning phase of a dedicated addition, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel. What I want: separate entrance, a kitchenette, attached bathroom, Dutch doors instead of baby gates, tons of natural light, wood floors. I'm so excited!!
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SilverSabre25 05:47 AM 02-06-2015
My really long term plans for my home include a door on the playroom so I can close the door on work. It won't be a totally separate space, or claimable 100% because our homeschool space is in the playroom too, but it will help
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Annalee 06:40 AM 02-06-2015
Originally Posted by Wednesday:
We're in the planning phase of a dedicated addition, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel. What I want: separate entrance, a kitchenette, attached bathroom, Dutch doors instead of baby gates, tons of natural light, wood floors. I'm so excited!!
Yes, the natural light is awesome. We put 5 windows and front/back doors have windows as well....makes a world of difference. Did you see my kitchen? YOu had asked in another thread for pics and I just never got around to posting them.
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spinnymarie 10:36 AM 02-06-2015
We have a basement that we renovated to dedicate to daycare.
Things on my must-have list:
Kitchen (stove, sink, fridge), with a gate to close it off from the play room
Separate napping room (for babies only, big kids use cots in the play room)
Bathroom with changing table, automatic faucet and tub
High Ceilings
Separate Entrance with space for cubbies and coats
Lots of Lights, on Dimmers
Fire Marshall required an escape window and an exit door attached to the room, as well as a door to the rest of the house, which is nice (no one can see or go upstairs, ever)

Things I wish we had:
Walkout to the backyard
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