Home Additions: Things to Consider for Your Room Addition

Do you have a growing family and feel cramped in your house?  

Perhaps you don’t have a guest bedroom when grandparents visit or maybe your kids have to share a bedroom, or you could really benefit from adding a playroom for the kids?

If you love your neighborhood and don’t want to move and have to remodel a house to make it your own, consider adding a new room to your existing home by hiring a room addition contractor.  Here are some basic considerations for homeowners thinking of a home addition. 

Decide on a Single-Story or Two-Story Addition: 

While it's possible to tear the roof off your single story house and add an entire second floor, it just may not be the best bang for your buck.  A main-level addition is not only simpler to do than a second-story addition, but it’s  also cheaper. Your room addition contractor can build it to code without needing change a large amount of a house’s structure or its foundation.

If you've decided to complete a room addition on your single-story home, you may consider two stories for your new space.  Proper space planning and exterior elevations can help your new 2-story space look like a natural extension of your 1-story home.   If you do decide to add a second story, just be sure that the two story home addition doesn’t clash with the style of your house or neighborhood. Also, make sure it’s not out of comparable size with other homes in your neighborhood because it may compromise your home’s resale value. 

Consider Bump-out Additions: 

If you want to build a smaller addition to add additional square footage and room to your home, think about building a bump-out addition. This entails creating additional space off the sides of a house, without getting in to major roofing or foundation work.  Some ideal spaces for bump-outs include those such as: 

• Kitchens - Perhaps you have an older home with a kitchen that’s too small for a kitchen table. By bumping out your kitchen addition, you can have a space large enough for an eat-in kitchen. If you have an L-shaped kitchen, you could turn it into a full U-shape, which can provide you with extra space for more cabinets and countertops.
• Bathrooms - By having a bump-out bathroom addition, you can have the space needed for separating a shower and tub, such as in a master bathroom.  Or, perhaps creating a large bathroom that the kids share.
• Bedrooms - Consider a bump-out bedroom addition to create added space for the bedroom.  The new area can become a larger walk-in closet, or perhaps a built-in desk and work area for the kids to do homework.

Consider What’s Involved in Cost 

• If your house lies on a steep slope, or on a mountain preserve, then a higher investment may be involved to deal with the uneven ground or hard-dig surfaces.
• In figuring costs, an experienced room addition contractor will work closely with the proper Engineers to determine the amount of structural, electrical and plumbing work that needs to be done for your home addition. 
• Selecting the lowest bid can mean sacrificing on quality, and is likely to lead to surprises during the construction phases.
  

Additional Considerations and Warnings 

• If you’re adding a den or family room, why not include a bay window with a built-in bench seat that can provide hidden storage underneath it? This could be a good area for storing items such as puzzles, games or blankets.
• Don't forget to check with your HOA to determine if there are special guidelines or considerations for your neighborhood.  It's also a good idea to ask what their process is for reviewing the proposed home addition.
• Don't just think in terms of square footage when considering costs for your new room addition.  Comparing "estimates" or "bids" from various contractors can create an “apples to oranges” type of results.  Rather, find a design-build room addition contractor that is qualified to walk you through all of the steps involved with a home addition project.  Work with a reputable firm will provide peace of mind that your target investment amount is being considered while planning and designing the new space. 

Home improvements, such as room additions, are usually not intended for the average DIY'r. These projects should be done by professional contractors who are highly trained and experienced to do the best job possible.  Since 2001, our Team has been helping homeowners design and build the home addition they've been longing for.  View our galleries of completed bedroom addition, bathroom addition, kitchen addition, and more!