A Detailed Guide to
Home Additions
Economic concerns also factor into the decision to build a custom addition. Purchasing a new home will typically be more expensive than simply adding on an addition.
First Things First.
Why Add a Custom Home Addition?
The best answer is that you simply need more room for you and your family. Often times, first-time home-buyers opt to purchase starter homes or small homes when they are first getting established.
After a few years (and a few children) later, you may find yourself faced with a tough decision – move into a bigger house or elect to build a custom addition onto your existing house.
Because buying a new home involves uprooting children from schools and moving from neighborhoods that you are comfortable with, the decision to build a custom addition comes down to a desire to live in the same community.
Another reason you may wish to build a custom addition is that when you do, you are presented with the capacity for creativity and freedom of design tailored to you and your family’s needs. This addition can be designed to complement both the house’s exterior and interior.
After a few years (and a few children) later, you may find yourself faced with a tough decision – move into a bigger house or elect to build a custom addition onto your existing house.
Because buying a new home involves uprooting children from schools and moving from neighborhoods that you are comfortable with, the decision to build a custom addition comes down to a desire to live in the same community.
Another reason you may wish to build a custom addition is that when you do, you are presented with the capacity for creativity and freedom of design tailored to you and your family’s needs. This addition can be designed to complement both the house’s exterior and interior.
A custom home addition raises the value of your property. In fact, most home additions pay for themselves in just a short period of time in increased property value. This also means a higher market valuation and more living space in the house.
Types of Custom Home Additions for Your Home
a variety of custom home additions for you to consider
Family Room Additions or Home Additions
This custom addition consists of adding one or more rooms that are appended to one or more sides of your house. This could be as basic as adding an extra bedroom. Many times though, a custom home addition includes one or more room – for example, a master bedroom with a master bath, or an expanded kitchen and a family room.
Bump Out Additions
A bump out addition is different in that it does not create a separate room – it allows you to expand an existing room instead. This type of custom addition may be useful for expanding the size of a kitchen or bathroom.
Sunroom Additions
Sunroom additions are a fantastic way to carve out more living space on a tight budget. You can save even more money on this type of custom addition if it is designed only for three season use. Screened porch additions are also a wonderful option to consider as well.
Conservatory Additions
Conservatory home additions are an interesting choice in that this space is meant for plants and flora more so than for people. Conservatories are comprised of a lot of glass and may be utilized as a three or four season room.
Garage Addition
This involves converting an existing garage into a livable, finished space. Oftentimes, a garage conversion will be a less expensive endeavor than building a room addition – the roof and building structure are already in place.What’s more, the electrical work is already built in, although you might find yourself in need of more outlets and switches. Garage conversions are also a less expensive pursuit because the walls are already drywalled and insulated.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking the Plunge and Adding a Custom Addition
Regardless of the type of construction, you can expect some surprises when you have your custom addition built out. These arise from the fact that additions entail connecting a new structure to an existing one. With an older home, these surprises may be more complex and frequent. To avoid the unexpected, ask yourself these questions:
- Can deed restrictions and covenants impact my ability to have a custom addition built?
- Do zooming regulations affect my capacity to have an addition built?
- Can I build an addition that is not directly connected to my existing house?
- Could having a septic system impact what I am allowed to have built as a custom addition?
Questions to Ask Your Home Addition Contractor About Custom Additions
- What will you do with the cable TV, phone and electrical wires connected to my existing house?
- What will you do to make the panel box and electrical service in my existing home work with my addition?
- Should I consider electric heat?
- What will you need to do to interconnect the smoke detectors in my existing home to those in my new custom addition?
- When will you tie the cooling and heating systems of my existing home into the systems of my addition?
Home Addition Design
Before kicking off a custom addition project, you’ll need to have a construction plan and home addition design in place. To find affordable custom addition designs, you may simply conduct a Google search to find a variety of home addition designs on online magazines and websites.
Look for appealing designs to show your contractor that is the right scale of your existing house. Remember, you’re planning a custom addition to your house, not the other way around. Keep in mind that your addition should not exceed more than one-third the square foot area of your home.
You’ll also want to ensure the designs you evaluate are aesthetically and structurally appropriate for the home. For example, you don’t want to put a colonial style home addition on an adobe style house. This makes for a poor match both aesthetically and structurally.
Ask your contractor to evaluate your custom addition designs to ensure there aren’t any structural issues. They may also be able to modify the design you have selected and blend it into your house.
Look for appealing designs to show your contractor that is the right scale of your existing house. Remember, you’re planning a custom addition to your house, not the other way around. Keep in mind that your addition should not exceed more than one-third the square foot area of your home.
You’ll also want to ensure the designs you evaluate are aesthetically and structurally appropriate for the home. For example, you don’t want to put a colonial style home addition on an adobe style house. This makes for a poor match both aesthetically and structurally.
Ask your contractor to evaluate your custom addition designs to ensure there aren’t any structural issues. They may also be able to modify the design you have selected and blend it into your house.
Home Addition Design
Before kicking off a custom addition project, you’ll need to have a construction plan and home addition design in place. To find affordable custom addition designs, you may simply conduct a Google search to find a variety of home addition designs on online magazines and websites.
Look for appealing designs to show your contractor that is the right scale of your existing house. Remember, you’re planning a custom addition to your house, not the other way around. Keep in mind that your addition should not exceed more than one-third the square foot area of your home.
You’ll also want to ensure the designs you evaluate are aesthetically and structurally appropriate for the home. For example, you don’t want to put a colonial style home addition on an adobe style house. This makes for a poor match both aesthetically and structurally.
Ask your contractor to evaluate your custom addition designs to ensure there aren’t any structural issues. They may also be able to modify the design you have selected and blend it into your house.
Look for appealing designs to show your contractor that is the right scale of your existing house. Remember, you’re planning a custom addition to your house, not the other way around. Keep in mind that your addition should not exceed more than one-third the square foot area of your home.
You’ll also want to ensure the designs you evaluate are aesthetically and structurally appropriate for the home. For example, you don’t want to put a colonial style home addition on an adobe style house. This makes for a poor match both aesthetically and structurally.
Ask your contractor to evaluate your custom addition designs to ensure there aren’t any structural issues. They may also be able to modify the design you have selected and blend it into your house.
Home Addition Plans
Along with a custom addition design, you’ll also want to have a solid construction plan in place. This is critical when it comes to pulling construction permits and defining the home construction planet as a whole.
When you select a contractor, make sure you check references. Ensure they are licensed and bonded, and that they have a detailed construction build of materials and schedule. In other words, the more detailed your contractor bid, the more likely it is that the custom addition construction project will go on budget and smoothly.
Home Addition Checklist
- Come up with a set of custom addition design plans.
- Take framing into consideration – including exterior door and window installation, as well as roofing
- Check with the municipal building inspector to see what lot line setbacks should be considered.
- Plan for flooring.
- Plan for painting.
- Plan for plumbing, drywall, insulation and electric.
- Obtain occupancy permits from your building inspector.
How to Find the Right Contractor for Your Custom Addition
It’s important to research previous work and the reputation of contractors before hiring them. Ask how the contractor has handled design changes that occurred at former client’s requests during past projects. Did they have financial controls in place to promptly alert the client to extra costs incurred by changes to the original plan?
If you don’t ask about this you might be faced with unexpected, hefty cost overruns – one of the very problems you wanted to avoid by having a custom addition built in lieu of purchasing a new home.
Whatever contractor you select, ensure there is a well-drafted contract between the two parties. If you decide to sign a contract, perhaps you might run it by a local lawyer who specializes in construction law. This ensures that everyone involved is clear on deliverables and terms to mitigate the chance of disputes in the future.
If you don’t ask about this you might be faced with unexpected, hefty cost overruns – one of the very problems you wanted to avoid by having a custom addition built in lieu of purchasing a new home.
Whatever contractor you select, ensure there is a well-drafted contract between the two parties. If you decide to sign a contract, perhaps you might run it by a local lawyer who specializes in construction law. This ensures that everyone involved is clear on deliverables and terms to mitigate the chance of disputes in the future.