Building A New Addition



What To Expect
One of the most popular projects of all home improvements is building a new addition. There are many reasons to add an addition, from increasing the resale value of the home to give your home much-needed space, comfort, and style.

Once you have an idea of how large and where you would like your addition to be, be sure to talk to your town's zoning and planning official, most towns have regulations regarding additions, that address things like the number of bedrooms a home has or how high it is, building envelopes and front, rear and side yard setback dimensions on the lot. Next step is making a wish list of things you need and determining your budget, so you can work with your architect and contractor to determine how many of these features will fit into your design and budget.

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Several aspects of home addition construction must be decided prior to the design of the home addition floor plan. Take, for instance, your home’s existing structure. Is it sturdy? And what about walls in the area you plan to move, remove or to build the addition above them; are these walls  “load bearing or not?”
Will the construction of your home support an addition at the chosen point; roof, walls, floor, and foundation? And what type temporary supports will be required during the construction stage of your home addition idea? This will be determined by the framing style of your home.  

What kind of frame style is you existing Home... For instance; Balloon framing is identified by wall studs that run uninterrupted from the roof to the foundation’s sill plate. While conventional framing consists of a each floor level - floor plate and ceiling level - top plate to which the wall studs are attached. The framing style used on your house will play a huge role and the difficulty of your room addition project.

Though it is true most homes built after 1940 -/+ have platform framing, such details must be verified and you should ask the architect help you determine the type of framing is used.

Another important consideration is the style and layout of the interior in your home. This will determine home addition design. You will need to consider your home’s mechanical systems: wiring, plumbing, and HVAC. Also, is your plan to build-out or build-up with the first or second story addition. These considerations are important and require much forethought and planning in your final design.

What about Home Addition Costs? After taking into consideration the existing structure of your home, you will want to determine home addition cost; here, too, an experienced renovation contractor can help. Cost will be determined on the complexity of the addition, as well as size and system requirements.

Of course, if I'm helping with your home addition design and assisting in determining your project needs, I can help you to order supplies for you, because I receive special discounts on better materials from my resources.

I hope this information can help you get started, please feel free to contact me at any time if you have additional questions in regard to your project.


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