Small home renovations here and there are fine, but a home addition may be one of the most important and expensive ventures when it comes to your home. Whether it is to accommodate your growing family, increase your home’s value, or for specific space requirements such as a studio or study for your hobbies, a home addition requires detailed and deliberate planning. After all, it is an investment that will impact you for a long time.
There are other ways to create space in your home, but home additions emerge as the most flexible option and offer the most enriching experience. We are here to familiarize you with the concept and scope of home additions. To learn and gain insights on working with architectural design, possible living arrangements during the process, common uses of the new space, choosing the right contractor, and budgeting for the project, keep reading!
Working With Architectural Drawings For Home Additions
Architectural drawings are designs of the addition or renovation put on paper by a professional. They serve as a simple and vital communication element among architects, engineers, contractors, and homeowners with respect to the overall design of the construction. They generally include floor plans, elevations, sectioning, and other architectural details.
Design-build companies are fully equipped to conduct the entire process with the homeowners from the beginning till the end, which includes both design and construction. However, you can approach a design-builder even if you already have an architectural drawing made. Contractors can provide an estimate according to the drawing and take over the construction from there.
Difference Between Drawings From Residential Vs. Commercial Architects
A lot of times people get hold of a commercial architect and get them to make the drawing for their home addition as a favor. Not to say that commercial architects are not capable or qualified to make residential drawings, there are certain differences between the two.
- Residential drawings are made keeping the convenience of the dwellers in focus. The spaces are created to be functional spaces for living, sleeping, cooking, and recreation. The typical details included in residential drawings include dimensions, door and window locations, ceiling heights, structural elements, fixture placements, etc.
- Commercial drawings, on the other hand, are created to cater to the specific requirements and functionality of commercial spaces, such as offices, retail stores, restaurants, etc. These are much more detailed and consist of elements like signage, storefront designs, circulation paths, vertical transportation, and accessibility features.
Such a minutely detailed drawing of 30+ pages is actually not required for a home addition project. Contractors have their own system in place for home additions or other construction projects, which is what they follow.
Reputable and experienced contractors know their way around such projects in their specific area. They build the addition by the community guidelines and keep the policies and legal obligations in mind. They even provide a warranty on their work, however, the duration varies from one contractor to the other.
If you are lucky enough to find a reliable and reputable contractor, it is recommended to go for the design-build method. Working with a design-build contractor is significantly more efficient in terms of time, effort, and money as compared to the traditional design-bid-build system.
Living In Your Home During A Home Addition
While a lot of homeowners choose to live in their homes during a home addition, the feasibility largely depends on the scope of construction. If you are building an extra floor or planning a large-scale construction, it may be wise to move out of your home for a while to allow a smooth construction and the least disruption to your life.
During the construction process, disturbances like noise and dust are bound to make life a little uncomfortable for people staying in the house. If your family is fine with a short while of discomfort for the price of staying in their own home and witnessing the whole process, this is definitely one of the easiest and most cost-effective options.
A trusted and competent contractor can effectively help you in making this decision to move out as he or she understands the ins and outs of the process and can easily predict the scale of inevitable chaos. Nevertheless, if you finally decide to stay, here are some tips that will help you live in your home during a home addition-
- Analyze your and your family’s routine and decide how the disruption due to the construction process can be managed with the available space.
- Accept the fact that your house will not remain as clean as you would like, no matter how hard you or the workers try.
- Remove your essential and daily use items from the construction sites and keep them in accessible space in your house.
- Readjust the items in your house to protect them from damage and dirt, especially heirlooms, breakable decor, and fragile items.
- Make sure nobody in your house has dust allergies or sinus issues, as some dust particles are sure to escape the barrier, and your house will become a little dusty.
- If you are planning on shifting to the basement, be aware that the workers will be using the ductwork and plumbing, so it may not remain untouched.
- Set up barriers or gates for small children and pets to keep them safe.
- Decide on a fixed schedule for construction work so you can enjoy quiet hours during a particular time and use them accordingly.
- Ask your contractor to use tools like plastic dust barriers, exhaust systems, HEPA vacuums and air filters to clean the space after working hours.
- If the space and weather allow, make use of the outdoor space in your house for activities like picnics or other family activities during construction hours.
- Talk to all family members and help them understand the situation and how to adjust to it.
- Choose a trusted contractor who is well-versed in the difficulties of living in a construction site and can make your life easier.
Connecting Old And New Spaces With Additions
No matter how beautiful and extraordinary a home addition you build, it will look incomplete and out of place if it does not integrate with the existing structure. Therefore, right when you decide to go for a home addition, the most pressing concern that arises is the unification of the new space with your home.
For a successful home addition, you need to understand the character of your home as every home is unique. Whether it’s classic or modernist, every home has a set tone, and it is best to experiment within that realm while choosing materials and the color palette accordingly. Further, the size and placement of the entrance or doors should also align with the home’s design.
There are multiple methods to seamlessly combine the new and old spaces to create a harmonious whole. Below are the most commonly used ones that you can consider-
Cased Opening
One of the most common options is the classic way of casing out the opening with a wooden trim where there once was a window or a door without compromising the integrity of the wall. It can be slim to match the doors and windows in the surrounding space or a wide trim to accentuate the scale of the opening. A cased opening may be the ideal choice if you are into traditional decor and detailing.
Open Concept
This design gives you the ultimate transformation of your home if you are willing to put in the work. The open concept design in home additions refers to tearing down the entire wall to join the new space to the existing one. Sure, it requires some additional work in terms of engineering techniques to support the structure, but the result is a seamlessly extended space at your disposal.
Customized Design
In case you prefer not to have the juncture of the old and new space to be at an existing window or a door, you can easily carve out an opening anywhere you want on the wall. You can decide the size and style of the door depending on the desired aesthetic and your budget. This one may be suitable if you want a customizable access point.
Depending on the type of breakthrough you choose for your home addition, you can decide between various kinds of doors. It can be a swing door with hinges that allow the door to move in one direction, a pocket door that goes behind the wall when fully open to minimize disruption, or no door at all if you decide on a cased opening entrance that can range from 30 inches to 8 feet.
However, in order to get a seamless ceiling transition, you may need to install a flush beam in the ceiling of the home addition to help enhance the unity between the two sections. In case it is not feasible to maintain a flat ceiling, you may opt for a drop beam to establish a clear distinction between the two structures while maintaining design coherence throughout.
Common Areas To Add Or Expand Space With A Home Addition
As we grow up, our space requirements are likely to increase, and even those with a large home may feel the need to have more space in their house. The solution? A home addition! There are multiple ways you can use a home addition to suit your requirements perfectly. You can create an extra room, expand the space in existing rooms, create living space in your attic without changing the footprint of your house, and much more.
Bedroom or Bathroom
With a growing family arises the need for increasing the functionality of your home and creating more space to accommodate everyone comfortably. Whether new people are added to your family or your children grow up, an extra bedroom and bathroom can go a long way in ensuring a smooth living experience.
Building an extra bedroom or bathroom onto the side of a home is often referred to as a bump-out and it is the most common way to achieve an extra single-room structure.
Kitchen
A bump-out does not have to be a separate single-room structure. You can easily take in space from the side of your home and integrate it into your existing kitchen to enhance its functionality. This method is especially suitable if you have an old-fashioned kitchen and you want to add modern amenities that require more space in your kitchen.
Most families use the space to put a kitchen island and to create some sitting space or breakfast area in the kitchen.
Family Room
Your living room is the warm and welcoming soul of your home where you watch your children grow up and hang out with friends. Expanding your living room is a pretty great idea for fun family and friends time, especially if you like to have friends over or your children have outgrown the space.
There are plenty of living room home addition ideas that you can explore to find the one that matches your aesthetic. It is common to build out or extend one side of the existing living room to add more space. However, if it is not feasible to add more space, you also choose to build up and create a large living room above the ground floor
Master Suite
The sheer luxury and satisfaction of having a master suite to yourself is priceless! No wonder master suite additions are becoming increasingly popular these days. In the most basic sense, it refers to the largest bedroom in the house with a bathroom inside or attached.
However, you can customize the size, style, and elements of the room to suit your vibe and requirements. Most commonly added features include a walk-in wardrobe, a balcony or patio, a bar, and a lounging area. Those who do not want to take in the yard space or build-up can consider incorporating and merging the underutilized or unfinished spaces in their home such as the guest room, basement, attic, etc.
Mudroom
A mudroom addition is your lifesaver if you love your house and neighborhood but the wet coats and dirty shoes mudding your living area drive you crazy. It not only allows you to solve this annoying problem but also enables you to design and decorate your mudroom to suit your taste.
The best part? By adding a washer/dryer and designated space for shoes, coats, hats, and other outdoor gear, you can also use the space as a laundry room or flex space for storage and organization, especially if you struggle with storage space constraints.
No matter which type of home addition you choose to go for, one factor that largely affects the successful execution of your plans is the budget. Read on to learn about planning and budgeting your home addition to streamline the whole process.
Planning And Budgeting For Your Home Addition
A home addition can cost approximately $21,000 and $73,500 and go even further if you opt for high-end materials, customized features, and unique architectural designs. Now, this is not the kind of money with which you should be experimenting.
For a truly successful home addition, beforehand preparation holds just as much importance as the execution. In fact, proper planning and budgeting are key to getting the most for your buck. You can adjust your funds to enhance the areas you want more focus on and keep some aspects understated depending on your taste and preference.
However, it is essential to understand the factors that affect your home addition cost in order to formulate the most suitable plant and budget. Take a look at some of them below-
- Size and Scope: The magnitude of work required to realize your dream home addition significantly affects the cost of the project: more the square footage, the higher the cost. The average price per square foot for home additions is around $140. It encompasses the general contractor and architect fees, local permits, framing, foundation, roofing, electrical, plumbing, flooring, etc, and can vary depending on the same factors.
- Placement: Whether you are building out or building up influences the overall cost of construction as building up is almost always cheaper than building out due to the added cost of foundation, landscape preparation, etc. Other important considerations include the status of HVAC vent work, plumbing and wiring, and so on.
- Permit: While it may seem like a bureaucratic chore when you are planning your dream home addition, it is extremely important to secure the required permits and align your plans with the zoning and building laws before you start your construction. It can range from $150 to $7,500 and may be structural, electrical, plumbing, or some other kind set by the authorities in your community.
- Labor: Irrespective of the size of a home addition, it requires multiple professional inputs to turn into reality, including a general contractor, architect, structural engineer, HVAC expert, plumber, electrician, and many more. About 50-60% cost incurred during a home addition construction goes to labor charges and it can vary depending on the complexity of the work.
- Materials: The materials you use during the construction process are one of the most flexible factors that you can control to adjust your budget. However, there are different types of material costs such as cost for foundation, framing, insulation, flooring, roofing, drywall installation, etc.
Financing Options
After all this planning, budgeting, and streamlining, it is devastating to have your dream of a home expansion get shattered by the reality check of the cost. Finances should be the last thing to be a roadblock in your home addition construction. To accomplish a smooth running, you need to keep your funding ready before your general contractor gives you an estimate. Most of them do not want to waste their time providing you with estimates that you cannot afford. If you are worried about the fund arrangement or you do not want to use your savings and pay via cash, there are several other options that you can consider like the ones below-
Home Equity Loan
Also known as the second mortgage, a home equity loan basically means borrowing a lump sum amount against the equity in your home. It involves fixed interest rates and is suitable for one-time expenses.
Home Equity Line of Credit
Home equity line of credit (HELOC) also offers a loan against the equity in your home but it works like a credit card. In this method, you agree to a predetermined credit limit and you can draw funds from this sum as required. After the set duration you are required to repay the amount over a fixed duration in monthly installments.
Mortgage Refinance
Refinancing your mortgage or cash-out refinance refers to swapping your current mortgage with a newer, bigger one. You can adjust the terms of your mortgage and lower interest rates using mortgage refinances. It works well for people who have gained some equity in their homes as they can use the differential sum to fund their home additions.
Construction Loan
This type of loan is usually taken while building a new home, however, it can just as well be used for home additions or renovations. A construction loan takes into account the value of your after the construction and allows you to borrow a larger sum.
While financing your home addition, no matter whichever method you ultimately decide on, you must always put aside a contingency budget. Everyone wants to stick to the budget, however, unforeseen factors such as changes in design, material rate fluctuation, and site complications can cause a major hit sometimes. As a homeowner, you need to be prepared for such situations.
An experienced contractor will always advise you to have a budget for contingency in construction for risk management, and quality maintenance, and to keep the work on track even in case of unprecedented events and maintain a schedule. There are various other ways the right contractor can help you realize your vision. But how do you find one? Get some tips in the next section.
Choosing The Right Home Addition Contractor
Choosing a contractor essentially means giving someone the power to alter your home and lifestyle significantly. You want to make sure the contractor really gets your vision and requirements and aligns his/her work accordingly. By now, you also know that a home addition is going to cost you a considerable sum and you need responsible hands to handle your hard-earned money.
While you are on your mission to find your perfect match in a contractor, you need to decide if you want a design-build contractor or if you want your designs to be made by a different architect. It is generally seen that design-build contractors have better coordination among the team along with other benefits such as below.
- Better accountability
- A continuous flow of work
- Teamwork approach
- Stable collaboration among experts
- Involvement of the owner
- Frequent communication
- Lower financial burden
- On schedule completion
Even after you have decided on a particular method, the thought of choosing “the one” can be daunting. Below are some tips that may help make your decision easier.
Ask For Recommendations
Make a list of family and friends who have recently built their homes, renovated their place, or a home addition, and get to know about their experience with their contractor and whether they would recommend the same one.
Analyze The Contractor’s Experience
Find out how long the contractor has been doing this and what kind of work the company usually takes and excels in to make sure that their aesthetic matches yours or that they are at least able to understand your vision.
Examine The Craftsmanship
Closely scrutinize their past projects to assess the quality of their work. You can look for their work on their website or contact them directly.
Check For License And Certification
Make sure they are legally licensed and have the certification required for the kind of work they are promising to undertake.
Do A Little Background Check
You may talk to some of the contractor’s previous clients and discuss their experience of building their home addition to know what you can expect.
Judge Their Communication
One of the most important prerequisites of a successful home addition is regular and open communication between the homeowner and the contractor. Make sure you understand each other’s ideas and standpoints.
Get Multiple Bids
It is a good idea to get bids from multiple contractors in order to get the best deal possible. However, this should not be the only criteria or you must consider the quality of work and service before making the decision.
To help you further, here are a few questions that you must ask your contractor to judge their suitability for your home addition project-
- Are you aware of the permits and codes related to the project?
- Can you seamlessly blend the new construction into your existing home?
- Do you have the license and certification for the project?
- Can you produce some references from the clients you have previously worked with?
- Will you be able to complete the job as per the schedule?
A home addition is a major home improvement project that needs to be planned and executed carefully with the help of experts and professionals. The design-build approach is getting increasingly popular these days due to its efficiency and convenience. Connecting the new and old construction seamlessly, planning and procuring the finances, and your living arrangement during the construction are some of the major concerns during a home addition project.
Seanote Construction is dedicated to providing you with your dream home in Florida with a professional team passionate about building. To discuss your home addition plans, contact us at (352) 645-7561 or kayla@seanotefl.com.