House Addition Costs

If you're adding an addition to your home, there are plenty of things to consider. Depending on your project, there may be many different types of contractors and services that need to be factored in. The most common include plumbers, electricians, designers, architects and even engineers -- in addition to a carpenter or general contractor who will be doing much of the work. Most of these needs are individual, and they are on a project-by-project basis. The odds are that even the smallest addition will need at least two or three different contractors or services. 

If your addition is on the ground floor, there are a few major factors to consider related to cost. Consider the purpose of the addition, and then assess the amenities your final product will need. This will start to give you an idea of the size of your project -- for instance, there may be no need for a plumber if your project is a sunroom without a bathroom. On the other hand, almost every project will require an electrician. 

If you are adding a bedroom or living room to your home, you may need to call for extra services. If the addition is large enough, a foundation may need to be added for stability -- a very costly service. If you plan on adding any kind of bathroom, a plumber will also be necessary. Take into consideration the needs of the individual room -- materials such as insulation can be costly initially, but they can save money in the long run. Then again, if you're looking to spend a little less, consider building a yurt.

Hiring an engineer or architect may be the best way to begin planning your project. These services will assist you before any work is done -- considering your wants and needs as well as the current structure, an architect or engineer can properly plan and budget the costs of your project. They will be able to factor in plumbing, electrical as well as building costs to prevent being blindsided by a larger bill than expected. 

Once the plans are adequately drawn up, there are other things you can do before work begins to assist in planning your addition. Designers and decorators can look at the plans provided and help you assess finishing costs, the most efficient use of space and the best ways to make your addition visually appealing. Although these services can be costly, they will provide valuable assistance in completing your addition and protecting your investment. 

If you are adding to the second story, or adding a second story to your home, there are many other variables to consider. In these cases, an architect or engineer absolutely must be hired to ensure the structural integrity of the addition and the existing home. Again, these specialists will take your addition ideas and more than adequately turn them into building plans as well as assess the full cost of the job as a whole. Adding a second story to your home can exponentially increase the value of your property -- especially when adding bedrooms and bathrooms -- but will be a large one-time expense. In the building costs, also consider roofers and other contractors needed to finish the exterior of the home as well as the inside.