The two main ways of adding space in a house is either building out (horizontally) or building up (vertically). Another option is to buy a large house and sell the current one, but this is an expensive endeavor.
Large house costs more as well as there are expenses like property transfer taxes, moving costs, utility cancellation charges and new connection fees. According to room additions San Diego reviews, majority of homeowners prefer to add a room on the ground level or build second floor addition.
Room addition horizontally or vertically will depend on the kind of extra room you need and the space you have. If you have land, then building sideways rather than a second floor will be more cost-effective. On the other hand, if there is a small lot, then the only solution is to add a top storey.
Factors to consider while building up
- Check the local building codes for zoning restrictions or covenant concerns
- Contact the local building inspector, who will tell you about the foundation strength of your existing home, or what you will need to add to the ground floor to strengthen its capability to support the additional top storey weight.
- If the foundation walls and concrete footings of the house are weak, then you will need to reinforce both to legally add a second storey.
- You will also need to consider a staircase, which will consume 80 to 125 sq. feet of living space.
- Remember the existing roof will be removed and home interiors will be at risk from elements.
- The walls and ceiling will need to be torn apart on the ground floor to reinforce the structural support as well as feed in the plumbing, electrical, and heating lines.
- Building top floor means the family has to move out for some time. You will need to find a temporary house on rent, which adds to project cost.
Factors to consider while building out
- The main benefit of adding room on the back or side is that the construction task is isolated from the main area of the house.
- The opening or doorway is punched in the end and therefore, the family does not experience any disturbance.
- Excavation gets done, concrete forms get erected and concrete gets poured, but all this does not disrupt the existing home structure.
- New foundation walls and concrete floorings are strong enough to construct the framing.
- Less demolition is needed in room additions on the ground floor, so the cost to unite the existing home is minimal.
- Just a little roof work and house siding is needed to unite the new room addition to the existing structure.
- Building out means you will lose some open yard space.
To conclude, adding a top storey has its benefits. There is no need to expand the home, and the footprint as well as the finished living space gets doubled effectively. However, top storey addition venture is more costly, riskier, and disruptive in comparison to a room addition on the ground floor. Therefore, before selecting top floor addition, plan a budget and checklist.