What to Know Before Adding an Addition to Your Home
You and your spouse are going to be welcoming in a new bundle of joy in a few months. Sadly, when you bought your home, you didn’t account for this new addition. Now you’re faced with the idea of moving.
You would rather not leave your current neighborhood. You’re friends with many of your neighbors, there’s a great school nearby, and all the restaurant and store owners around you know you both by name.
Adding an addition to your home will be a little costly, but it will prevent you from having to move. Check out this guide for a list of things you should know before you start this new venture.
Permits and Inspections
You can’t start any home construction project until you’ve got the right permits. There are certain building codes that you have to adhere to.
If you fail to get the right paperwork in order and don’t schedule an inspection, it will cost you. A lot. For example, if something happens to your house that’s a direct result of your home addition, your insurance company won’t cover the cost of the damages.
Cost?
Building an addition won’t cost quite as much as uprooting and buying a new home. We will tell you that it will still damage your wallet, however. The price will vary depending on if you DIY the project or hire a contractor to take care of it for you.
If you hire a contractor, expect to spend anywhere between 80-200 dollars per square foot. This is after labor, materials, and the construction dumpster rental.
Contractor or DIY?
You can shave some of the construction price off by doing the project yourself. We advise only to do this if you’re confident in your abilities. The last thing you want to do is spend thousands of dollars on materials before realizing that you’re way over your head.
If you try the project anyway and mess up, you’ll have to spend additional money to get the issue fixed. Not to mention, a botched job will cause your home value to plummet.
Consider the Architectural Impact
The hardest part of building an addition is making it seamlessly blend in with the rest of your home. Things such as Rooflines, home siding, and windows are not easy to match by any means.
Your best bet is to find new materials that complement the ones that are already in place. They won’t match exactly, but they’ll at least look good together.
Everything to Know Before Adding an Addition to Your Home
Adding an addition to your home isn’t a decision that you should take lightly. You have to get permits, hire a contractor (or buy materials if you’re DIYing the project), and set aside the money necessary for the project.
It’s a lot of work. We hope that you’re able to use this guide to navigate through your construction endeavors. If you’re looking for more ways to update your house, feel free to check out the real estate & home section of our blog.
