The average home addition costs between $21,000 and $67,000. You can pay more or less depending on the size of your addition, as well as any extra features you want to add to it.
Starting a home addition is a big project, so you’ll want to know exactly what you’re doing before you go for it.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about some of the questions homeowners should ask before they take on a home addition.
Read on for some valuable information on what to add to your home, and how your addition can best serve your family.
1. Starting a Home Addition: Begin at the Very Beginning
As Maria in “The Sound of Music” says, that’s a very good place to start. And we couldn’t agree with her more.
Before you even consider a home addition, you should take a look at why you want to build the addition. Are your motivations because you want to add value to the house? Or is this something you and your family really need?
The genesis of the project should come from the fact that this room will actually be useful to you. Create a home addition that will benefit you, don’t do a home addition just to do one.
2. Am I Allowed to Build a Home Addition?
This is a very important question and one you really need to consider before signing any papers or putting any money down. Some neighborhoods make you sign neighborhood covenants or agreements. These agreements can say that you cannot have additions to your home, or the home addition must be of a certain size.
If you’re not allowed to have a home addition due to the Home Owner’s Association, this could cause friction with neighbors and discord in the area.
3. Does the Addition Fit with the Neighborhood?
If your HoA will allow you to build an addition, you need to think about how the addition will look with the rest of the neighborhood. Will it stick out like a sore thumb? Or are all of the homes so original that it doesn’t matter?
You may want to discuss this with the HoA before planning an addition to be sure that what you’ve planned is something that the rest of the nieghborhood will be happy with. Although HoA rules can be strict, they do govern the neighborhood and keep it looking tidy. Therefore, you’re bound by some of the rules you agreed to when you moved in.
4. Can I Do This Addition Within My Budget?
Set a budget for yourself early on and don’t go over it. It’s very easy to start spending and spending once you’ve started the project, or to rationalize just a little extra here and there. Try not to do this, because before you know it, it will snowball.
Before too long, you’ll have a project that’s way more expensive than you thought, and way more expensive than you could ever pay off.
5. Does the Design Fit with the Rest of My House?
Unless you’re remaking the rest of your house too, you want your design to actually fit in with the rest of your house. Don’t create a room or wing that looks like it belongs to a totally different house. This can affect the resale value, and look a bit strange as well.
Ideally, you should work with a designer that will help you create a room or a wing that looks like it belongs in the home. This construction company, for example, works with clients to ensure that they express their style and that they get the design just so for their clients.
Work with a company that will tirelessly work with you to get things right the first time.
6. Do I Want to Sell My Home in the Future?
Whether or not you want to sell your home in the future does affect how you’ll do the add ons. You don’t want to create an add on that’s not useful to someone looking to purchase your own, or one that doesn’t make structural or practical sense. Instead, you’ll want to create a nook or room that adds to the value of your home, not decrease it.
If you want to live in your home for the rest of your life, then theoretically, you can go ham on your house. But, you should also prepare for life’s unknowns. Anything could happen and you may be forced to sell your house in the future. As such, it should be something in the back of your mind as you make these additions.
Talk to a contractor or a real estate agent if you have concerns, and discuss what renovations might add to your home and which might detract from it.
Like anyone else, you’ll want a home that offers a maximum resale value.
Your Home Addition
Starting a home addition is an exciting, though somewhat stressful, process. You’ll want to be 110% sure you’re going into it with your eyes open and for the right reasons.
When hiring contractors, you should also always make sure that they’re licensed and insured, so that should anything happen, it won’t cause further financial stress.
A custom home addition can be a fun project to take on with your spouse or the rest of your family. Hopefully, it will serve you well for many years to come and that your family can enjoy it together.
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