Factors to Look at Before Adding a Second Storey to Your Home

28 July 2022

As a single-story house owner, you may at some time wonder if there’s room for improvement. As an alternative to moving, you may want to stay in your current home and add on to it. To discover more about how to build a second story for your home, check out this tutorial. Adding a second story to a house expansion is a popular choice among homeowners. Adding a brand-new, high-priced foundation may not be necessary. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about zoning restrictions or straying too close to your property limits. As a bonus, you’ll likely see a boost in the value of your property.

A second story addition is a major undertaking, so think carefully about the specifics before beginning your search for a contractor. Let us help you out, so continue to read on to identify the important factors to consider.

Design, Engineering, and Functions

You may choose from a variety of ways to add a second storey. For starters, you may demolish the old second storey and construct a new one on top of the framing you already have in place. Cranes may be able to lift the roof off the building and then reinstall it after the new walls are in place, saving you money. The second level can also be added to a garage, rather than the complete house if that is what you choose. Because of the smaller size and less interruption to your daily routine, this approach may be less expensive. The last option is to have the new second storey built off-site and then transported and craned into place at the construction site, where it will be installed. Because of the reduced time spent on-site, this may be the least intrusive choice, and it’s also less expensive than constructing on-site. Modular units can only be a certain size. However, the layout of your current home may not be able to accommodate this.

The most important thing is to have the correct look for your new addition, no matter which choice you pick! Designers and architects make their money here. Just because you require two bedrooms and a full bath doesn’t mean the external shell of your new home can’t match your present one’s proportions and design.

Consider how the new addition will fit in with the rest of the neighbourhood before making a final decision. The thought will be appreciated by your neighbours.

Keep Attention to the Foundation

The following thing you need to do is get in touch with some structural engineers so they can examine your foundation. This is a very important stage since the foundation was originally constructed to sustain a single story, but now you want it to be able to hold possibly twice as much mass. If the foundation or the soil that supports it is not capable of handling the workload, you will need to either strengthen the foundation or abandon the concept completely.

Budgetary Consideration

If you’re attempting to figure out how much an upstairs addition will cost, there are several factors to consider. You may need the services of a structural engineer in addition to an architect, contractor, or design/build business. How many square feet are you planning to add? Is there a bathroom in the addition? Finishes of this calibre? A new set of stairways will be required. Is it more expensive to live in a major city, or in the woods, where prices are usually lower? Seismic concerns may necessitate more supplies and work if you reside in an earthquake zone. This might need renting a place of your own, as previously noted.

The cost will be affected by all of these factors. There is no doubt in my mind that the cost of your expansion will be prohibitive. Consider your second-story addition an investment in your house and the life you’ll lead when it’s finished, and that should help soothe your mind a little bit. Expanding your home’s square footage and potential resale value are two benefits of building an additional floor. To guarantee that your investment is likely to yield a greater resale price, it is always a good idea to consult a real estate agent.

Keep an open mind when creating your design. Your architect or builder may have suggestions that might help you save money in the long run. Speak with one of our specialists now to learn more about what we have to offer!

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