photography by Lisa Russman

Adding an addition, bump out, or new detached space to your home is a perfect way to gain room and functionality for your home, but many clients wonder, is it worth it? There is always a cost to add an addition to a house, and understanding what to expect during the remodeling process will help your family make the best choice when it comes to deciding whether an addition makes sense.

What you need to know about the cost of addition

Most people know that the size of your addition will significantly influence how much it will cost. The more square footage, the larger the price tag. Obviously, the materials you choose will affect your budget, as well. Bathrooms and kitchens with high-end details will be significantly more expensive than bedrooms or sunrooms with more basic finishes. But what are some of the other things that can influence your home addition budget?

The type of addition has a tremendous impact. Most often, it costs more to build out than up, because excavation, concrete and masonry are all very labor intensive. On the other hand, when building up, composition shingle roofing, comparatively, is not a significant cost as a percentage of overall construction cost. You do have to keep in mind that additions often times require other remodeling projects within the house to make the existing space flow more smoothly with the new addition. This all adds to the overall design costs.

If your new space adds extra load to your existing plumbing, electrical, and heating/cooling system, you may need to replace these, which can increase costs. And any time you start a project like this, you may also discover existing problems that will need to be addressed before you can begin anything new, such as termite or water damage, wiring that is not up to code, or foundation issues.

Any site preparation that needs to be done to accommodate your new space will also affect the cost. Excavation, demolition, and wall removal can all add to the budget before you even start building anything new.

Your own sweat equity can keep costs down, though, if you want to make the most of your budget. If you can do demolition, painting, tiling, or other projects for your new space, this will lower construction costs and help you get more for your money.

So, how much does a home addition cost, then? Depending on the size, complexity, location, and design of your home addition, prices can range anywhere between $200 and $600 per square foot, with the national average for a home addition being around $44,000. Keep in mind that these averages include everything from three-foot bump outs to full kitchens with top-of-the-line appliances.

What you need to know about real house addition costs

Obviously, you want to consider what a new addition to your house will bring to your overall property value, but you should also consider how this new space will affect your family’s story and enjoyment of your home. Working with an architect who actively listens to you, works with you as a team, and understands your true needs will give you a home addition that not only gives you more space but adds purpose and meaning to your family life.

A professional architect will not only help you design the additional space your family needs, but they can advise you on how to prepare for the most likely construction contingencies for your project while helping to ensure that your addition blends in seamlessly with the existing structure. Select a team who specializes in renovations and remodels, as they will be able to create a design that matches your current home while giving you the updates your family needs.

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The post What are the Real House Addition Costs You Should Expect? Simple Answers for Your Family appeared first on Sweebe Architecture.