As interest rates continue to hover near all-time lows and 401k's and mutual funds continue to suffer from an unpredictable market, many homeowners are choosing to invest in real estate, often by adding an addition onto their existing home.
In this series we'll look at the things you need to do and learn before, during and after building your home addition. With a modest degree of planning, and some basic knowledge of how things will proceed, you not only can save yourself some money, but also save considerable anxiety for you and your family. You're also more likely to be satisfied with the addition after construction is complete.
This series is being completed as your Guide's own addition is being completed by Piselli & Rayer General Contractors* of Springfield, PA. All of what is contained in this series is based on personal experiences, as well as information that we have learned from Tom Piselli, the General Contractor on our own home addition.
Before You Look for a Contractor
Some of the most important work that you can do should be done before you even begin to look for a contractor.
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Talk to your family members and finalize a list of what you all agree is wanted in the addition. Do you need one story or two? What is the purpose of the room(s)? Do you want a powder room or full bathroom? Is there going to be a fireplace? Skylights? Closets? Where do you want the doors and windows?
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Call your local city or town building inspector and zoning authority. What specific items are required by building code or zoning law. Of particular importance are what setbacks are required from the borders of your property as well as what is the maximum total allowable percentage of your property at ground level allowed for all covered areas, i.e. covered porches or patios, garage, house, or shed. For example, my township requires a 30 foot setback from the rear of the property. All covered areas cannot exceed 30% of my total property. Does your city or town require a stamped architectural drawing? How much will the construction permit cost? Usually this a percentage of the total cost of your addition ranging from 2 to 5%.
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Purchase a planning pad (graph paper) and draw up as detailed a floor plan for your addition as you are able to complete. Your plan should include all the features you want, the lighting, and exterior items such as electrical outlets, lighting fixtures, patios, and steps. Be sure to specify the dimensions for bathrooms, closets, walls, windows etc. The more detailed and accurate a drawing you can complete, the easier it will be for the contractor to prepare his estimate.
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Using your planning pad draw a side-view of your addition. How high do you want your walls? What type of ceiling do you want, i.e. cathedral or standard?
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On what do you want your addition to sit, i.e. concrete slab crawlspace or full basement? This may depend on what you have learned from your local government agencies.
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At this point you may wish to check online with one of the numerous project estimators available. One such estimator is found on ServiceMagic's website. From my experience these calculators usually calculate your addition about 20-25% less than the cost that an actual contractor will provide, especially if your addition contains a lot of special items.
At this point it's time to look for a contractor. If your city or town requires that an architect be involved in your project, you can at this time contact a local architect to draw up your plans. Keep in mind, however, that most general contractors either have an architect on staff or have an architect that they work with regularly. It may be easier to allow your general contractor to handle this.
NEXT PAGE - Finding and Choosing a General Contractor
