<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=208047689759328&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
home-banner.jpg

Home Remodeling Blog

Home Additions: 5 Things to Know Before You Begin

By Bryan Slowick | Feb 15, 2017

If your family is growing or just needs more space to live comfortably, an addition may be your best bet. Additions can often be more cost effective and hassle free than moves, especially for families not wanting to uproot or abandon a home with fond memories. Before you begin your addition, however, there are several factors to keep in mind.

Project Cost of Home Addition

The primary and most obvious consideration in planning home additions is knowing your project cost. Remember that it can often be more effective to remodel underutilized space than to add to your existing structure. If reviewing your plans reveals that an addition really is the best option, then it’s important to know ballpark figures for your room addition cost.

According to Cost vs. Value, here are average costs for common additions in Chicago, IL:

  1. Midrange bathroom addition: $52,737.
  2. Midrange family room addition: $110,765.
  3. Midrange master suite addition: $140,865.
  4. Midrange two-story addition: $202,664.
  5. Upscale bathroom addition: $94,953.
  6. Upscale master suite addition: $282,498.

(The figures cited here are according to the Remodeling 2017 Cost vs. Value Report [www.costvsvalue.com] for the Chicago, IL, area. © 2016 Hanley Wood Media Inc.)

Post-Project Cost

It’s important to remember, however, that the cost of new home additions extends beyond the project timeframe itself. Before you begin, make sure you take into consideration jumps in your home insurance premium and property taxes. Keep in mind that there are several factors determining these fees and that increases may not be directly proportionate to the increases in your square footage.

For more information about financing and the remodeling process download our  eBook.

Restrictions

If addition costs both before and after your project are still aligned with your expectations, it’s time to take a look at outside restrictions. Although most projects require city approval before breaking ground, don’t set anything in motion with your contractor before asking them if your plans line-up with your city’s zoning requirements and, where applicable, its wetland, historical, and septic system restrictions.

HVAC Sizing

HVAC sizing is likely an unexpected consideration, but it is an important one. Sometimes, home additions entail reworking your heating and cooling systems so that the old system can match the new system. You’ll want to make sure you take this into consideration before and during building since adding a new system after project completion can be a headache and incur unexpected costs.

Scheduling

Finally, be aware that adding a home addition will temporarily add extra considerations to your schedule. Prepare for these by coordinating closely with your home remodeling company on how long the project will take and which hours crews will be working. Factor this extra presence and noise level into your routine.

More importantly, prepare for your project by carefully considering how you can set up temporary workarounds during construction. For instance, if you are exposing a wall adjacent to your kitchen in order to expand it, you may need to set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere.

Finding a Contractor You Can Trust

Although home additions require careful planning and consideration, they can greatly enhance your Chicago North Shore area home in both its functionality and its value. Finding a remodeling contractor that you can trust may be the most important step when beginning your home addition. A good remodeling company will be able to help design, plan, and implement your remodel leaving your with little to worry about.

 Home Remodeling eBook - BDS Design Build Remodel - North Shore Chicago

Tags: Home Remodeling Chicago North Shore, Remodeling Investment, Home Additions Chicago North Shore

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts

Posts by Tag

see all