Adding onto your home offers many benefits, such as more space and storage areas. Though the sounds of banging and tools whirring can be exciting, it’s also important to prepare for your room additions carefully before you ever get to that point. These five tips will help you achieve your goals without the headaches or issues that might arise.
5 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Room Additions
Before adding to your home, it’s important to prepare for your room additions. Here are five tips to help you:
-
Consider Your Budget
On average, a room addition costs about $49,783 to complete. However, the specific price you pay can vary significantly depending on how much work is required and what you’re building. Check out the table below to discover what you can expect when requesting quotes from contractors:
| Project Type | Average Cost (Nationally) |
| Renovating a garage | $15,669 |
| Building a patio enclosure | $17,146 |
| Remodeling a basement | $20,200 |
| Building a room addition | $46,000 |
Be aware that the cost might be higher in expensive locations. Similarly, properties with special conditions, such as a sloping landscape, might require contractors to work harder or longer, so the price could increase.
Your contractor will give you a detailed estimate to help you budget. It’s best to add at least 10 percent to that amount for unexpected issues that could arise.
-
Find the Property Lines
Property lines define where the neighbor’s land begins, and yours ends. There are many ways to find this information, including at your local county assessor’s office, on the survey you got when you purchased the house, and on the deed.
It’s important to know where your property lines are, which can be useful on these fronts:
- You’ll create a plan that includes your landscaping, home, and utility locations.
- Local codes often have restrictions on how closely you can build to your neighbor’s property.
- You’ll better understand the amount of space you have available.
-
Design the Addition
Check out your current floor plan when deciding how to add a room addition. It’s often wise to contact an expert early in the design process because they have specialty skills you don’t.
Contractors must work with your building’s blueprints (professional drawings) when dealing with a home expansion. Plus, it’s easier for them to provide an accurate estimate of the work involved when they have this information.
Here are a few things to remember during the design phase:
- Create an open floor plan, which will likely increase your home’s value.
- Focus on adding more square footage to the home.
- Think about how you will use the space, which ensures functionality.
- Consider how your room addition will look to others.
A design-build company is the best solution because you’ll have one point of contact. The contractor will work with all the other subcontractors to ensure the project gets done on time and within budget.
-
Research Various Contractors
Whether you hire a design-build company or multiple contractors, it’s important to know your plans and present them to the professionals who are bidding on your project. This gives you an idea of what it might cost and their skill levels.
You should contact at least three companies for quotes. Though price is a huge concern, it’s important to branch out from that, focusing on the contractor’s references, friendliness, and more. Here are a few tips to help you research options:
- Read reviews from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the company website, and online forums.
- Ask friends and family for recommendations, especially if they’ve recently gone through a room addition.
- To prepare for your room additions, ask questions about the process. The contractor should be willing to go through this while being friendly and helpful.
- Ask about the company’s previous work to ensure that it aligns with your needs.
- Request references from at least three past clients, contacting them to ask if they were satisfied. You may need to probe them slightly to get specifics.
- Collect at least three quotes from contractors. Cheap isn’t always better, and quality could suffer. It’s often best to go with the mid-range professional, but check to see what guarantees they offer.
-
Select the Materials
Choosing the materials needed can also help you prepare for your room additions. It’s wise to make a list of your first choice and alternatives because you never know if it will be easier to source something less expensive.
Sometimes, you’ll learn that the materials you prefer simply won’t work in the space or might be more expensive than you initially thought. Your contractor will work with you to save money and obtain the things you want most.
Preparing for a Room Addition – Final Thoughts
It’s important to prepare for your room additions before calling the professionals. Paragon Builders is here to help you budget and design everything to achieve your goals. Please call +1 (858) 336-8336 to receive advice or begin your project today.
FAQs About Preparing for Room Additions
Before preparing for your room addition, it’s important to determine if this project is suitable for you.
Will the room addition add value to the home? You may not be planning to sell for a while, but any modifications you make can impact the house’s resale value, appraisal, and return on investment.
It’s also important to consider your budget. You may need to complete the room addition in sections as you have the money.
As you prepare for your room additions, you’ll likely learn you need a building permit. This is an added cost, but your contractor will handle this for you.
Paragon Builders will contact the county or city to determine if you need a building permit for your home addition. If so, we will obtain it, ensuring that it’s posted correctly on the property. Many times, we add this into the estimate so that you’re not writing a separate check.
The average price for a room addition is $49,783, though it could be as low as $7,000 or as high as $125,000. Multiple factors come into play, such as the labor, materials, and type of space you need.
