Moving Up: Adding
Another Value To
Your Home
If you love where
your home is
situated but are
looking for more
space, going up may
be exactly the
solution youve been
searching for.
Upper floor
additions are a
great option for
Philadelphia
homeowners who have
a great house in a
neighborhood they
love but dont
want to lose space
in the backyard for
a main level
extension.
Adding a new floor
adds significant
value to your home
and is usually a lot
more economical than
moving to a new
home. Its also a
fantastic way put
yourself in the
design chair as you
map out how best to
use the extra space:
extra bedrooms or a
master suite, a home
office or media
centre.
But adding a new
floor will also be
very disruptive to
the household, so
careful planning is
in order to ensure
everything goes as
smoothly as
possible.
What you need to
consider before you
begin:
Set a budget. As
with all remodeling
project,
establishing a firm
budget should always
be your first step.
Once you know
exactly what you are
able to spend, you
will be able to make
the important
decisions along the
way. Remember that
an extra 15 percent
should be built in
for any unexpected
problems that may
arise.
Draw some
preliminary sketches
for how you envision
the space. Remember
that you will need a
new stairway to the
new level. By
thinking through
your options you
will be better
prepared when its
time to sit down
with your
contractor.
Hire a skilled
contractor. Building
a new level onto an
existing structure
requires special
skills that not
every builder may
possess. Make sure
you hire a
contractor who has
experience in doing
this type of work.
An experienced
contractor will be
able to guide you
through the entire
process with
valuable resources
and information.
Find out if there
are any height
restrictions in your
area. Most cities
and towns have
established
ordinances in
regards to how tall
a building can be.
Chances are if it is
just a second story
addition you will be
fine, but another
level may be too
tall. Check with
your local planning
department.
Determine whether
your homes
foundation and
framing can bear the
weight of another
level.
Talk to
either a contractor
or a structural
engineer to
determine if the
foundation will need
reinforcing or
support columns need
to be added to
strengthen the
framing.
During the framing
process your roof
will be removed and,
depending on what
you are planning,
will most likely
need to be replaced.
This will have an
impact on the
construction
schedule and
possibly your entire
household so you
should plan
accordingly.
Make sure your
current heating,
cooling and
ventilation systems
are capable of
handling the extra
space. Talk to a
HVAC specialist.
Find out if you will
have to install a
new electric panel
and service to
handle the increased
load from the new
space.
Your new level will
have new materials,
such as new siding
and windows, you may
have to consider
upgrading your
existing level for
continuity. Your
contractor will be
able to guide you as
to what your options
are.
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a Free
Consultation
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