Adding a second story to your home is no small decision; it’s an investment that not only enhances your living space but also significantly impacts the value of your property. Are you considering adding some vertical charm to your Pembrooke residence? In this insightful blog post, we dissect the pros and cons of adding a second story, offer a comprehensive cost analysis, and help you decide if it really is worth the climb. Got your architecture cap on? Let’s build up on this subject!
A second floor addition makes your ranch home bigger.
Ranch style homes are extremely popular and offer a number of advantages over two-story homes. However, when you’re thinking about your ranch style house plans in Dover and the surrounding areas, you should consider a second floor addition to create more living space in your home. This allows you to remain in your existing home, while increasing the space you have and creating an entirely new layout you can enjoy.
Consult with a Professional
Before you finalize your custom built home plans in Dover, it’s important to consult with a professional who can let you know if a second floor is a feasible option for your existing structure. Some homes don’t have a foundation capable of handling the weight of a second story. An experienced contractor will be able to evaluate your home and consider all the elements necessary to help you decide if a two-story home is the right choice for you.
Don’t Forget about the Stairs
One element many homeowners don’t think about when considering a second floor addition is the staircase. Ranch style homes don’t have a designated area for a staircase, which means you’ll need to give up some space on your main floor. For instance, a hall closet may need to be removed to make room for access to your second floor. Your contractor can help you find the ideal location without disturbing too much of your current layout.
Ranch style home plans can create a second floor.
You May Need to Upgrade
When you purchased your heating and air conditioning system, for instance, you probably bought one that exactly accommodated a ranch style home of your size. Adding an entire second floor will increase the demand on your unit, either overworking your current system or forcing you to upgrade to a new one. Your contractor can help you pick an HVAC unit that will provide the perfect amount of heating and cooling for your new home’s size.
Find Another Place to Stay
Unfortunately, second story ranch style home plans in Dover will require the removal of your roof, leaving the interior of your home relatively unprotected. This means you will most likely need to move out of your home for the duration of the project, at least until the exterior aspects of the structure are complete. While you may be able to keep some items inside your home during construction, anything valuable or breakable should be removed and placed in storage to prevent accidents or theft.
Ranch style homes are ideal for many situations, but they don’t always offer a lot of extra space. If you find you need more room for your family, a second floor addition can be the ideal option. Creating custom built home plans in Dover will allow you to maximize the use of your property by building up instead of out.
If you’re interested in creating ranch style house plans in Dover or the surrounding areas to build a second story, contact us. Our experienced Massachusetts contractors can help you add more space to your existing home.
A second floor addition is a great way to add more space.
When you buy your first home, you may not be thinking about making sure you have enough space once your family begins to grow. This can leave you needing more space when you have your first child or once you have added a few children to the family. Creating Newton home addition floor plans will help you determine if it’s best to expand your home outward or add a second floor addition.
Building Out
In order to build out with your custom built home plans in Newton, you need to make sure you have enough space on your lot. You may need to work with your municipality to ensure you won’t be building too close to the lot lines. Once you are approved for the project, you will be able to expand the size of your home by extending the foundation and building up new walls.
There are many benefits to building out with your Newton home addition floor plans. For instance, adding onto the existing floor will create less disruption to your existing living space. It is also an option in more situations because you don’t have to make sure the existing foundation can support the addition. The new area will sit on its own foundation. In some cases, small additions won’t need a foundation at all.
Home addition floor plans create additional space.
Building Up
If you don’t have the space to build out or you prefer a second floor addition, building up may be your best option. The first step is to make sure your foundation and existing structure is capable of handling the added weight of another floor. In some cases, an inadequate foundation can be altered to provide the necessary support.
One of the greatest values of adding a second story to your home is you won’t lose any yard space and can often add a much larger amount of room to your house than with a first floor addition. In some cases, you may wish to build over a garage or sunroom where living space doesn’t currently exist. Your building contractor will help you determine whether a second story addition is the right choice for your home.
When your family grows, you may find you no longer have the amount of space you need to keep everyone happy. While moving to a larger home is always an option, there are a lot of good reasons to stay where you are. This makes it important to decide whether a home addition is the right choice and if so, which type is ideal. As you create custom built home plans in Newton, you will need to decide whether you should build along the ground floor or create a second floor addition.
If you’re considering Newton home addition floor plans to expand the amount of space in your home, contact us. Our Massachusetts contractors can offer the assistance you need to make the right decision.
Add space to your home with a second floor addition.
Second floor additions are one of the most under-used ways to add more space to your existing home. Adding another floor requires research, planning and plenty of construction. Before you make the decision to renovate your home, there are a few important things to consider that may have an impact on the structure..
Seamless Integration
Because your home was built years before your addition plans, it is essential to ensure your new home improvement looks similar to the rest of your home. This can be difficult due to changing trends in contracting and home décor. Work with your contractor to make sure your second floor addition looks like part of your home’s original build, rather than a completely different space.
Structural Impact
A new second floor will weigh considerably more than your existing roof. Your contractor will need to calculate how much weight your current walls and foundation can hold, reinforcing them if necessary to meet building codes.
Adding Stairs
Make sure your current floor plan has enough room to add the stairs you need to get to your second floor addition. Although you are effectively creating more space with your addition plans, adding stairs may create spacing issues for your original floor plan.
A second story addition adds space and increases the value of your home.
Mechanical Additions
Your new second story addition needs the same mechanical elements as your current home, such as water and electricity. If you don’t use a contractor who already provides these services, you may experience higher costs.
Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are an essential part of all addition plans. Unless you intend to make your second floor a large, dark space, you’ll need to plan for the additional costs of adding new windows and doors to your second story addition.
Siding
To match the look of your new floor to the rest of your home, you may need to buy new siding. Depending on the age of your current siding, it may prove challenging to find a good match for your new addition.
Other Considerations
Along with adding doors, windows and other stylistic features, keep in mind you may have to invest in the following elements for your second story addition:
· Insulation for temperature regulation
· Finishing touches, such as door knobs and light switches
· New roofing for your second floor
· Extending your chimney if needed
A new second floor addition is a great way to expand your current home as your family grows. While there are many things to consider with your addition plans, a good contractor can help you add more space to your home.
If you are looking to create another floor in your house, contact us. Our experienced design and build contractors in Massachusetts have the experience you can count on to make sure your project is done right the first time.
