Do you feel like you’ve outgrown your home? Maybe you have more kids, you’re taking in your elderly parents, or you need more storage space for all your stuff. A home addition could be the perfect solution.
Home additions add living space to your house while increasing its value. They can be a big project, but they’re sometimes easier and more practical than moving altogether (especially with rising mortgage rates).
Of course, there are many factors to consider before attempting a home addition: the size of the project, required permits, finding labor, budget, needed materials, and more.
In this article, we’ll go over the four main types of home additions so you can make a more informed decision about whether it’s for you. Let’s get started!
1. Conventional house addition
A conventional house addition is one that involves building a structure from scratch that has more than one room and is directly accessible from the existing house. The addition can include any type of room—-bedroom, family room, dining room, etc.—so long as it merges with the rest of the house.
2. Room addition or bump out
A room addition is slightly less involved. It means adding a single room next to the primary house. This could be another bedroom, family room, dining room, etc.
A bump out is a scaled-down version of this. It refers to bumping out an existing interior wall to add more space to the room. It can also serve to make room for a closet, pantry, or mudroom. The point is that it doesn’t require any additional foundation or roof work, making the project less costly overall.
3. Sunroom addition
A sunroom is typically considered a luxury addition. It’s usually cut off from the main house and must be entered by separate exterior doors. The structure is made of glass, aluminum, or another prefabricated material. In some cases, you can also convert a porch into a sunroom.
One benefit of adding a sunroom is that they don’t require any AC or heating, so you won’t need to install an HVAC system.
4. Garage conversion
Finally, a garage conversion is perhaps the easiest addition of all. It refers to converting a garage into another living space. Since the main structural elements already exist, all that’s usually required is adding flooring and insulation and replacing the garage door with a wall. You’ll also need to add plumbing and an HVAC system.
Similarly, you can convert a carport enclosure into another room, though this a little more involved since it requires additional walls to be built.
Whatever you do, check with a professional builder to ensure the home addition project is feasible. Some garages and carports may not be suited for it.
The bottom line
There you have it! The four main types of home additions. Obviously, costs will vary by project size and location, which affects the price of materials and real estate in general. However, you can count on most home additions costing anywhere from $85 to $220 per square foot.
Decide how much square footage you’re looking to add and calculate the cost to determine whether it’s worth it to you. Keep in mind that the larger the project, the more you can benefit from economies of scale. Each marginal square foot won’t cost as much as the last, while the startup costs are relatively fixed.
Ultimately, you should do whatever’s in the best interest of you and your family.
