Homeowners are always looking for ways to unlock the value in their houses. For some its actually improving the dollar value of the property itself; for others, the goals are more practical, like creating more space for a growing family. The good news is that for those homeowners looking to create more square footage, the possibilities are many, and come with an array of exciting and affordable options. If you’ve been putting off expanding, these five room addition ideas may just set you on the path to success. Here are five super cool room addition ideas you can explore to give your home that extra bit of space and comfort.
1. The Dormer Build
When it comes to room additions, few people think about building dormers. But these handy and functional additions to attics can deliver much needed extra square footage and they don’t break the bank. A dormer can come either as a DIY upgrade, in which case costs may run under $2,000; or as a full custom-built install from a builder, in which case costs could run anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000. No matter the approach in installing your dormer, expect a stylish upgrade to your home. The flood of light that comes from a dormer rounds out that touch of functionality every room should have.
2. The Over-The-Garage Build
If you own a house that has a garage with underutilized space on top, then you just might be able to create some extra space by building a room on top of the garage. This addition is one of the simpler ones and should add no great burden to your bank account, nor any construction complexities. With the garage used as the foundation for the room, all you need is a roof and the walls. You may have to create a door for access, and that might involve modifying an existing wall. But all in all, a room addition of this type should cost $80-$200 a square foot to complete.
3. The Ambitious Second Story Build
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Orange County room additions go, few projects are as ambitious as adding a second story to an existing house. The scope for a second story build is huge and can involve some tricky planning. But once completed, a second story not only delivers a weighty addition in terms of space, it can also send the valuation of your property higher, often significantly higher. The biggest consideration in a build of this type is the weight of the addition. The use of an architect or a builder with extensive experience in mounting second stories is therefore crucial. Getting the right professional assistance will help in establishing the load bearing capacity of the existing structure. And of course, such an ambitious build won’t come cheap. Typical costs range from around $100,000 – $250,000.
4. The Modular Room Build
Prefabricated houses have become a very popular alternative thanks to their lower costs. As an option for creating more space, a modular prefabricated addition is therefore a very quick and cost-effective solution. Providing the existing structure is a single story, the process of adding a room (or several rooms) can be surprisingly pain-free. You’d be looking at paying anywhere from $75 – $250 a square foot and the project can easily be executed without doing much of the work on site. Most prefab additions can be completely pre-assembled at a factory and delivered ready for “bolting on” to the existing structure.
5. The House Bump Out Build
Bump outs have a similar appearance to dormers; but unlike dormers, bump outs are smaller, cantilevered extensions. The main purpose of these additions is to create a bit more storage space for an existing room. A bump out is typically no larger than 18 feet and cost up to 35% less than a conventional storage addition. The storage or use cases for bump out range anywhere from walk-in closets to adding space for bathtubs.
These five room addition ideas are great jumping off points for your next project. Each has its own unique advantages and each in its own way, delivers the ultimate benefit of more space. The keys to making any of these ideas work involves creating a solid plan, hiring the right people, and seeing the project through to the end. We can help with all three. We’ve been helping homeowners bring their room addition ideas to life for many years and are on hand ready to help you get started.
