The Different Types of Home Additions

As your family grows, available space may quickly turn into a scarce commodity inside your household. It is time to consider remodeling, which could mean introducing a home addition.

We all know how difficult moving can be, especially on kids, so avoiding it may be in your best interests. Home additions provide you with a way to accommodate your growing family that does not involve relocation.

Does the idea of building a house addition sound good to you? If so, you will need to decide what kind you want to build. Check the rest of this article by our expert San Diego home addition contractors to learn more about home additions and other relevant topics.

Traditional Home Additions

Let’s get right to it by discussing the first type of house addition. We are specifically focusing on traditional additions for this section.

A traditional home addition is essentially a new structure built onto your home. Think of it as a scaled-down home.

Although a conventional addition may resemble a scaled-down house, you should not take that to mean that it is small. It is the opposite since this type of addition is often on the larger side. It could be one big room, or you can have it divided into multiple smaller areas.

Because we are talking about a massive addition to your property, you must have it built properly. Your contractor will tackle this project as if they were building a regular home. That also means you may need to enlist the services of an architect and secure building permits.

This type of construction project will take a while to finish because of the work involved. The workers may need to put down a new foundation and install new roofing. In all likelihood, they will add new wiring and plumbing fixtures to your home addition.

Finding a spot for the conventional home addition can also be tricky. You may not have the space available right away. Clearing out your property may be necessary before you can start building that addition.

Expect to pay upwards of $100,000 if you intend to build a traditional home addition, according to Angi.

The Uses of a Traditional Home Addition

What can you do with your traditional home addition after they complete it? Detailed below are some ideas worth considering.

• New Kitchen – Building a traditional home addition is one way for you to get the kitchen you have always wanted. Create an open concept kitchen or one with a dining area included using the new space you have available.
• Bedrooms for Your Kids – Your kids will likely want their own rooms as they get older. Go ahead and build those new rooms inside the conventional home addition.
• Guest Room – Asking your parents or in-laws to stay in a hotel whenever they are visiting may not be something you want to do. In that case, you can build a guest room from the home addition to accommodate them.
• Upgraded Living Room – Note that you can build that conventional addition solely to upgrade your home entertainment system. Use that new space to build your home theater.

Bump-Outs

The next type of home addition we want to discuss is the bump-out. In stark contrast to traditional home additions, bump-outs are known for being small.

A bump-out can add as little as two feet of space to your home. More often than not, bump-outs are built next to kitchens because that is where they prove more useful. Even that small amount of space may be enough to accommodate a new kitchen island, stove, or perhaps a storage area.

Other spots where individuals often add bump-outs include bathrooms and bedrooms.

It is important to note that the small size of a typical bump-out is a positive feature of that construction.

Homeowners do not want bump-outs to become too big because they would become more complex additions. By keeping the bump-out small, you can add it to your home without installing a new foundation or roof. Depending on how you will use the bump-out, adding wires or pipes to it may also be unnecessary.

Bump-outs can also be bigger if you desire. One of the great things about building a bump-out is selecting the perfect size for it. You can get the exact amount of space you need from that home addition.

Second Stories

Not all property owners have extra space they can use for home additions.

For instance, you may have already transformed your yard into a garden, or you may have a pool back there. You probably do not want to sacrifice those elements of your property for a house addition.

You may also have no space available whatsoever. The most you may have are small strips of land that denote the perimeter of your property.

Can you still build a house addition if you do not have any outdoor space? You can, and you only need to look up to do so.

The home addition that works for your property could be a second story. Start building a structure on top of your current home to create new rooms for your family.

Second stories can be small. You can design them in such a way that they only partially cover the first floor of your home. Then again, you can have them built to the exact dimensions of your first floor as well.

Potential Complications of Building a Second Story

A second story is arguably the most complex out of all the home additions that you can choose to build. You will understand why after going through the details provided below.

Moving Out Temporarily Will Likely Be Necessary

Extensive construction work will need to be done on your property if you want a second story. That likely includes temporarily removing your roof or replacing it altogether. After all, the workers cannot build the additional story onto your roof.

Of course, you cannot stay inside your home if it does not have a roof. Moving out will probably be necessary, and it will last until they finish the construction.

Make sure you have new accommodations lined up before work gets started on the second story.

Height Restrictions

Before you start fantasizing about the different ways a second story can improve your home, you should check if you can build it first.

Your local government may have ordinances in place that limit how tall homes can be. If not your local government, your homeowner’s association may also have something to say about that.

Double-check the rules before you move forward with any new construction, so you do not waste time and money.

Your Foundation Is Not Strong Enough

One more important consideration if you are building a second story is the foundation of your home. When they originally built your home, its foundation was likely only to support the existing floor. Since you are planning to add a new story on top of it, you need to check if your foundation can handle the weight.

The contractor may deem reinforcing your foundation before adding a second story. In that case, the cost of your project may be higher than you expected.

Garage Conversions

The next type of home addition is known as a garage conversion.

A garage conversion involves turning your attached garage into a living space. The idea here is to remodel your existing garage in such a way that it matches the rest of your home.

Opting for a garage conversion makes plenty of sense if you are trying to keep your costs under control. These house additions are more affordable because the original structure is already standing on your property. You do not need to lay down any new foundation or build new walls because your garage also features those elements.

The work will mostly focus on making your garage more beautiful and comfortable. The people you hired may replace your drywall, install new tiles over your floor, and swap out your old fixtures for more stylish additions. They may also install additional wiring and ductwork, so your HVAC system can reach that part of your home.

You should also press forward with a garage conversion if you need the extra space as soon as possible. Professionals can finish a garage conversion faster than a bump-out addition.

This is not saying that garage conversions have no drawbacks whatsoever because they certainly do. Losing a place where you can safely park your car is important. You may need to build a detached garage for your vehicle now or find other means of safely storing it.

Buyers may also find your property less appealing because it lacks a garage.

Sunrooms

Home additions tend to be more about substance than they are about style. Space is lacking inside your home, so you are building an addition to give yourself and your family more rooms to work with.

Still, you can also build a house addition that will increase your home’s aesthetic appeal above everything else. The addition we are talking about here is a sunroom.

A sunroom is a house addition that is defined mainly by wall-to-wall windows. Often, there is enough space available inside the sunroom for different pieces of furniture. In terms of size, sunrooms are not as big as traditional home additions, but they are often larger than standard bump-outs.

They design sunrooms that way so you can enjoy the beauty of your yard and outdoor architecture. You can pull up a chair, put your feet up, and enjoy a nice cup of tea as you marvel at the beauty of your property.

Note that you can also connect your sunroom to your home’s HVAC and electrical systems if you want to make them as comfortable as possible.

Four-Season Sunrooms

There are two types of sunrooms that you can add to your property. The first is known as a four-season sunroom.

According to BobVila.com, four-season sunrooms feature are heated and cooled so you can use them throughout the year. On top of that, they install thermally-engineered frames and special glass panels so the room remains comfortable year-round.

The windows of four-season sunrooms may also be smaller to accommodate the features needed for adequate heating and cooling.

Three-Season Sunrooms

The difference between a typical four-season sunroom and its three-season counterpart is that the latter does not have features that allow it to be easily cooled or heated. If it feels warm, you can put a fan in there, but that will have to do for cooling.

In most areas, you use three-season sunrooms during the spring, summer, and fall. However, you can still use a three-season sunroom throughout the year if you live in an area with mild winter temperatures. You may still feel a bit chilly inside your three-season sunroom, but it should be bearable.

Basement Additions

To round our list of home additions, we have the basement additions. This time around, you will be looking down instead of up to create more space for your family.

Like adding a second story, building a basement addition typically takes a lot of work. They will likely need to raise your home to make room for the basement addition. Replacing your current foundation may be needed as well.

In exchange for the investment you are putting into a basement addition, you are getting a private space. You can also hide basement additions from view. A new basement can be a terrific addition to your home if you want a private room all to yourself.

You can also use basement additions as rental units. Since basement additions can feel separate from the rest of your home, a tenant can feel more comfortable in there.

Are you interested in building a house addition? If so, we at Eco Minded Solutions can help out with that plan of yours. Contact us today and let’s start drawing up the plans for your brand new home addition!