Last week, we talked about the beginning stages of planning for a home addition – the importance of researching, planning and setting a budget. You have a clear goal in mind, a budget set and your research yielded several ideas that you want to include in your new addition. Well, today we’re going to talk about some important questions to consider and ask once you’re ready to move forward with your home addition.

1. Will this addition add value to your home?

Adding an addition to a home is a sure-fire way to add value and equity to your home, but most people don’t realize that value comes at a reduced return compared to remodels. According to The Remodeling Report, a two-story addition with a family room downstairs and master suite upstairs will typically yield a 65% return on investment (ROI). Other types of additions were pegged at: 63% for a master-suite-only addition; 53% for a bathroom addition, and 49% for a sunroom addition.

Despite those numbers, there are a number of ways to increase an additions’ return, including: adding amenities that are sought after in your area or choosing an addition that fits to other homes in your neighborhood. The most important thing to remember is that even though your are adding value to your home, you’re not going to turn a profit on the investment, so it’s best to go into the project with realistic expectations.

2. Are there zoning issues to consider where you live?

Most residential areas have restrictions about what you can build and where – including when adding an addition to your home. Restrictions such as proximity; percentage of land coverage (with both structures and paving); and building height. Since this is such a broad subject to cover and regulations differing so greatly from area to area, the best advise we can give to check with your local zoning and planning commission to find out all you can about any restriction that may impede you from adding on to your home.

3. How will the addition tie into the rest of the house, both interiorly and exteriorly?

When adding on an addition, you’ve got to consider how that addition will impact and tie in the to inside and outside of your home. Keeping within the style of your home (especially older homes), while taking advantage of the best modern amenities available to consumers today takes a little finesse, but is totally doable when you consider a few things that sometimes are overlooked.

Things such as how your roofline connects to the house; the materials used in the windows and doors; and existing heating and cooling units are all things that could potentially impact how your addition takes shape. That’s a lot to consider for a typical homeowner, so that’s where your contractor comes in. Your contractor will help you create the best possible plan within your budget. But…

4. Who’s the right contractor to help get this done?

Now, this is an excellent question, and one that leads directly into Part 3 of out 3-Part Planning a Home Addition blog. Be sure to stop back in next week, where we will address how to choose the right contractor to handle the new addition for your home!

Can’t wait until next week to get started? Contact us to schedule your free estimate and get started with your home addition today!