Addition Estimates and Costs
To assess the total cost of your project Home Additions you need to take a lot of factors into consideration. Each person is different from the other, and so, are individual needs. It's therefore very important that you understand and chalk out your needs before you begin thinking about the cost estimates for the project.
A family may want to include a bedroom and bathroom for their children. With an existing Houston area residence positioned on a flat lot that has enough space to accommodate the bedroom and bathroom required. Also, the family’s residence has a clear-cut roof plan permitting an addition without any constructional alterations necessary. The plumbing system is flexible enough to accommodate new plumbing pipes. The authorities that govern the sanctioning of plans and permits make it easy to obtain these, which makes it easer and less costly for the contractor. Then again, the materials necessary are not as high end and so are less expensive.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have a young professional, who wants to renovate an existing bathroom in his Houston area condo. His condo association has very rigid policies on constructional additions or renovations. Getting clearance from the condo association is sure to involve a lot of expenses, both in money and time. All these expenses will be passed on to the one who is paying for the project. Then there are the bathroom fixtures and fittings. Even though the young home owner is not adding square footage to his home, he wants a renovated and more luxurious bathroom! Accordingly, the costs of the tiles, countertops, bathtub, plumbing fixtures and lighting is higher as compared to the family’s requirements.
Most builders and contractors will give you ranges of Price Per Square Foot in order for you to think about the costs without going into too much detail. In our examples, the first family could be looking at a price per square foot in the range of $70/foot - $150/foot; all depending on the actual details of the project. Our young lady in the second example could be looking at a much higher cost per sqft. Bathrooms and kitchens are absolutely the most expensive cost per sqft. rooms in a home! They contain the majority of a home's expensive systems - electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling. And because they are either very public or intimate spaces, people typically finish them at much higher product levels than other rooms in their homes. With her extremely high-end tastes, her small bathroom remodel could cost between $200/ft to as much as $400/ft!
You could either spend hours estimating the cost of the project down to the last cent, or you could simply ask a seasoned professional to do it for you. The best way to reduce the inconvenience is by hiring a competent Home Additions professional. We can help you hook up with the best and most experienced Home Additions contractors in Houston.
You have to be prepared, though, and learn to communicate your needs and desires as clearly as possible. Start with the basics of your project and then drill down all of the details. And don't get overwhelmed! Realize that this should all be fun and enjoyable! There will be problems, delays and headaches - it is construction after all - but the rewards for a successful Home Addition always outweigh the hardships and difficulties. Stick with your gameplan and be patient!
Here are some good questions to begin thinking about your Home Additions costs, and to prepare you for a conversation with your potential contractors:
1. How big will my Home Additions project be?
- think in terms of Square Feet
2. How much work needs to be done for the structural part of my project?
- Will excavation or fill be required? (Is your project going to be on a flat lot, or is there slope, drainage concerns, extensive trees to be moved or removed)
- Will the foundation require special considerations or be particularly difficult?
- If you are building a second story or adding on above a garage, is your existing floor ready to support another floor? How much demolition and re-construction will be needed below your planned addition in order to support it adequately? Will you need to construct a stair system or re-do an existing one?
3. How many windows, doors, or openings are you thinking about or planning on?
- Openings in the building envelope (the exterior walls and roof of your home) are important considerations for heating and cooling, orientation to sunlight and structural design.
4. Are there special considerations for the roof of my Home Addition?
- Do you have a flat roof or commercial style roof? Are there complicated angles that will need to be planned out and executed well?
- What style or level of shingles or tile do you want? Expensive clay tiles or molded rubber slate look-alikes? Simple 1 tab shingles? Somewhere in-between?
5. And probably most importantly, what level of interior finish out are you planning on?
- Expensive, custom door hardware or more standard production-level knobs and levers?
- Type and amount of flooring? Carpet and vinyl are typically on the low end, while solid wood, designer tiles, and marble will quickly add to your expenses
- How much custom cabinetry or carpentry are you thinking about? Built in bookcases or entertainment systems? Lots of stairs or railings? Will you be able to use production built cabinets or will you require more custom built cabinets for specific purposes?
- What kind of countertops and hard surface materials do you want? Laminate countertops are typically the least expensive options (although there are expensive laminate products available), while solid surface natural stone (granite, marble) or man-made solid surface countertops (quartz, aggregate, concrete, Corian) are more expensive.
- What about your lighting and electrical needs?
- Is it going to be difficult to properly heat and cool your new space? Will you need to add to your existing climate control system or install a new system?
- How much plumbing is involved? What style or kinds of fixtures do you want?
We would be glad to help you find a reputed contractor. Our specialist member contractors are pre screened for your satisfaction and convenience. Apart from being the cream of the industry, they are ready to help with all aspects of your Home Additions project. Our contractor referral service is FREE. All you have to do is submit your project information and wait for our Houston zone to contact you.
Are You a Pro?
List Your Services Here for Free!
Your Business Name
Recent People With Home Additions Needs:
|
Would like to convert my garage into a separate rental unit. |
Need to add a handicap bedroom and bath to a 2 story 2700 sq ft house. The house is 13 years old on a slab floor with a large patio. |