Get Ready To Build Your Home Addition
If you love the location of your home, and you don't want to move, but your home is getting too small for your growing family, it's time to consider building an addition. An addition could turn your cramped space into the perfect home.
An extra bedroom and bathroom might be all you need to make everyone more comfortable. However, you can build an addition for any purpose you want, and you can build it any size you want as long as it fits in your budget and is allowed by city codes. Here are tips for getting prepared for a residential addition.
Figure Out What's Possible
You have to work with what you have when you build a home addition. Learn about local regulations when it comes to how close an addition can come to your property line, setback area, easement, well, or septic system. Also, find out if there are height restrictions. If none of the homes in your neighborhood have second stories, you might not be able to add an addition that includes a second story or high ceilings.
You also need to know what's possible when it comes to your budget, and the only way to know that is to talk to a residential addition contractor as soon as possible to learn what to expect with costs.
Decide On A Floor Plan
One of the first steps in getting your addition is to talk to a residential addition contractor and get a floor plan. You'll probably need a plan to submit when you apply for a building permit. You can find basic floor plans online that can give you ideas about how a new bedroom might look and fit next to your house, but you'll need an architect to finalize your plan.
If the available space is slightly irregular, you'll want an architect to create the plan for you. You may even want a custom plan from the start so your addition is designed perfectly for what you intend to do with the space.
Make Preparations To Start
You may need a new property survey before you start the building process. The last thing you want is your addition to encroach on your neighbor's land. When time for work draws closer, you will also need to have utility lines marked so the contractor can dig. The contractor may take care of this for you and even apply for the residential addition permit and work with the city on inspections.
You'll also need to figure out how the crew will work and get heavy equipment in your backyard or side yard. You might need to take out a fence temporarily or even have some trees removed to make room for the addition. Look into residential additions for more information.
