Planning A Home Addition? Here are the top things to consider…

Planning a home addition can be a costly endeavor; possibly having one of the biggest price tags next to buying your home. Before you know it, you can be hitting six figures and wondering if you’re anywhere close to finishing the addition. Building an addition can be a huge project, and unlike other smaller home improvement projects, you can’t just scrap the idea or paint over the walls if you decide you don’t like it. The best way to ensure your addition turns out exactly how you want is to plan carefully ahead of time. Here are a few things to take into consideration before you start building. 

Figure out what kind of room you want

Some of the most common additions include laundry rooms, extra bedrooms, playrooms, bathrooms, and extra storage such as an extension on the garage. Each type of room will take up a different amount of space and will require different tools and supplies so deciding on an idea and making a plan for what you will need can help keep you on the right track. 

Zoning

If you live in a community with a Homeowner’s Association, you will have to ensure your addition is in line with the guidelines set forth by the Homeowner’s Association. Your fencing might have height guidelines and there may be a set color palette that you have to stick with for your exterior paint. Other things such as the size of your structures will likely have pre-set rules as well. All of these things are important to look into before you start your addition to ensure you are adhering to the community rules and regulations. There may also be city ordinances that only allow for certain types and sizes of structures to be built, so make sure to check with your local authorities to confirm your structure is allowed.

Think about your costs

There are many factors that go into the cost of your addition, like the size of the structure, materials needed, cost of labor if you need to hire a contractor, etc. Determining the size of the project and all of the things you will need to complete the addition in advance will help eliminate any cost surprises on the back end.

How much space will the addition need

Determining how large the addition will be allows you to decide on the right area to build. It will also help you to figure out the amount of supplies you will need to complete the project and the amount of time it will take to complete. 

Hire the right contractors

Maybe you are deciding to do a DIY addition (which is great!), but if you’re not a master contractor yourself, you need to make sure you hire the right professionals for the job. Pricing is always the first thing people look at (for obvious reasons), but hiring the cheapest contractor isn’t the only thing you should be looking out for. Check out their portfolio of previous projects to make sure you like their style of work. Check reviews online to make sure they have a good customer satisfaction rating. Always ask to see their credentials as well. If they are a reputable contractor, they will have no issue sharing all of these things with you. References are always a good thing to ask for as well. If you have people who are willing to share their experiences with this contractor, it will bring peace of mind that you are making the right decision in hiring them. 

In conclusion, there are a lot of factors to consider when deciding to do a home addition and all of them are important in different ways. You should try to be as organized and concise with your vision as possible. What exactly do you want, how big you want it to be, what materials do you want to use, etc. Don’t be afraid to vet your contractor to make sure they are the right fit for you and your vision. Home additions can be small and inexpensive, or large with a hefty price tag, but either way, you want to make sure it turns out exactly the way you envision it, with as few setbacks as possible. Considering all of the above information will help you achieve that goal.

If you are considering a home addition in the Sacramento area or have any questions, reach out to Vinson today and we can help.