Is It Worth It? Your Guide to Building a Home Addition

Whether you need an extra room for a new member of the family, or you want to add convenience or value to your home, there are a number of things to consider before building an addition. The best additions to homes are properly planned and not rushed; a split-second or impulsive decision often results in extra cost without any added value. If you want an addition to your Selbyville, Delaware home, follow a few simple steps to ensure the process is seamless and valuable.

Why Am I Building the Addition?

While this might seem like an obvious question, many homeowners don’t even consider it. So, ask yourself why you’re building the addition. If the answer isn’t convenience, adding home value, or even adding a luxury, then it probably isn’t the right move. One reason to avoid an addition is because you have some extra money lying around. This typically ends up costing more in the long run, as plans are lax and there’s no real reason for the purchase.

Deciding Who to Hire

The biggest decision to make, after you’ve decided to go ahead with your addition, is choosing your contractors. While searching for these contractors, make sure that you find great reviews, meet with the company, and see if they’re affiliated with the Better Business Bureau. It’s also a great money-saving tip if you find a contractor that offers carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and other trades in one place. By finding a one-stop business, you won’t have to haggle and deal with several contractors, giving you peace of mind and a more stress-free environment.

Updating Systems

When you decide to build your addition, it’s also a perfect time to make updates to some of the other parts of your home. If you have old, single pane windows, an attic that’s drafty, or an inefficient HVAC system, replacing them when there are construction crews in your house is ideal. You can also integrate your addition with these updated systems. For example, you can take existing ductwork and connect it to the addition, or install a ductless unit.

Licensed HVAC specialists also can give you an in-home evaluation to see what you can improve in your home during the renovation.

Figuring Costs

Remember that you want to at least break even when it comes to an addition. If you build a $10,000 addition to add $5,000 to the value of your home, then it probably isn’t worth the hassle. As a general rule, additions are about $200 to $600 per square foot. Anything less is a red flag of shoddy work, and anything more means someone’s hanging you out to dry. Also, any additions that require plumbing and not just framing and electrical provide more costs.

Make sure you plan ahead and always create a budget so you don’t hemorrhage money. Also, remember that an increase in the size of your home also increases your annual tax bill, so plan accordingly.

Time Considerations

Adding to your home isn’t something that happens within a couple of days. In fact, it can take over a month or longer to complete the renovation, depending on the extent of the addition. With that in mind, some aspects to consider are overall budget, disruption of personal life, and noise. If you don’t want to wake up at 7 a.m. to the sound of a power drill, then you might consider alternative options to an addition.

Location of the Addition

Believe it or not, you’ll save a ton of money by adding a room in the basement of your house or on the side of your house rather than on the top of your house. Basement renovation is particularly cost-effective because it doesn’t require much additional framing, electrical, or plumbing work.

If you want to increase the value of your home and are ready to go all-in on a time-consuming but rewarding investment, then you should definitely opt for a home addition. Not only does it give your home value, luxury, and convenience, but it also gives you a chance to add a bit of your own creativity. When deciding on a contractor, check out Custom Mechanical. Our experts cover every aspect of home improvement, so if you’re making an addition, give us a call today at 877-969-0808.

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