4 Things To Consider When Building A Home Addition

Posted on: 31 August 2021

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Do you feel like you are running out of space in your home after a year of learning and working from home? If you do not want to move to a new place, you can always add to your existing home with an addition. Here are some things to consider when you decide to build a home addition.

The Budget

It's important to come up with a budget for your home addition project so that you can be realistic with what it will cost. As much as you may want to make your current home your dream home, it may not be practical from a budget standpoint. When it comes to budgeting, also remember how the home addition is going to impact your property taxes.  Will you be able to afford to pay a few thousand more per year for all of the additional square footage? 

The Exterior Building Material

One thing that must be thought out is what kind of building material you are going to use for the exterior of your addition. If you have a brick home, you may find it difficult to find a brick that matches the exact color of the brick used to build your home many years ago. Some homeowners decide to use vinyl siding for their addition in a color that compliments the brick, so it doesn't look like the two materials are mismatched.  

The HVAC System

Chances are that your home's existing HVAC system is not going to work to heat and cool the addition that you are building. That's why you need to decide how you are going to make the space feel comfortable all year round. Some homeowners add to their existing HVAC system by extending ductwork and getting a more powerful unit.  Others may decide to get a separate HVAC system for the space. This could include radiant floor heat to keep the space warm, and a separate system for the air conditioning. No matter what you do, put some thought into what type of  HVAC system you want for your addition. 

The Land Limitations

It is always a good idea to check with your city before you start working on an addition to find out what limitations are in place for building an addition. You may be surprised to learn that you are only allowed to have so much of your property covered in permanent structures, which prevent people from making their entire piece of land a house.  You may also run into limitations of how close you can build next to the property line.