Home additions can add the space you need or want to your home allowing you to stay where are rather than moving.  In addition to this big advantage, home additions are often less expensive than moving to a larger home.

The first thing you should do when planning for a home addition is to get a feel for the various options you have available to you.  The cost of a home addition can range from fairly expensive to a small fortune depending on what options you choose.

Depending on the size of the job, you may want to look at hiring a design firm or architect.  Keep in mind though; structural engineers and architects can be very expensive.  A well experienced remodeling general contractor can offer similar services but at a fraction of the cost.  If you are adventurous, or know what you are doing, you can even layout the preliminary design yourself.

Home additions generally come in two basic forms.  These are; finishing an unfinished area, such as a basement, garage, or a porch, or building a completely new home addition.  Depending on the route you take, the costs will differ greatly.   The cost of building a new home addition can be comparable to building a small house. If you are “building out” (adding to the footprint of your home) you will have to have plans made, get permits, place footers and get the building inspected. Alternatively, you might be able to “build up” your home by adding a second story.  This is generally less expensive than building out.

Finishing out a garage or basement is generally less expensive than either building up or building out.   You will not have to pay as much because you already have the basics of the shell at your disposal.  No matter which way you choose to go, a good remodeling contractor can help get the job done correctly and more quickly.  The ultimate decision for the size and scope of your home addition is yours.  Just one word of caution – be aware that generally it is unwise to add too much value to your home as compared to your surrounding neighbors.  To that end, before getting too far down the road of a home addition, get an appraisal and market analysis to see the value it will add.

Overall, a home addition can be a great investment, especially if you need the extra space to accommodate your growing family.