Adding on to a house

[Anonymous]

Besides having a good budget, a solid plan (A/E) and reliable contractor, I think the house (and its lot/features) itself can sometimes make or break the add-on. We had an architect looked at our old house and it wasn't feasible, so we moved.

[Anonymous]

We are looking at adding a 700 sq ft upper level to a rambler in silver Spring - consisting of a master suit, master bath (not fancy) and small office and we were told it would be about $100-120K. Anyone who tells you $250-300 sq ft is crazy ripping you off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at adding a 700 sq ft upper level to a rambler in silver Spring - consisting of a master suit, master bath (not fancy) and small office and we were told it would be about $100-120K. Anyone who tells you $250-300 sq ft is crazy ripping you off.

Contractors always underbid. There is NOTHING guaranteeing thst price.

[Anonymous]

We just finished a renovation to our Cape in Silver Spring. We redid the second floor. Only added about 400 sq. feet but reworked the entire upstairs. Cost us 160K. (Got bids for upwards of 250K). Considering what we paid for the house, we won't recoup our $$ anytime soon. But that's ok - we love this house and it is our forever home, so we are OK with that. That was the beauty of the renovation. We got EXACTLY what we want. We considered moving, but we love our neighborhood and I truly love the downstairs of my house. Now I love the upstairs, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at adding a 700 sq ft upper level to a rambler in silver Spring - consisting of a master suit, master bath (not fancy) and small office and we were told it would be about $100-120K. Anyone who tells you $250-300 sq ft is crazy ripping you off.

I expect that it will be more than that, should you move forward with that project. However, adding an upper level may be less costly than building back or out if your existing structure can support it, as you don't have to build a foundation. Also, the larger your project the lower your overall square foot cost will be, typically. That first 100 sq foot will be expensive, adding an extra 100 sq foot to a 500 sq ft project will typically not be.

I posted before that we paid about $120k for a 450 sq ft addition to a DC row house (including a bathroom and laundry room, a bedroom and family room). DCUM told me that was impossible and that the minimum cost for any type of addition was $250k. That is being ripped off. $120k is not. Of course, it depends on complexity and access and finishes. Putting in an addition in a tight space like a DC row house is more difficult than adding on to a single family home, for example. Wood or Hardy board is more expensive than vinyl siding. Good quality custom windows cost more than off the rack vinyl from Home Depot. And that's before you even get into the interior finishes or appliances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the process of planning a 3 level addition (basement, family room, master bedroom), reconfiguring most of the main floor including a new (moved) kitchen, two new and one remodeled bath. At the end of the day, I expect we will be looking at $400-425K (this is above our initial quote but we are adding some things along the way). We are doing good quality but not extremely high end finishes.

This is in upper NW DC.

We bought over a decade ago and now our kids will be teens soon. It makes financial sense to us because we love our neighborhood and cannot otherwise have what we want here.

NW DC here too, did a 2 story addition last year, gutting of first floor, whole new (all high end) kitchen, new master bed and bath (also high end), remodeled existing baths on other floors, new windows (like 30 of them, cost was $25K I think) and two entirely new AC units, tankless water heater, insulation, paint, large slate patio, new fence, regrading, exterior lighting, all new electrical, etc. Cost was about $400K plus architect fees. We essentially gut remodled about 1,200 sq ft and added roughly 1,000.

Your number smells right.

The thing people don't realize is the $250 a sq foot number is basically to get your drywall. A high end kitchen will easily add $60K to that - appliances alone are going to be $20. Counter $10. Cabinets easily $20, and if you go high high end, $40. Bathrooms similar: the vanity, faucets etc in a master bath can easily hit $5K, excluding tile. That will also add on.

You were ripped off. $150 per sq ft will get you drywall. $250 should include good finishes. It certainly did for us.

[Anonymous]

We are adding about 450 square feet to a DC row house and it is costing $225k. We hired a reputable contractor and got four competing bids, plus similar estimates from several architects before the project began. I would love to do it for $120 but... no one would do it for that.

[Anonymous]

In general, is it cheaper/easier to add a second floor to a rambler or build an addition to the back of a colonial?

[Anonymous]

It absolutely does not suprise me that some people got additions on the cheap. As a home buyer I've seen so many shitty, choppy, and tacky bush league remodels. Those cheap jobs stick out like sore thumbs, but I'm sure the homeowners think they are grand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It absolutely does not suprise me that some people got additions on the cheap. As a home buyer I've seen so many shitty, choppy, and tacky bush league remodels. Those cheap jobs stick out like sore thumbs, but I'm sure the homeowners think they are grand.

Specifically, what does this mean? Any examples you can give?