Mudroom addition

[Anonymous]

We are in Arlington and thinking of adding a small mudroom off our kitchen. This would require new framing, roof, etc. Trying to get a rough idea of cost from those who have completed a similar project. thanks

[Anonymous]

A small addition like that is a terrible idea cost-wise. Probably at least $100k with a very high $/sq ft ratio.

[Anonymous]

$25k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$25k

Bullshit.

[Anonymous]

I believe the $25k estimate!

We decided to scrap our dining room and turned it into a mudroom/home office combo. But, we still had an eat in kitchen and turned our living room into the new dining room, so we had some space to play with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe the $25k estimate!

We decided to scrap our dining room and turned it into a mudroom/home office combo. But, we still had an eat in kitchen and turned our living room into the new dining room, so we had some space to play with.

Did you not read OP? They were asking about an addition, not changing an existing room. No way that you can do an ADDITION for $25K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe the $25k estimate!

We decided to scrap our dining room and turned it into a mudroom/home office combo. But, we still had an eat in kitchen and turned our living room into the new dining room, so we had some space to play with.

Did you not read OP? They were asking about an addition, not changing an existing room. No way that you can do an ADDITION for $25K.

Earlier this year, we did a 2 car garage that included a mud room for $85k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A small addition like that is a terrible idea cost-wise. Probably at least $100k with a very high $/sq ft ratio.

This figure is exactly right. We are in upper Mo Co and got an estimate for a first floor mudroom addition 2 years ago: with the added costs of digging a foundation etc., about $100-125K depending on windows (we were thinking about a breezeway-type addition). Not worth the small increase in square footage, and with lumber prices increasing, I'm sure it would be more now. Instead, we opted to expand the house differently and went up-- we have a 2 story colonial but the second story did not extend over the long, rectangular family room. We added a bedroom, laundry room, and closets to the second floor, and took maybe 1/3 of the family room to make into a mudroom space with built in cubbies and benches, and added an exterior side entrance into the mudroom. The family room is cosy, but still big enough for our family as a TV room; the mudroom is divided by a full wall and a pocket door with glass, so the door can be closed if stinky soccer cleats are left in the mudroom, and each of the kids has their own cubby space. Totally worth it for us, and it cost about the same as the quote for the mudroom addition but we now have more square footage, and a more usable space, than if we added on the mudroom. Obviously this won't work for everyone, but no way will you get a first floor addition for $25K. If money is not a consideration, sure, go for it, it will only improve the value of your house; but if cost is a factor, see if you can think outside of the box or repurpose an existing space.

[Anonymous]

Could you get by with a screened porch? You could probably do a small one for $15k if you went with wood, $25k for composite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A small addition like that is a terrible idea cost-wise. Probably at least $100k with a very high $/sq ft ratio.

This figure is exactly right. We are in upper Mo Co and got an estimate for a first floor mudroom addition 2 years ago: with the added costs of digging a foundation etc., about $100-125K depending on windows (we were thinking about a breezeway-type addition). Not worth the small increase in square footage, and with lumber prices increasing, I'm sure it would be more now. Instead, we opted to expand the house differently and went up-- we have a 2 story colonial but the second story did not extend over the long, rectangular family room. We added a bedroom, laundry room, and closets to the second floor, and took maybe 1/3 of the family room to make into a mudroom space with built in cubbies and benches, and added an exterior side entrance into the mudroom. The family room is cosy, but still big enough for our family as a TV room; the mudroom is divided by a full wall and a pocket door with glass, so the door can be closed if stinky soccer cleats are left in the mudroom, and each of the kids has their own cubby space. Totally worth it for us, and it cost about the same as the quote for the mudroom addition but we now have more square footage, and a more usable space, than if we added on the mudroom. Obviously this won't work for everyone, but no way will you get a first floor addition for $25K. If money is not a consideration, sure, go for it, it will only improve the value of your house; but if cost is a factor, see if you can think outside of the box or repurpose an existing space.

$25k definitely seems low, but $100k-$125k seems crazy high. How big was this mudroom? Were you building a full basement below it? I'd ballpark it around $50k depending on foundation needs and how the roof attaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you get by with a screened porch? You could probably do a small one for $15k if you went with wood, $25k for composite.

There have been multiple threads lately started by people who (were shocked to) have gotten estimates for screened in porches in the $75,000 range. A screened in porch has to have a foundation and walls and a roof that all meet code, so it’s not that much cheaper than a finished room. Plus, builders are busy and all raw materials are much more expensive these days.

Agree with pp that a small addition is not cost-effective, as the marginal cost of constructing each square foot goes down as the size increases. E.g., once you have the truck and workers there, pouring a 750 sq. ft. slab isn’t that much more than a 500 sq. ft. slab.

Someone else asked this exact same question not long ago and got the same answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe the $25k estimate!

We decided to scrap our dining room and turned it into a mudroom/home office combo. But, we still had an eat in kitchen and turned our living room into the new dining room, so we had some space to play with.

Did you not read OP? They were asking about an addition, not changing an existing room. No way that you can do an ADDITION for $25K.

Earlier this year, we did a 2 car garage that included a mud room for $85k.

You’re pricing was probably before the full impact of “covid-pricing” was felt. Everyone is doing home improvement projects. The point is that building one small mud room is going to cost about the same as building a larger addition (particularly something relatively cheap like a garage - no high-end finishes).

[Anonymous]

^^ The above is so true! We recently got an estimate for a screened in porch. No bells and whistles (no fireplace or built in kitchen, shed roof not gables, etc.), and the estimates came in over 70k. Three of them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you get by with a screened porch? You could probably do a small one for $15k if you went with wood, $25k for composite.

No way. Start at $50,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you get by with a screened porch? You could probably do a small one for $15k if you went with wood, $25k for composite.

No way. Start at $50,000.

We had a small 12'x12' composite screened in porch done for $20k in MoCo. I don't know why you think it would start at $50k...