Cost of a second floor

[Anonymous]

Has anybody had experience with adding on a second floor on a rambler? Approx 1500 sq feet. What is the approx cost of that in the DMV area? Including re-designing some of the main floor (knocking down a wall or two to make bigger bedrooms). We are not handy at all so would need to outsource absolutely everything.

[Anonymous]

$300k

[Anonymous]

^^ At least that amount. Be careful on this, OP. We had friends who did a "pop the top" on their N. Arlington home. They ended up having to sell quickly because of a job offer and ended up losing money during re-sale. It's literally the only Arlington home I've ever heard of losing $$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ At least that amount. Be careful on this, OP. We had friends who did a "pop the top" on their N. Arlington home. They ended up having to sell quickly because of a job offer and ended up losing money during re-sale. It's literally the only Arlington home I've ever heard of losing $$.

What is surprising here, you often will lose money if you invest in huge renovation and sell right away; that’s true for almost all renovation, non of them add value 1:1

[Anonymous]

$300k min and it’s not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ At least that amount. Be careful on this, OP. We had friends who did a "pop the top" on their N. Arlington home. They ended up having to sell quickly because of a job offer and ended up losing money during re-sale. It's literally the only Arlington home I've ever heard of losing $$.

Were you here in 2008?

[Anonymous]

We popped the top but had an attic so there was some support for second floor. $229k. Added 3 bed 2 bath.

[Anonymous]

OP, can you add on the side and then go higher. Won't be much more expensive but you can get 2 floors.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been told closer to $400-$500K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We popped the top but had an attic so there was some support for second floor. $229k. Added 3 bed 2 bath.

About the same for us, but this was 10 yrs ago; and was our middle-priced bid.

[Anonymous]

Currently adding 900+/- sqf second floor to our current 2/1, one story bungalow in Del Ray. We are finishing basement at the same time.

Will end up being new 3/2 up, 1/1 on the main, new kitchen on main, and new 1/1 in the basement for about 2400sqf total. We shopped 3 Design Build firms but ultimately went with an architect who has done many in then neighborhood.

Then we shopped their plans to 4 builders and picked one. Settled at 350k. We are both lawyers so we drew the contract so tight that there won't be any real deviation from that number.

FWIW- all this work and research got us to the exact same place pretty much everyone else ended up at doing the same thing. 30k0-35k is just the number.

[Anonymous]

379k, just had it done

[Anonymous]

$400K min for that size rambler and desire to have it done properly/safely

[Anonymous]

275k-350k max. Be careful though- there are a lot of crooked contractors in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been told closer to $400-$500K

This seems more accurate.

Lumber has doubled in price, good contractors are booked months out, this isn't just a second floor project but a whole-house renovation (reconfiguring the ground floor is going to require hvac, electrical, and possibly plumbing work, and maybe new flooring.

Honestly might be cheaper to do a full gut reno.