Add The Space You Need By Building Up

This article was written by Shawn Vacek, Remodelers of Houston and published in the December 8th, 2019 edition of the Houston Chronicle. 

A home addition can be a very valuable remodeling project for your home. If you have a one or one and a half story home and you need extra space it may be worth considering building up rather than out.

If you have a growing family and too few bedrooms or baths, building up or out are both good options. The size and shape of your property will help you decide if you can build out. If you have a large backyard, a first-floor addition may be a good choice. If not, your choice will be to build up.

If you currently have an attic space with a higher ceiling a dormer or two or partial addition might work to get some additional room. By why stop there! A full second story addition can double the space that you currently have, to give you extra bedrooms and baths, a luxurious master bedroom suite with walk in closet or any other spaces you desire.

If you are considering adding more space to your home, keep the following in mind.

Your Home’s Foundation

Your contractor with the help of an engineer should determine if your home can support a second story or if you need additional structural support. Most existing foundations can be reinforced to support a second floor pending an engineer evaluation.   This can be much more economical than pouring a new foundation. Overall, reinforcing the foundation and building up will add much value to your home.

Staircase

Do you have a staircase, if not, it will be necessary to build a new one. One of the more difficult elements is determining the best placement for the staircase. Much thought needs to go into the staircase location based on design for accessibility, flow and balance in the home.

Additional key elements to consider when adding a second story are window style, roofing material and elevation, and exterior façade to create a look that you desire.

Design

Second floor design work is challenging, so you want to be certain that you’re working with someone who has Design-Build experience in second story additions. A good Design-Build remodeler can take care of drawing up the plans based on understanding what you want the second story add-on to achieve.

When adding on new space to your home, your remodeler should create a space that flows seamlessly with the home’s existing architecture and style. Look for and experienced remodeler that you can trust to get the job done right.