How much does it cost to build an addition on your home? Well, it can cost as much as you let it. You can add luxury flooring, a state-of-the-art roof, and other elements to make the addition as special as possible. But if you need to keep costs manageable, you can just as easily forego these things. You can also follow these tips to help reduce costs.
Have the addition put on a concrete slab.
Depending on how your home is built and where you plan on placing the addition, you may have the option of extending your basement under the addition. However, doing so tends to cost quite a lot, as builders have to bring large digging equipment to dig the foundation, and then use a lot of concrete to create the foundation. If you don't particularly need the basement space, then you should instead just have the addition put on a concrete slab foundation. These are easier to build and require fewer materials, which makes them cheaper.
Opt for contractor-grade finishes.
So much of the cost of a home addition comes from the finishes, such as the paint, the flooring, and the cabinets. So, choosing the cheaper options for these features can really help keep the costs down. Most builders offer a set of finishes known as "contractor-grade" finishes. There's nothing wrong with them; they're just not quite as high-end as the luxury options. If you want to upgrade them later on, you can —but you can choose to upgrade one finish at a time as you're able to afford it.
Choose a single-slope roof design.
It's amazing how much roof design can impact the cost of a home addition. A particularly complicated roof can cost three or four times as much as a roof with a single slope! Adding an addition to your home already adds to the home's complexity, so designing it with a complex roof isn't typically necessary. Stick with an affordable, single-slope roof.
Put plumbing on the inside wall.
If you need plumbing in the home addition, make sure the plumbing is placed on the inside wall — the wall the addition shares with the main home. This way, the plumber won't have to run as much pipe, which will allow you to save on time and labor. It will also make designing the rest of the home addition much easier.
Home additions can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but if you need to keep costs down, doing so is totally possible. For more information about home additions, contact a local contractor.
