Thinking about building an addition onto your home? We at Los Angeles Home Remodeling can give you the benefit of our experience in making the decision, give you a free quote on the estimated costs of your planned addition, and complete every step of your room addition project, from beginning to end.
Our staff here at L.A. Home Remodeling is fully capable of building any part of a house, and the fact is, the same carpentry and other trades skills that go into building a room of a new house are needed to build an addition on an existing house.
We possess decades of combined experience relevant to constructing a new room onto your home, and we have completed numerous room addition/expansion projects in the L.A. Area that have left our clients 100% satisfied. (Check out our Yelp and other online reviews, and you will find they are overwhelmingly positive.)
To speak with Los Angeles Home Remodeling about your upcoming room addition project, contact us today by calling 424-369-4765.
Why Add a New Room to Your Home?
There are a number of reasons why homeowners decide to add a new room to their house or to expand an existing room further out into their lot. First of all, it may be that you have a growing family and simply need another bedroom and/or bathroom.
But it is also common for new additions to be added for a son or daughter to live in just after graduating from college, or for an elderly parent to live in to be near family who can care for them or watch over their safety.
But sometimes, the new room will be a family room or game room or some other room that does not involve a new individual taking up residence with you.
Finally, we should mention that a room addition, if done right, can add significant value to your home, increasing how much you could sell it for and maybe even making it sell faster.
Room Addition or Renovation of Existing Space?
Short of moving to a new home, a room addition is often the most expensive route to go; but it may well be the only way to get the extra space you need.
However, you should first take time to consider if there are any other possible ways of achieving your goals before making a final decision on the room addition. For example, knocking out or moving a wall, or putting a new wall in, might be a viable solution in some situations.
Or, you might be able to renovate, finish, and utilized unused space like your attic, your basement, or some part of your garage. You might even be able to convert a seldom used guest bedroom into the room you are looking for.
Should I Build Out or Up?
It's true that ground level add ons are much more common than upper story additions, but a big part of the reason for that is that many homes have only one story to begin with. Plus, there are certain rooms, like a kitchen or bathroom, that are much easier and less expensive to build on ground level.
For bedrooms and many other room additions, a second-story addition is a very real possibility. The cost of building up versus out and the convenience of each as to use of the room, will vary greatly based upon the layout of your existing building and your specific needs.
Building Out
The process of a ground level addition begins with a backhoe digging out a "room-shaped" hole as deep as your foundation is. This is because your foundation must be extended as well to give a strong base upon which to build your new room.
But note that if your addition is fairly small, you can do a "bump out" style addition that needs not foundation extension, which would save considerably on costs (though limiting added space.)
The new room will then be framed and attached to your existing house, but the old exterior wall will not be removed immediately. It's best to finish as much of the new room as possible before breaking down the old wall (or putting a door in it to transform it into an interior wall). This method prevents your home from being exposed to the weather during the whole process.
Building Up
When you add a new upper story room or add a whole new upper story, you avoid using up space from your lot. You also avoid any need to expand your foundation, but you may well need to strengthen it at points and to bolster any walls on the lower story that will bear the weight of the upper level room.
Additionally, the ceiling under the new room may have to be torn up a bit during the construction phase, to strengthen walls and to bring in wiring/piping.
Plus, you have to allot some lower story space for a new staircase if you are adding a new upper story.
Which do I choose?
Building out is probably best in most situations, but there are times when building up makes sense too.
Zoning may come into play since there are limits on how high you can build (but seldom is that a problem), on how far your house needs to be from the front, back, and sides of your property lines, and on what percentage of your lot can legally be covered by either house or pavement.
It is even possible that proximity to wetlands could become an issue when building out, though that is fairly rare.
In the end, there are multiple factors you have to take into consideration and balance in making the final decision. Los Angeles Home Remodeling is experienced at both vertical and horizontal room addition projects, and we can also give you the benefit of our experience in deciding which way to build.
Planning Out Your Room Addition Project
Once you've decided to go ahead with the addition and on whether you will build out or up, the next step is to plan out your room addition in detail. The exact dimensions and location of the room, the route all in-wall or under-floor plumbing and wiring will take, the type of flooring you will have installed, the type and location of all doors/windows, and many other decisions will have to made and mapped out.
We can form a professional blueprint of your new addition. We can also show you a computerized preview of your new room or even build you a small 3D model to give you a clear picture of what the finished product will look like.
Based on the more detailed plan, we can give you a more detailed estimate than the initial one. We can work with you during the planning phase to reduce projected costs while maintaining high quality.
We will be careful to integrate your new room into the style of your existing building. We will work to match new/old roof lines, match old siding or exterior paint or stucco, and see that HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other home systems are seamlessly extended into the new space. We can fit your new room into the "spirit" of your existing home both as to exterior and interior design.
We will ensure that your plans are in full accord with all zoning laws and visit your local zoning board to show them the blueprint if necessary. We can obtain all necessary permits for the project and build you a new room that is fully "up to code."
We will also be sure to check for any underground utilities and to verify your exact property lines before digging or building anything.
Finally, we will help you select the best materials that will ensure your job is done at a high quality level but is still kept affordable. We can use whatever materials you instruct us to, or we can give you a list of options and explain to you the major strengths of each one.
How Much Will My Room Addition Cost?
There is no denying that, short of buying a new home, room additions are the most expensive of all home renovation projects.
On average, additions cost around $40,000, but that number is not very helpful since it doesn't take into account what precisely is being added on. Costs often vary between around $15,000 and $150,000, depending on the nature of the project.
The total investment will vary based on numerous factors, including these:
- The size of the addition. More space obviously means more material and, thus, higher costs.
- The location of the addition (upper or lower story, a part of the house near/far from pipes/wiring, etc.)
- The slope of the land. A room addition on sloping land adds extra complications and will cost a bit more.
- How many "bells and whistles" you include. Clearly, an upscale, fully decked-out and up to date addition will cost more than a simple, but fully functional one.
- Where you live. Some parts of the country will simply have higher construction costs than others. Materials may costs more, taxes, permits, and fees may be higher, and the like. We can do your project at highly competitive rates for the L.A. Area.
While a room addition may not be cheap, its costs can be kept as low as possible without sacrificing quality. And it will add much value to your home and solve your "space deficiency problems." Thus, the cost can truly pay off in the long run and be worth it.
Why Choose Los Angeles Home Remodeling for Your Room Addition Project?
At L.A. Home Remodeling, we never take a customer for granted. We realize you have many options in the L.A. Area as to contractors, and we strive to "out-serve" out competition by fully meeting our customers' needs and expectations.
We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and have all the necessary training and experience to handle every aspect and part of your new room addition. You won't have to juggle multiple contractors and chase their schedules when you hire us, because we can do the whole project from start to finish. That greatly simplifies things for you, reducing stress and saving you time and money.
We will give you an upfront, honest estimate based on the information you give us of your room addition plans. A more detailed quote will require a visit to your home and more detailed information about the room to be built and the materials to be used. However, you can be confident the estimate will be within 10% or closer of the actual almost always.
We never high-pressure you into making a decision. We listen to your plan and simply offer you the benefit of our expertise. We help you make informed decisions that you won't regret, and our goal is to help you meet your goals as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Our workers will get started on your room addition as soon as possible and will demonstrate a high work ethic. We will do everything possible to minimize any disruption to your daily life during the project. And we will ensure that safety is always put first and that the job site (your home) is left clean at day's and project's end.
Contact Us Today to Discuss Your Room Addition and Get Started!
Call Los Angeles Home Remodeling today at 424-369-4765, and we will be happy to assist you with every stage and step involved in completing your planned room addition project.
We can give you a free, no-obligation estimate and discuss with you the details of your addition. We know how to build your addition from beginning to end and will ensure that all work is done in accordance with the highest safety standards. We will work with you to make your plans come to fruition and to ensure everything is up to code and has all needful permits.
If you would like an in person meeting, feel free to stop by the L.A. Home Remodeling office location at 1554 S. San Vicente Blvd. Suite 160-C, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
