About Home Additions

Significance

• Home additions have proven to be a cost-effective way of increasing home value and buyer interest. Although the addition of a new room requires careful planning, considerable financial output and paperwork, the benefits of increased living space and improved resale value are generally worth the time and expense. Home additions are also an excellent way to breathe life into an outdated or boring floor plan.

Types

• Home additions are any structural addition to a house, whether pre-built, custom designed or a modification to an existing room or structure. Most often, home additions are rooms built onto an existing house to increase living space. Pre-built home additions are available, and most typically are used as sunrooms or seating areas when added to family areas or bedrooms. Home additions may also come in the form of passageways used to connect one structure to another, such as the connection of a main house to a freestanding garage or guest home.

Features

• Home additions are generally built to match the existing appearance and framework of the home. Whenever possible, the materials used to build the home addition are the same as, or similar to, those used to build the existing structure. Traditional home additions require a foundation, structural support and professional electrical and plumbing installation. Windows and doors should be uniform with those present in the rest of the home, and the outside of the home typically needs to be repainted to blend the new addition with the original structure.

Benefits

• Home additions offer a number of valuable benefits, whether they are used to increase space inside the home or to increase the resale value of a house before putting it on the market. The addition of an extra room or living space can increase a home's square footage, provide needed living or sleeping space, and create a custom feel to an otherwise cold or boring home. Financially, home additions are typically a wise investment, and most home additions increase the market value of a home in excess of the costs related to construction.

Considerations

• Before beginning construction on any home addition, it is imperative to check with local zoning and permit agencies to determine if any permits are required. In some areas, unauthorized construction is punishable by fines and will likely require the tearing down of any structures added without official permission and documentation. It is also important to hire only licensed plumbers and electricians when constructing a home addition, and to locate any underground wiring or septic tanks and drains before building begins.