If your needs have changed and you need more space at home, you might not want to move. Whether you love your location or have certain features about your home you don’t want to give up, building a home addition is an ideal solution.
Calgary home additions are a lot of work, yet the benefits of building an addition far outweigh the challenges. With a home addition, you get the best of both worlds: a larger, newly renovated home you love in the same location you love to live in! On top of this, a home addition provides increased functionality and home value.
Kay2 Contracting is listed as one of the best home addition contracting companies in Calgary. With our help and expertise, we can design and build a home addition for you that exceeds your expectations while remaining within budget. This article will share information to help you understand more about costs and planning for a home addition.
Set your objectives
Before you envision your dream addition or outline a budget, you want to clarify your goals. Begin by focusing on precisely what you want from your home addition. Ask yourself, how exactly do you plan to use this new space? Do you need a new bedroom for guests or a baby? Would you like to add a second story to your home? Some homeowners plan a home addition to add more space to their kitchen or to have a sunroom. How do you need this additional space to function?
And then, depending on the goal of your home addition, the next question becomes, can your home structurally support the addition? You’ll want to discuss your ideas with a trusted contractor to discover the best home addition plans for your home.
Beyond your personal goals, considering resale value is a wise idea when planning Calgary home additions. While you may have no plans to sell your home, plans can change — and if they do, you want to be prepared. That’s why it’s essential to discuss resale value with your contractor and design an addition you will love and attract potential buyers later.
Determine your costs
You should consider several factors when setting a budget for your home addition. In many cases, costs are flexible. However, this isn’t always so. For example, your contractor may find some surprises if your home is older. Things like asbestos, lead pipes, and poly-b plumbing will need to be repaired or replaced. Unfortunately, there is no workaround for the costs incurred here.
Next, much of what will determine the cost of your home addition is size. A larger addition is more costly because it requires more labour and materials. Other costs to consider with a home addition would be building permits, appraisals, and architect fees. Also, in many cases, you may need to relocate while your contractor renovates. These are all costs to consider.
Some of the more flexible costs you can discuss with the best home addition contracting companies in Calgary include fixtures and finishings. Your choices for flooring materials, sinks, toilets and lighting affect cost. New plumbing and the quality of materials used here will also determine the budget.
Adding features such as custom cabinets and luxury countertops will cost more than building a pantry or a breakfast nook when extending your kitchen. Regardless of these choices, other costs, like exterior finishes, will also come into play. These exterior components add to the budget, from new siding or stucco to shingles for a roof.
Examples of Home Additions
Below is a list of the most common home additions homeowners choose from. The type of addition you choose will influence the construction cost and time required.
Second level addition
One of the most significant home additions you can do is add a second story to the home. While this is true, not all homes can support a second-floor addition. When you contact Kay2 Contracting, they will assess your home and determine if it is structurally possible to add a second floor.
In addition, they will also do the necessary research to find out if your neighborhood will allow for this type of home addition. If it’s possible to add a second level to your home, you can choose what you’d like to use it for. For example, it could be additional bedrooms, another family room, a home office, another bathroom or a combination of these things.
Bump-out addition or extension
An extension is an excellent option for homeowners who want to add more space to their home and increase functionality. With a bump-out, you’re adding additional space to an area of your existing home. For example, you could add a bathroom on your home’s first floor. You might want to extend your kitchen or perhaps your dining area.
However, you must have the space on your property for a bump-out addition. Moreover, your contractor must check with zoning bylaws and code to ensure the extension doesn’t interfere with property lines, utilities, etc.
Room addition and sunroom
Adding a single room to your house is popular and less involved than other additions. Common single-room additions include a mudroom, home office space, bathroom or bedroom. As for a sunroom, in this case, your contractor will build a room to act as a bridge between the outdoors and the inside.
Sunrooms can also be a less expensive option, especially if you’re building a three-season room. With floor-to-ceiling windows and easy access to your outdoor space, your sunroom will offer copious amounts of natural light and added functional use.
Cost breakdown
So, how much does a home addition cost? As mentioned above, it’s important to remember that costs can vary greatly depending on the type of home addition and the materials you are using. For the best and most accurate estimate, contact a contractor to review your specific needs, property and situation.
Our pricing structure for home additions is not based on a fixed cost per square foot, as each project is unique and influenced by factors like design, engineering, and product selections. However, we estimate our budgets by referencing similar projects completed within the past two years.
For instance, a straightforward mudroom addition on the main floor typically falls within the range of $50,000 to $100,000.
When considering main floor additions above ground, the cost varies depending on the project scope. For example, if we’re adding bedrooms without major plumbing or bathroom relocation, the cost is generally lower, averaging between $100,000 to $200,000 or more.
For main floor additions that involve extending the foundation into the basement, the cost typically falls within the range of $150,000 to $300,000.
When it comes to second-story additions, they are more complex because they often require alterations to the existing structure, such as opening walls and ceilings on the main floor. Consequently, the cost for second-story additions generally ranges from $250,000 to $350,000 and may exceed this range depending on the specific project requirements.
It’s important to note that these are estimates based on past projects, and the actual cost of your home addition will depend on various factors unique to your project.
The benefits of working with Kay2 Contracting
A home addition can go from stressful and expensive to valuable and beneficial with the right contractor. Kay2 Contracting will provide outstanding service from the initial consultation stage to completing your home addition. As a result, you’ll feel supported and confident throughout the process.
To begin, Kay2 Contracting will take the time to learn about your needs, wants and goals. Next, our highly trained professionals will debrief before providing you with a detailed estimate. Once you receive your estimate, we will offer suggestions to ensure your home addition is cost-effective while aligning with your vision.
During the design phase, Kay2 Contracting will review the finer details of building your new space. Then, you can envision what your addition will look like when it’s complete. Through the entire building phase of the project, you will feel at ease knowing Kay2 Contracting has gone the extra mile during the planning process. From there, all you’ll have left to do is wait to be blown away by the results.
If you’re considering a home addition, contact Kay2 Contracting today!
