Adding a second story to your home can be a fantastic way to open up the living space available when adding an extension is not possible. Some areas and neighborhoods may have restrictions on adding on to your home, and on how far your home must be from the property line separating your property from your neighbors. Sometimes adding onto the first floor may not be possible because there is not enough room on the property for an addition or extension. Many times upgrading to a bigger home by selling this one and buying another is not an option either, for several reasons, and the big one is cost. It is much better financially to add a second story than to buy another home, because the cost is usually much less. If you want to add a second story, check with your local city building inspector department first, before you do any planning or interviewing. This will allow you to find out exactly what restrictions and codes there are concerning your home and area, and how they will affect any second story addition plans. Be sure, to ask about any height restrictions, to ensure your second story is not too tall.
Once you know that you can legally add a second story, it is time to decide all the important things, such as how many rooms you want added on the new second floor, what those rooms will be used as, any plumbing and electrical that will be needed in the addition, and any other design aspects that should be considered. It may be a good idea, to figure out how many square feet you want, even just a rough estimate, so that you have this information available when you meet with contractors. There are some questions that should be answered as well, before any work is started. How is the foundation of your home? Adding a second story to your home can add a lot of weight and pressure on the foundation, and if the foundation is not in the best shape it may not be a good idea to add more weight until the foundation is strengthened. What about the existing exterior walls? Will they be able to support the weight load of another story? Will the heating and electrical systems have enough power to take care of the new story as well? Sometimes it may become necessary to upgrade the heating, plumbing, and electrical systems to handle all the extra space added by the new second story. Another option is to add new systems to cover the second floor, while the existing systems can be used for the older areas of your home.
Adding a second story to your home can mean some aggravation and hassle as well. These remodeling projects are not simple one day jobs, they can take weeks or even longer, and this can be very irritating if you are trying to live in the home while the addition is being added. The best advice is to vacate your home while the second story is being added, and stay somewhere else for the duration of the project. When a second floor is added, this usually means removing the roof to add the new floor, and then either replacing the existing roof or having a new roof installed. Many homeowners will have a new roof put on during the process, for a steeper pitch and added storage room in the rafters of the roof. Replacing the old roof with a new roof does mean more cost for the project, but there are also some benefits as well. If you add a new roof to the project, you will not have to replace the roofing materials for years, and there should be no leaks or moisture problems because the new roof has no gaps, missing shingles, or areas where water can slide in under the roofing materials.
Adding a second story to your home is an excellent way to get the room and the designs that you want, without having to use the rest of your yard or property for the addition. For anyone who does not have enough space to branch out, branching up instead just makes sense. Once you have the second floor completed, you will be amazed at how much more spacious and livable your home will be. No matter what the reason is that you need more room in your home, a second story addition can give you this space without having to move to another house.
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