How to Expand a House

You realize you have outgrown your house but you do not want to buy another. You do have an alternative. Expand your present house by putting on an addition or adding space to the house in any one or all of the following ways.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide how many more rooms you need. Also decide what these rooms will be, such as extra bedrooms, a bath, a den or something else. Expand your house upwards, downwards or outwards.
2. Familiarize yourself with the zoning restrictions and local ordinances where you live before beginning your addition. Retain any permits necessary to expand your house by calling your local City Hall and inquiring about permits.
3. Consider the budget for doing this expansion. Create the dollar amount you can afford and then check out prices to do-it-yourself or hire a general contractor.
4. Add onto your attic if you have one. Or choose to expand your already existing basement or add a basement as an addition to your house.
5. Close in your carport or screen room to expand your house. Expand your house with another wing if your house lot is large enough. Be sure to check your deed restrictions first.
6. Compare the cost of doing this project yourself or hiring a contractor to do it for you. Home Depot and other home supply stores have all the materials you will need as well as do-it-yourself instructions. Do-it-yourself will cost less but of course, you have to do the work.
7. Call local general or remodeling contractors in your area and obtain quotes for adding this addition to your house. They will send a representative to your house, who will quote the cost to expand your house and also give you a time line for getting the job done.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask local contractors for their license number and references before hiring them. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau.
• Expanding your house is a very large project to undertake. Make sure you can complete this if you decide to do-it-yourself. The cost to hire a contractor to finish what you started may be more than the cost to hire a contractor from start to finish.

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