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Addition Q&A Session
Things to Consider Before You Start
What is the lifestyle of those living with in the residence?
Depending at what stage you are at in your life, you may decide that staircases are above and beyond what you or one of your family members can handle. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, sometimes second story additions are not practical for people with limited mobility.
Which is more cost effective, a main floor addition or second story addition?
In general, during new construction when you are building from the ground up, second story space is more attractive cost-wise simply due to the fact that the footprint of the house on your lot is smaller than that of a bungalow with the same square footage. Because of the smaller footprint of the building, you have a smaller foundation and roof area, and so therefore less cost in those areas. It may be less for heating and cooling costs as well, simply because of the smaller attic areas of a two-story house.
However, in order to add a second story to a bungalow, one must remove the existing roof before you can add the second story. This adds demolition costs as well as a reconfiguration of the main floor for the new staircase. Another factor when adding a second story is that it exposes your home and its contents to the elements until the building is closed in with another roof system.
Is building a main floor addition safer?
This depends on the size of the addition and how it impacts the main structure. If you were adding an addition across the entire back of the building or a large portion of the back, you would probably want the ceilings to flow fairly seamlessly with the existing structure. This means using a truss system that will support the ends of the existing building without an end wall. This would again require the building and contents to once again be exposed to the elements, but not to the same extent as removing the entire roof.
Should we continue to live in the building while it’s under construction?
The size of the renovation and the impact that it will have on your living and sleeping quarters will ultimately dictate whether or not you can continue to live there through the construction process. If there are structural changes or if insulation or drywall is used, it would be sensible to move to a safer environment. The other factor of living in a building while it is under construction is that you will sacrifice private time with your family.
Should I contact my insurance company?
Absolutely. You should make them aware of the project that you are doing. Also ask if it will require any further coverage. You should also make sure that the contractor you are hiring is insured for general liability and workmen’s compensation.
Do I require a building permit?
This depends on the size of your renovation project. If it is mostly cosmetic, the answer is probably no. If you are making structural changes to the existing building or adding to it, you will definitely need a building and development permit. There may also be a requirement of permits for electrical, plumbing, and gas fitting. If there is any doubt, check with the local building authority and they will be able to tell you what is required. If you are using financing, there may be a requirement for the financial institution to do inspections at different stages of completion to advance monies for the work that has been done.
Should I have blueprints made?
Depending again on the size of the project and who is actually going to do the work will determine if blueprints are required. If you are hiring a contractor, no matter what the size of the project, you should provide a sketch for that person to follow or they should produce one for you if it’s a small project. If you are planning an addition or structural change to the existing building, you will have to provide the municipality with copies of the drawings of work to be done. This in turn will get you a building and development permit, which you will need before you can start building.
Is there anything that the homeowner can do before, during, or after to make the procedure run more quickly and smoothly?
I think that the planning process is the most important part of the construction process for the homeowner. The homeowner should make a list of all the wants and desires each individual has within the house. After this consultation process, the homeowner will have to make hard choices about what they can afford and what isn’t within their budget. Once a plan is developed, stick to it. This will help ensure that progress is made in a timely fashion. If you delay decision making to the last minute, your project will be delayed as well. If this happens, then there will be times when there is no activity on your project and it will create an eventual domino effect of scheduling delays. Choose your contractor wisely. Talk to past customers and see past projects. Ask about the contractor’s performance. Was the project on time and on budget? Or were there any difficulties, and if so, how did the contractor resolve those? For more information on choosing a contractor, visit our How to Choose an Edmonton Renovation Expert page.
There will always be issues that arise during the course of construction. The best way to handle these is to calmly discuss with the contractor how these things can be resolved. Most contractors will go a long way to satisfy their customer’s needs, since a satisfied customer is a good source of repeat business and referrals.