Step-by-step instructions for building a house addition.

Instructions Building House Addition.

If you are thinking about building your own house and need step-by-step instructions for building a house addition, we will give you instructions step by step here. 

A house addition is the only home improvement project that creates as much space, costs as much, and takes as long as it does. However, an extension tends to be the most popular house alteration since most people want more space and adding on allows them to stay in their current home rather than acquiring a larger one.

Most homeowners hire a remodeling contractor or builder to complete an addition, but that doesn't mean the owners are completely hands-off. Homeowners, on the other hand, must be involved at every step of the process in order to make informed decisions and ensure that the work meets their requirements. When designing a home addition, it may be beneficial to think of the project as a huge step-by-step undertaking.

Specific building materials and tools required for each project vary, but in general, home expansions require the majority (if not all) of the same material groups as a new house.


What You'll Need to Build a House Addition

Materials

  • Foundation materials
  • Framing lumber
  • Floor, wall, and roof sheathing
  • Fasteners
  • Plumbing materials and fixtures
  • Electrical materials and equipment
  • HVAC system components
  • Windows and doors
  • Interior floor, wall, and ceiling finishes
  • Cabinets or other built-ins
  • Exterior siding and trim
  • Roofing and gutters
  • Paint and other finish materials

Instructions Building House Addition.


1. Set the Budget and Scope

Recognize the extent of your project. A home addition, like a house, requires planning, budgeting, permits, contractors and subcontractors, and building from the ground up. It is important to be prepared for the work and to be open and honest about your financial situation. While some claim to have paid $50,000 to $75,000 for a full-scale, multi-room house expansion, a more realistic number is likely to be in the low six figures.


2. Raise Funds

The majority of homeowners cannot afford to pay for full house additions in cash. As a result, a loan or credit line is necessary. Depending on the amount of equity (or value) in their houses, this frequently includes obtaining a home equity loan, second mortgage, or line of credit.


3. Choose a General Contractor

Everything depends on selecting a trustworthy contractor with whom you can work. Obtain real, gut-feeling recommendations from neighbors, acquaintances, or family members. If they are unable to propose a contractor, overcome your fear and knock on the doors of freshly constructed homes.

The importance of the contractor cannot be emphasized. This work is too huge for you to contract out on your own unless you have professional experience and plenty of time. The initial meeting defines the scope of the project, the contractor's timeline, general design issues, and cost-cutting strategies.

You should be aware that you have the right to query the contractor about cost-cutting measures at any time during the construction process. After all, this is your money, and it's a good chunk of it. The contractor will be paid a percentage of the overall cost. A general contractor, for example, may charge 10% to 20% of the cost of a $100,000 addition, resulting in a total cost of $110,000 to $120,000.


4. Work With an Architect

While some contractors may design an addition or work from stock designs, hiring an architect is typically preferred. Using an architect recommended by the contractor offers several advantages. With this arrangement, you have two parties who are used to working together. However, if you're considering this arrangement, you should do the same due diligence that you would if you were employing an architect who wasn't related to the contractor.


5. Obtaining Permits and Site Preparation

Your contractor will apply for permits and must post the approved permits in a prominent position on your property. A worker will arrive to install a temporary toilet and maybe build a sign stating which company is doing the repair. In order to prepare the site, anything else than flat, naked ground will have to be demolished, removed, and graded. Obstructions, such as trees, will be removed (if permitted by your community). Fences will be removed temporarily to allow heavy equipment access to the site.


6. Build the Foundation

The addition will have a full-scale foundation, much like a new house. Depending on the plans, the crew will begin by pouring a concrete slab or digging for a crawlspace or basement, followed by pouring concrete footers and foundation walls.


7. Frame the Structure

As soon as the foundation concrete hardens, the floors, walls, and roof are framed. When you get home from work one day, your addition has two, three, or even four walls up. The framing—the basic framework of the house—is constructed quickly. In certain cases, the framework is even created off-site. You may believe that the project is only a few days away from completion, but you still have a long road ahead of you.


8. Add the Sheathing and Roofing

To protect any following building, wall sheathing and roofing are necessary. Wall sheathing panels, typically OSB, are installed quickly and frequently have the exterior of the panels covered with house wrap. The project appears to be moving fast now that the roofing has been completed.


9. Install Windows and Doors

Replacement windows and doors have been installed. They, like the roof and outside walls, help to further seal the structure and make it weathertight for future construction. The building is considered to be "dried-in" after this phase, which implies the inside is protected from the elements.


10. Rough-In the Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC

Electrical, plumbing, and heating/cooling services are "roughed-in," which means that elements such as pipes, wiring, and ductwork are placed behind the scenes. When electricians, plumbers, and HVAC specialists come, the job may appear to slow down, despite the fact that these trades often work rapidly. The actual roadblocks are generally associated with the requirement to wait for city inspectors to evaluate and authorize the work.


11. Add Insulation and Drywall

With the addition of insulation and drywall, the project is beginning to resemble a real structure. Insulation comes in a variety of forms, ranging from traditional fiberglass batts to sprayed foam and blown-in cellulose. Hanging the sheets, "mudding" the seams with wet drywall compound, letting the compound to dry, and lastly sanding the seams are all part of the drywall installation process.


12. Finish the Interior

The ceilings and walls have been painted, and the flooring and cabinetry have been fitted. The flooring can be put before or after the paint has been applied. Typically, it is a coin flip as to which technique is more effective (in terms of cleaning), therefore this is frequently decided by scheduling. Painting contractors are trained to paint in a neat and orderly manner once the final flooring has been installed. Carpenters are hired to undertake detailed trim work like baseboards, window trim, crown molding, and so on. The doors have been installed.


13. Make the Final Connections

Plumbers, electricians, and HVAC professionals install fixtures and equipment and connect final service lines. However, some of these work, such as establishing the building's heat and water supply, may be finished before the interior is.


14. Complete the Punch List

A punch list is a list of all the jobs that still need to be done. Many of them are last-minute additions that had to wait for other projects or were simply ignored during the process. Both the contractor and the homeowners typically create their own checklists, which are then merged to form a master checklist.


Now you read all the instructions building house addition written by us.  But if you still have a question, don't hesitate to contact us.

About the Author

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Learn more about Your Project Now. Start Now!

>