Eight Must-Knows When Adding an Addition to Your Home (Blog)

For many homeowners, they love their neighborhood and location, but they are growing out of their house. Consider adding on, because in many cases you can get exactly what you want without moving to a new home. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when thinking about an addition.

1. An addition will forever change the layout of the house, so keep the flow of the home in mind and how the addition will change the existing feel.
2. Create a thorough and detailed wish-list. You can always prioritize it once you consider all elements. This is a great way to find out what you really want out of your addition.
3. Legal Restrictions – be sure you are allowed to extend your structure and that it meets all ordinances, zoning restrictions, and rules.
4. Know your budget – don’t lose track of the cost. Know what you plan to put in and if that will add value to your home.
5. Materials – when adding on, try to match the existing exterior so your addition will look original. If a perfect match is not possible, choose material with the same tones and textures.
6. The details matter – a well designed addition will incorporate key architectural elements from shingles to gutters to windows to trim.
7. Remember the landscaping –include these elements in your overall plan to ensure proper flow from indoors to outdoors.
8. Plan for some chaos – depending on the size of the addition remember that your home will not be back to normal for quite some time.

A general contractor or remodeling firm can handle most of these details for you and has the knowledge and experience that is necessary. It is highly recommended that you review testimonials and ask for references from your potential contractor. You may even want to interview up to 3 contractors or companies. You will want to have several meetings to discuss ideas, plans, budget and timing. 

Eric Minner of T & E Construction, Inc. in Ankeny has performed several home additions and shares, "You'll want to hire a contractor that has plenty of workers, experience and one that adheres to a strict schedule on your project. A remodel, as seen in these photos, involves a lot of noise and dust, it's unavoidable, but we work with the homeowner on what best fits their schedule for minimal hassle and stress on their end. You want a project like that to move seemlessly and efficiently, while also producing a gorgeous result."

Best wishes on your bigger home!