where/ how do i begin. i want a second level on my ranch.

[jadejazzkayla]

i have a 900 sf 2 bedroom 1 bath lakefront home in connecticut. i would like a master suite and another bedroom upstairs. my budget is about 20k.

where is my money best spend here at the beginning stage? i think i need someone to design it. how much would it cost to have someone design this for me and how do i find this person? my husband thinks we could design it ourselves.

[JWmHarmon]

Building a second floor onto a one story house is possible (usually).

You will need to consider a number of things before trying to do this yourself.

1. Do local building codes allow it to be built; do they allow you to do the work yourself?

2. Is the current foundation adequate to support a second floor?

3. Is the current wall structure adequate to support a second floor?

4. Are you qualified to do the necessary construction, plumbing, electrical heating/ventilating/airconditioning, and roofing work? Or would you act as contractor and hire subcontractors to do the actual work?

5. Are you prepared to do the necessary demolition and have the roof removed before beginning construction of the second floor?

6. Are you prepared for the unexpected expenses that often arise when undertaking such a project?

7. Are you prepared for construction delays that seem to last for weeks, if not months?

8. How will the addition add to or detract from the current views from your property? Will it affect your neighbors' views?

9. I am sure others in this forum will have other considerations.

10. Have you considered other options? Could you build on the same first floor level? Would it be better to sell the place you have and buy another more suitable place?

11. If you plan on doing the design work and construction work yourself, do you have one or more qualified professionals whom you can consult when needed?

Undertaking such a project can be quite rewarding, but can also be quite frustrating.

Be sure to follow an approved building code such as the International Residential Code 2006 if there is no local building code. Note that local building codes often are more stringent.

[jadejazzkayla]

thanks for your reply JM.
we will be hiring a contractor to do the construction.

my question was refering to the design of the addition. my husband thinks we could design it ourselves. i think we should hire someone but i can't find information on how to go about doing this.

[Married To The Job]

Taking into consideration what your husband thinks, you may want to check with your local building department to see if he is right. Some jurisdictions require drawings signed/sealed by an architect or engineer. So call the department (better yet, stop by) and pick up a packet of information of what is required for a project permit. It's never too early to start figuring out how much money and time and expertise you'll need to plan the project.

Let us know what the building department says.

[jadejazzkayla]

we have the packet of information from the town which we picked up a few months ago. we are allowed to draw our own plans.

my question is where is my money best spent at this stage. should we draw our own plans or hire someone? if we were to hire someone, how much would this cost?

[springtime]

jadejazzkayla,
Can you post the existing floor plan an elevations so we can see how easy or complicated is going to be the addition?

Did you visit the Garden Web forums? They can be very helpful there, go to the building a home forum (very good) or the remodeling forum.

Here you can also get a lot of help but I notice that some persons get very complicated to give advise and I do no mean this as something bad, actually they do this because they are very professionals.


To answer your specific question,
Hiring a licenced architect is up to you and it is better if the architect is local so he /she is familiar with local codes. You can go to the AIA web page and find a licenced architect in your area. You can talk to an architect in your area to have a closer idea on how much it will be for the design. considering the size of the house and the addition, it is my guess that you will pay about $3,000/4000 for something very basic.
Your other options are: you do the preliminary work and then go to a house designer or to a cad drafter and they will charge you about 1,000.
I need to say that prices vary from state to state.
An option that you have, is going to a lumber company. Some lumber companies offer to draw your plans for free if you buy the materials from them.
You can also talk to local contractors (ask for references) that have done similar works. Some of them could help you with the design.

Where to put the money:
Provided that your first floor can support the second floor, and the current walls are sound, put your money on the best insulation and windows. Also, talk to the ventilating contractor to see if you need another unit for the second floor.

I suggest to give it a try and start putting together the plan so when you go to the person that is going to do the final plans you have a good idea of what you want. Do you have existing plans? you need to start there.