Two-Story
Addition
A two story addition is a good way to expand the living space of your home --
and increase its value. Depending on your family's needs, it can be used for a
family room, in-law apartment, home fitness area, bedrooms, or a combination of
these. Remember that a full bathroom will always be an important part of this
addition, especially at resale time. |
Cost vs Value
Click here to get
the average Job cost,
Resale value and Cost recouped in a metropolitan area. |
Design Tips:
| Layout |
When creating the floor plan, try to
incorporate your house's existing heating and cooling, plumbing, and structural
systems. You can save a lot of time and money if you avoid having to move these
systems.
Big windows, cathedral ceilings, and a fireplace will add to the resale value
of any addition. Connect the interior with the outdoors -- and make the room
feel larger -- with sliding or French doors.
The key to keeping a two-story addition from looking like an "add-on"
is to match it carefully to the house, including all interior and exterior trim
details, roof slopes, dormers, and the type, style, and spacing of windows.
To make the addition look even better, step back one or more of the
second-floor exterior walls from the first floor. |
| Insulation |
Insulation will make your new rooms quieter
and more comfortable. |
| Flooring |
When selecting flooring for the second story
of your addition, think about how the rooms below will be used. Above bedrooms,
for example, carpeting is better than hardwood because it buffers the sound of
footsteps. |
| Lighting |
Upstairs and down, the more natural light you
can bring into the rooms, the bigger and more comfortable they'll feel.
Recessed and track lighting will brighten the room without the clutter of lamps
and overhead fixtures. |
| Details |
In selecting design elements, remember that
the more traditional the style, the better it will hold up over time. Of
course, traditional doesn't have to mean ordinary. Use colors and materials
that fit the personality of the house - and your own personality. |
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