Question:
>Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel >for home much people are spending on their house additions.
Here in the upper midwest U.S., I’ve recently received quotes between $110-135/sq. ft. for a ground-level addition (new foundation, etc.), and $70-90 for a new second story addition on top of an existing first floor. These are prices from established builders/remodelers, as opposed to the "kitchen-table" builders, who I’d expect to be a little less costly. If you’re experienced at home construction/improvements, you can save money by having the pros rough-in what you want, and you finish the rest. Costs for this approach ran about half of new addition/construction (i.e., $40-60/s.f.). Right now, in this market, it’s very tough for the average homeowner to get subs out to quote or work on a project, so this makes it tougher to be your own general contractor. I guess you gotta put up with a few headaches to save some bucks. >We were told to use as an estimate $325 per square foot for a custom >addition. This seems very high.
That sounds way too high — here in SE Michigan, standard-grade new construction runs about $95-105/s.f. Premium-grade new construction was running as high as $150/s.f. Cost of adding on seems to be slightly more expensive than building new. I would have thought that adding on would be cheaper (at least a *little*), since I already own the land. The builders say that adding on costs more because they must work around and tie into the existing structure. ** Dan Parks "Not an official Ford spokesman."
Response:
> Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel > for home much people are spending on their house > additions. The shows on HGTV where they add whole > floors are interesting, but they never say how > much it costs! We were told to use as an estimate > $325 per square foot for a custom addition. This > seems very high.
Before deciding to move we were considering upgrading our current house with an addition and were to told to think in terms of $300/ft^2. > At that price it’s hard to imagine > how any larger addition of 500 square foot or more could > be added. So, are people really spending that much > when they add on to their house?
Sure, but they don’t always make it back when they sell it. If you’re in a neighborhood with $200K houses and you add a 500 ft^2 addition you would need to sell the house for $350K to make back your investment. Hard to do in a neighborhood with those comps. On the other hand, if the addition brings it up to par with the rest of the neighborhood then yes, it does make sense. —peter
Response:
> Peter, > Before deciding to move we were considering upgrading > our current house with an addition and were to told > to think in terms of $300/ft^2. > Just curious, did a realtor tell you that?
No, there’s a local company here, a group of architects and builders, that specializes in additions and renovations. I suspect that the lower quotes the other people are getting is just for the labor and materials, but not including the design work. —peter
Response:
Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel for home much people are spending on their house additions. The shows on HGTV where they add whole floors are interesting, but they never say how much it costs! We were told to use as an estimate $325 per square foot for a custom addition. This seems very high. At that price it’s hard to imagine how any larger addition of 500 square foot or more could be added. So, are people really spending that much when they add on to their house? thanx Desperate measures require the invention of desperate times. — Todd Hoff
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel > for home much people are spending on their house > additions. The shows on HGTV where they add whole > floors are interesting, but they never say how > much it costs! We were told to use as an estimate > $325 per square foot for a custom addition. This > seems very high. At that price it’s hard to imagine > how any larger addition of 500 square foot or more could > be added. So, are people really spending that much > when they add on to their house? > thanx > Desperate measures require the invention of desperate times. > — Todd Hoff
Hi, I’ve been hearing (in MASS) that anywhere from $60-90 a square foot is common. It is also cheaper to build up (add a second floor) then out because if you build out you need to add foundation. -julie
Response:
Todd, New construction [complete new home] goes for $100 per square foot in many areas of the country. I find it hard to believe that adding on to an existing costs 3X more than that, unless you are in a historic district. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel > for home much people are spending on their house > additions. The shows on HGTV where they add whole > floors are interesting, but they never say how > much it costs! We were told to use as an estimate > $325 per square foot for a custom addition. This > seems very high. At that price it’s hard to imagine > how any larger addition of 500 square foot or more could > be added. So, are people really spending that much > when they add on to their house? > thanx > Desperate measures require the invention of desperate times. > — Todd Hoff
Response:
In Western Wisconsin it’s $90-$125 per square foot. We’re doing a 600 square foot addition with vaulted ceiling, maple floors, gas fireplace (family room, small guest room and small bathroom). It’s going to cost approx. 60K. I’m told it’s more expensive if you require lots of modification to the existing structure (i.e. remodel is more expensive than new construction). > Of course, it depends, but i’m trying to get a feel > for home much people are spending on their house > additions. The shows on HGTV where they add whole > floors are interesting, but they never say how > much it costs! We were told to use as an estimate > $325 per square foot for a custom addition. This > seems very high. At that price it’s hard to imagine > how any larger addition of 500 square foot or more could > be added. So, are people really spending that much > when they add on to their house?
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