How Much Does A Home Addition Cost?

Say you love your home, but you feel that it’s missing something. That something could be another room, a garage or even a whole second floor. Home additions like these can expand your living space and add value to your home. The big question, though, is how much will your home addition cost?

In truth, it depends on several factors like what kind of addition you hope to make. Bigger additions obviously come with higher price tags, and whether you do it yourself (DIY) with this project or hire a contractor could make a huge difference in the total cost.

In this article, we’ll lay out factors that may affect the cost and give estimates for the type of home addition you’re planning.

When it comes to the cost of a home addition, there are several factors to consider such as size of the project, type of addition, labor costs and features. The bigger and more complex that your addition is, the higher the overall cost. The typical range for the cost of a home addition is around $20,800 for a smaller addition and just over $72,500 for a larger addition. The national average for a home renovation is approximately $47,000.

Home Addition Cost Per Square Foot

For a better overall estimate on what your home addition may cost you, budget yourself based on the square footage of your addition. The size and scale of the addition can let you know what to expect when planning your budget.

The chart below provides home addition cost estimations based on a property’s square footage.

It’s important that you understand the scope of your home addition project, as this is what will have the largest impact on the overall cost of your home addition.

Keep the following variables in the back of your mind:

• Size of the addition: A big factor in the total cost of the project will be the square footage the addition will cover. Most home additions cost on average $80 to $200 per square foot. The larger the project, the higher the cost. For example, an average 20 x 20 square foot room would cost approximately $32,000 to $80,000.
• Site preparation: Before building anything, the building site must be prepared. This can include excavation, demolition or simply clearing the area, but depending on the work required you could be looking at a cost of $1,200 – $5,000.
• Location: Construction costs will vary from city to city and state to state, so the cost will depend on where you live. Larger urban cities tend to cost significantly more for the same project as one completed in other geographical areas. These costs are driven by your home’s market value and the cost of materials and labor in your area.
• Labor and permits: Because home additions are considered a major renovation, you’ll be required to obtain a building permit from your local officials. Before you can proceed with your construction, you’ll need to pay around $400 to $1,850 to obtain the necessary permits. More than likely you’ll also need to hire professionals for this major of a project. The labor costs of skilled professionals could cost around 30 – 50% of the total project cost.
• Materials: There are several different types of materials that will be required for your home addition. From wood to drywall to air ducts and much more, the costs for each of these will vary greatly. It’s important to consider current market prices for these materials before getting started.

Depending on the home addition that you’re completing there are a few features and material costs that you’ll need to factor into your build.

Roofing

Any additional room or enclosed structure added to your home will need a roof overhead. Your chosen roofing materials will add to the total cost of the addition, but you can expect to pay $80 – $100 per square foot for a roof installation. This doesn’t include the necessary support beams and trusses you’ll have to purchase as well.

Drywall Ceilings And Walls

Anything with a roof will have a ceiling and walls, and most projects will require drywall to cover electrical wiring and insulation. Installing drywall can cost $1 – $3 per square foot, and insulation will be around $2 per square foot.

Siding And Trim

It’s common for home additions to require siding and trim to ensure that there is a uniform look to the house. Vinyl siding costs on average $4 per square foot, and trim will cost around $2 – $5 per square foot.

Flooring

Your cost for flooring will depend largely on your chosen materials per the square footage, but you can expect to spend around $1,500 – $4,500 installing a new floor. If you’re planning to match this flooring with the rest of your house, you’ll be a little more limited in what you choose to spend.

Foundation

An addition like a garage or an extra room will require a new foundation, which can run around $4,000 – $12,000, depending again on materials and square footage.

Electrical And Plumbing

With most additions, you’ll need to factor in the cost of adding electrical work and plumbing into the new section of your home. The electrical work will cost you an electrician’s hourly rate, which is usually around $40 to $100 per hour and plumbing will be around $45 to $200 per hour. These professionals will help make sure that everything is up to code and ready to pass inspection as well.

HVAC

For any new spaces that require heating and cooling, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of new ductwork and vents for your HVAC system. This will cost you on average $1,150 to add heating and cooling systems into your new addition.

Fixtures And Appliances

A room needs fixtures like doors, windows and certain appliances, depending on its function.  Exterior doors will typically cost around $1,000 to install, and interior doors will likely be less expensive. The cost of installing windows can depend on various factors but on average, it will cost between $235 to $2,500 depending on the size and any customizations. Keep in mind any appliances you’ll want installed in the new space, as well as if you need to hire an electrician or plumber for those services.

It’s one thing to pay for all of the necessary materials and services for a home addition, but if you’re not the DIY type then you may want to hire professional help. Home additions require a considerable amount of skill and labor. While there are many smaller parts of the project you may be able to save money by completing by yourself, it’s likely that you’ll need to hire a professional for the more complex or specialized aspects of the job.

Labor costs can account for a high percentage of your total cost, so prepare to shell out for that professional touch.

Architect Fees

An architect can design and draw up the blueprints for your home addition, ensuring it will be functional and seamlessly match the rest of the house. This type of service comes with a flat fee of around $2,000 – $10,000.

Labor Costs

The cost you’ll pay in labor will depend on the scale of the addition and the materials requested, but labor costs typically account for 30 – 50% of your total bill. Make sure to verify that any contractor you use is licensed and insured, and check any references they may have. You wouldn’t want to spend so much on a shoddy job.

Cleanup

Home additions generate a significant amount of debris, excess materials and dirt. Your contractor will likely include time and labor in their estimate for the cleanup process. Post-construction cleanups typically cost around $550.

A home addition can add an entirely new room to your house and provide a slew of new possibilities. Read some of these common home additions and the typical costs for these add-ons.

Room Addition

• Kitchen: Most houses will already have a built-in kitchen, so this type of addition is more of an expansion. A minor kitchen remodeling can cost around $10,000 – $15,000, while a more upscale remodel can average out around $48,000 – $95,000. You should budget accordingly to ensure you can finance your kitchen remodel.
• Bathroom: This may come as a surprise, but a bathroom is one of the more expensive home additions you can make. Bathrooms require a large amount of plumbing to be installed in a small space, and flooring and fixtures cause the costs to add up quickly. The average bathroom addition costs around $20,000 – $90,000, as opposed to a less expensive bathroom remodel.
• Bedroom: An additional bedroom can cost an average of $100 – $155 per square foot after roofing, flooring, foundation and other fixtures. A smaller room, let’s say one that’s 12x12, could put you out $12,400 – $22,300 on average. A larger room, like one that’s 20x20, gets you into the $34,400 – $62,200 range.
• Laundry Room: Adding a laundry room to your house can provide you with a functional space to clean, organize and fold laundry. On average, this project will set you back around $5,000 – $7,000.
• Home Theater: Home theaters are a luxury room that many homeowners dream of having. If you’re considering adding this room to your home, consider the additional costs of soundproofing and specialty electrical work. On average, a home theater costs between $20,000 – $70,000.
• Sunroom: Sunrooms can be ideal for relaxation while having the perfect view of the outdoors. Homeowners typically spend around $100 – $350 per square foot just on materials. To save time on construction, some homeowners opt to buy prefab sunrooms for $300 – $400 per square foot, though you will still have to cover the costs for the foundation, roofing, flooring and electricity.
• Family Room: A functioning room for the whole family to enjoy will run around $86 – $200 per square foot, so a 500-square foot family room will cost homeowners around $43,000 – $104,000. This cost range covers the various installations, as well as the electrical and plumbing work.

Home Extension

• Bump-out: A bump-out extends the space of an existing room within your home. The cost of this project depends largely on the structure and materials that are already in existence but is typically in the range of $4,000 – $9,000.
• Garage: A garage can keep your vehicles safe at night and, in the snowier states, can keep them from getting buried in the winter. Depending on materials, the cost to build a detached two-car garage is around $49 per square foot, and the cost goes up with every additional car. Because a garage requires fewer fixtures and appliances to function, it can be one of the less expensive home additions you can make. If your garage is attached to your home, you can save around $3,000 – $5,000 on this addition. Even so, there are options for garage financing you can consider for this home addition.
• In-law suite: At some point, many homeowners may want to move their parents onto their property so as to always be nearby in case of emergencies. To avoid a home becoming too crowded, some may build what’s known as an in-law suite, which can function as a smaller apartment for one or two people. An in-law suite is typically 600 – 750 square feet and includes the essentials: bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen or kitchenette and a laundry area. For a fully detached in-law suite addition, expect to pay around $50,000 – $100,000.
• Mudroom: A mudroom has many functions. It can act as a vestibule to remove your coat and shoes in, so as not to track mud into the house. You can also use it for storage or for doing laundry. Depending on its size and the appliances you want installed, adding a mudroom can cost you $7,500 – $25,000.
• Porch: A porch can help extend the available entertainment or functional space on the exterior of your home. Whether it’s a small screened-in porch or a full wrap-around porch, you can expect to pay between $12,000 – $30,000.
• Balcony: Interested in adding a balcony for a private outdoor space on an upper level? This addition will run you around $4,000 – $9,000.

Second Story

Some homeowners would rather expand upward than outward. Adding an entire second story to your home can be the most complex – and expensive – home addition you could make, especially if you plan to build multiple rooms on the new floor.

Minus any foundation costs, you will basically be constructing a new house on top of your current one. Framing, drywall, electrical and plumbing costs will all apply here, as well as roofing and flooring. At the end of the day, your cost for this project will land around $100,000 – $350,000, or $150 – $600 per square foot depending on design and materials.

We’ve thrown a lot of different prices at you, and many of them may look pretty steep. If you absolutely can’t wait to install a new home addition but you just don’t have the funds right now, consider taking out a personal loan.

People often take out personal loans for home improvement projects, and, once approved, they’re eligible to borrow up to a specific amount to finance the costs of their home addition. You can also receive these funds in a relatively quick timeframe. With Rocket Loans^SM, you could receive your funds up to $45,000 within 1 – 3 business days.

For many reasons, the benefit of a home addition often outweighs the investment into the project. Here are a few benefits of adding a home addition to your home.

• Your overall space and storage will be expanded.
• Your property value could increase from the addition.
• Home additions allow you to enjoy your home for a longer period of time.
• It eliminates the need for growing families to have to find a new home.

Home additions, whether they’re extra rooms, a garage or even an entire second floor, can build up costs quicker than you can count. If you’re the handy type, you may save on labor costs by going the DIY route, but if this is a timely project, the speed and precision of a professional contractor may make everything go a little smoother. In the end, though, you may have driven up your home’s value and created some additional space for yourself, your family and any guests.

Ready to finance your next home addition? Apply for a personal loan with Rocket Loans^SM today.