Additions: 5 Things to Consider

Our quick guide on common questions and overlooks.

It's not a small decision to consider adding another space onto your home. There are many values to keep in tension. Additions are one of our favorite types of jobs, because they can really change how a family can use and relate in their house while also keeping that familiar sense of home. Here is a list of a few things to consider when planning your addition.

  1. Scope. “Thou shall not pass.” Gandolf yelled as he stood on the bridge facing down the monster. Well that monster can also be a baseboard trim that used to stop at the wall - which was just removed for an addition. Do you keep replacing all that base around the next room. Where do you draw the line? You need to do that somewhere.

  2. Continuity. Lets take that same trim, does it now look out-of-date where we decided to stop it? Maybe we can paint it so it blends into the new addition. How do you tie the old and new together so they look, if not like siblings, at least friends. 

  3. City Code. Most cities allow you to cover a certain percentage of your lot with a building or hard surface. When we go to permit we will submit those plans, but as you consider an addition, you may want to first look into that. 

  4. Cost and Benefit. Could you build a new house on the same lot for similar or less? Could you move? Is resale a consideration? Of course the more you say yes to an addition and no to all other options the better it is for us, but, we try our best to be as candid as possible, we don’t want you to waste your money. 

  5. What do you want? How honestly can you answer that question? Humans are funny things. I tried to justify a new garage to my wife because I want an office space for myself. A garage is big and an office space small and we found a solution for me (temporarily - I also want a wood burning stove). Its the hardest step in the process is negotiating with yourself, amid yourselves, and with your new design to balance out all the complex values of life. 

And as always, we are here for you. We are happy to help anyway we can. 

Best to you,

Mike Higgins