Have you ever wondered if you could add a second storey to your existing home? Once you have utilized every usable space in your home, sometimes, the only way to increase your home’s size is by adding a second floor to your house. Although this home renovation might sound complicated and costly, it may be more practical than moving in the right situation. At NICKS Developments, we will answer your questions to help you decide if adding a second floor addition to your home is right for you.
A second floor addition is exactly what it sounds like: it is adding a full or half of a second storey to your home. Adding a second floor to a house can be done on a bungalow or a split-level home. There are different ways to construct a second storey addition onto your home:
- start from scratch by removing your roof to build an entirely new level and roof
- cut and remove the roof of your home to install new walls, then replace the roof onto the new frame
- add a pre-fabricated or modular unit to the top level of your home
- expand your half-level to cover the remaining rooftop to convert your split-level into to a full second floor addition
The Benefits of Second Storey Additions
Although house additions are time consuming and more costly than other renovation projects, there are many benefits to adding a second floor to a house. Installing a second storey addition to your home can significantly increase the size of your house and give you considerably more space. By expanding upward, you are not as limited in your floor plan design as you would be if you add an addition to the main level of your home.
Second floor additions to houses may increase the resale value of your home because you are adding square footage and creating more usable rooms.
Second storey additions are a highly effective way to increase your home’s size without taking away from your yard space or privacy. Most people enjoy having their own yard; expanding outward instead of upward uses greenspace, making your yard smaller. In some markets, a smaller yard can affect buyer appeal.
Building a second storey addition allows you to completely redesign your main floor layout. Many rooms that exist on the main floor of a single level home like bedrooms and offices can be moved up to the second floor addition, leaving ample room to completely remodel your main floor. You can also review our full second storey guide for more planning context.
Concerns About Second Storey Additions
Before you begin to plan adding a second floor to a house, you will first need to find out if the project is possible. Your region’s bylaws and regulations could affect if you can construct a second story onto your home. There are many considerations that need to be addressed when increasing your home from a single to a double level structure. Find out what permits, inspections and permissions you will need first before designing your upper level floor plans. Professional architectural planning can help connect design ideas with zoning, structure, permits, and build requirements.
Also check to see if your neighbourhood has any height restrictions when it comes to home construction and if your second floor addition will fit in with those restrictions.
You will also need to have your home inspected by a structural engineer to make sure the frame, foundation and ceiling joists are strong enough to support a second storey addition. Additional levels put an increased weight bearing burden on your home’s framework and foundation.
When you add another level to your home, it should look natural and match the current design of your home. If you have ever seen additions to houses where the extension did not match any part of the original structure, you will know how distracting that can be and how much the renovation takes away from the look of your home. House additions should complement your current structure in style, size, window size, shape, placement, exterior façade material, and colour.
Cost of Adding a Second Storey
So how much does it cost to add a second storey to your home? The final cost will depend on several factors. The size of your house addition and method of installing a second floor to your home affect part of the costs. Labour, materials, plumbing, electrical work, insulation, window types and installation, permits, insurance and inspections are other factors. Adding an entirely new roof will also affect the price. You can also review our Toronto home addition cost guide for more budget planning details.
If you are thinking about adding a second storey to your home, contact us today for your free estimate.
