Is a Second Floor Addition in Your Future?

Second Floor Additions

Building any addition on your home can be difficult; building an addition on the second floor of your home can be extra challenging. But with careful attention to potential hurdles, your second floor addition can turn your home from "beautiful" to "masterpiece."

Depending upon where you live, you may need a permit to build a second floor addition to your home. If local codes do allow the work, then it's time to ensure your existing home can handle the addition. Is your foundation strong enough to support the weight of the new construction? Are the walls thick enough to support new walls built above them? Adding a second floor addition to your home usually requires extensive work on the existing roof. Sometimes this means significant construction and the removal of your roof; however, some additions could be built onto the roof and the entry door cut at the end of the construction, thus allowing you to stay in the home while the work is being done.

Your second floor addition can add plenty of extra room for that master suite, child's playroom, or even a balcony to enjoy the view. The work is intensive, but many homeowners find it worth the time and energy.