A Home Additions in Tallahassee: Is It Right for You?

As lots to build on in the city limits are more and more hard to find home additions are growing in popularity.

People used to just move when they needed more space but that can be harder to do these days.

If you love your home …. the location is perfect, your neighborhood is great, you’re in a good school district, and your commute is easy…. but you are running out of space or your home feels cramped and crowded a home addition may be the solution. 

When you think about home additions there are really 7 options. Let’s go over the pro’s and cons of all seven. 

7 Types of Home Additions

There are 3 basic types of home additions and and a few variations of each type. Each one has its pros and cons. What type might be right for you depends on your goals, your existing home, and the restrictions in your area.

There’s almost always a good solution for adding more room to your house–you just might need to be creative to find it.

Home Addtion Type #1:  Extensions

This is the most common type of home addition. An extension is just what it sounds like: you extend the square footage of your home by building on one or more rooms.

Common home extensions include the addition of a master suite, a larger kitchen or adding a bedrom.

What Do Home Extensions Cost

Home extensions are one of the more expensive ways to add square footage to your home. Even small additions without plumbing can cost $150,000 or more. Ful master suite additions can cost $250,000 or more. 

Home Extentions: Things to Consider

Home extensions come with some challenges. Step 1 is to check your local building code and see what you are zoned for. Some neighborhoods will require any structure to be 10 ft from the properly line, in others it might be 25 feet. 

Homeowners associations as well will have their own rules about home extensions and what they can look like.

Extending a home can also ‘ruin’ a home if not thought through. Adding a master suite right off the kitchen could be a turn off for potential buyers for example.

Unless you’re sure this house will be your forever home, it’s wise to keep resale value in mind. If your home becomes the largest or most valuable one in the neighborhood, you likely won’t get a great return on your investment when you sell.

#2. Bump-Outs

Also called micro-additions, bump-outs are smaller additions that tie into the original roofline or tied into an existing wall.

They are used to extend an exsiting space like a dining room, mud room or bedroom and don’t need plumbing or much electric or HVAC work.

They are not usually more than 100 sq ft or so. A thoughtfully designed bump-out (or two) can completely change the functionality of your home.

Bump Out Costs

The cost of a ‘bump out’ style home additions can vary quite a bit but I would plan for a  budget in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. 

Home Addition Type # 3: Garage Conversions

Converting a seldom-used garage into living space is a great, inexpensive way to add square footage to your home. Because it already has most of the walls, the foundation, and the ceiling, converting your garage is a fairly easy process.

By building a wall where the door is, and adding flooring, drywall, HVAC, and plumbing, you can transform your garage into a rec room, an in-law suite, a bedroom for your teen, a home office, and more.

Garage Conversions Costs

To close in a garage into something like a rec room or office could cost as little as $30,000. If the goal is to add a bathroom or kitchen that cost could easily reach $75,000 or more. 

Things to consider

There are a few things to consider when coverting a garage to living space. 

The main issue is floor height. Your garage floor is most likely 4-6 inches lower than the floor in your home. If you want the floor to be level that will take extra work. 

Making the exterior look right is probably the second biggest issue. You don’t want it to look like there used to be a garage where you bedroom is. 

Adding heating a cooling can also be a challenge. Sometimes you can tie into the existing HVAC system, other times you might want ot install a mini-split system. 

#4. Porch or Sunroom Conversions

If you have a covered porch or sunroom, it’s pretty easy to convert it into more usable space. You can make a porch or sunroom into a four-season room by connecting it to your home’s HVAC system, and enjoy it all year long. A converted porch or sunroom could function as a second living room, a larger dining room, or a TV room. 

If you don’t already have a porch or sunroom, adding one to your house can also increase your liveable space. Sunrooms traditionally have walls and windows but are not connected to the home’s HVAC system, while porches usually use screens or are open-air. Both types of rooms give you a great place to enjoy the outdoors in comfort, and in Tallahassee, are useable almost all year (with the help of some ceiling fans maybe!).

#5. Attic Conversions

Attic space is often perfect for turning into a bedroom or home office. Nestled in the eaves of your home, this area can become a peaceful getaway from the busyness downstairs. You can add insulation and drywall, a window, some lighting, and flooring, and you’ll end up with a great space for teens to hang out or for you to get some work done.

Attic Conversion Cost

Converting at attic space into a bedroom with a bathroom can cost $75,000-$85,000. An attic to office conversion without a bathroom could be done for about half that cost. 

Things to consider

Once of the biggest challenges when converting an attic space is access… stairs take up a lot of space in the lower level. If your attic is over the garage this can sometime mean losing parking space for one car. An alternative to to add exterior stairs but that can be inconvenient. 

#6. Second-Story Additions

If you want to add square footage to your house but can’t build out, consider building up.

A second-story addition can obe cheaper than a traditional extension since you won’t need groundwork or foundation work (although you do need to confirm that your home’s existing foundation and structure can support the extra weight).

One popular second-story addition is building a master suite over the garage.

Second Story Addition Costs

Costs can vary a lot based on the extent of the addition. A simple addition over a garage might cost $150,000 – $200,000. 

Things to Consider

The biggest concen is the foundation. Most single story homes are not designed to support a second story. You will will need to test the foundation and have an engineer sign off on the addition. 

#7. Accessory Dwelling Units (AUDs)

AUDs are stand-alone units that usually contain a bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen, and living space. They’re often small cottage-type homes in the backyard of a property, but they can also be an apartment over a garage or in the basement. People build AUDs for two main reasons: to house aging parents or adult children, or to rent out as extra income.

If you don’t want a fully equipped AUD, you may still want a backyard room that you could use for an office, a workshop, a game room for teens, or a home gym.

Bonus Idea: Outdoor Space

Adding outdoor space is a cost-efficient way to gain extra living space and it may be all you need to get some breathing room. Consider building an outdoor kitchen for dining and entertaining. Or if you’re short on storage, a well-built outdoor shed can keep your Christmas decorations safe and free up inside space for something else.