Additions and Remodels Cost Guide

Your home should be your sanctuary, palace, and fortress all rolled together. Creating the home of your dreams starts with its layout. So when you need a new bedroom for a new baby or need a bigger kitchen to accommodate your cooking skills, it's time to upgrade your home. Additions and remodels can help you get the home of your dreams without buying a new one.

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Additions
Remodels

When it comes to getting a new additionnew addition put on, homeowners can expect to pay around $20,00-$50,000 or more depending on what kind of addition they want as well as cost of materials, labor, electricity and plumbing (if needed), and many other factors. As for remodeling or renovation projects, the average cost is usually around $500-$40,000 or more, depending on which room is being remodeled. All additions and remodels should have an experienced and certified general contractor overseeing the project. This ensures that everything is done correctly and up to code.

Additions

Bedroom Additions

There are many reasons you may need to have a new bedroom added onto your home:

• Expecting a new baby
• Want a new master suite for you and your partner
• Need a guest bedroom for out-of-town visitors
• Need an in-law suite
• Need an extra bedroom for an elderly family member

No matter what your reason is, getting a bedroom addition is a smart investment.

When it comes to bedroom additions, most homeowners pay an average of $20,000 (1). Some homeowners pay as little as $6,000 while others may pay up to $100,00 or more depending on the size and shape of the bedroom as well as whether it was added onto the existing house or built as a separate addition.

Sunroom Additions

A sunroom is a wonderful addition to any home. They maximize the living space, provide a sun-filled space to grow plants in, and create a comforting room in which you can relax and enjoy the outdoors without being bothered by mosquitoes or other pests. Sunrooms can be incredibly energy efficient additions to your home as well since they provide auxiliary heat (2).

Determining the cost of having a sunroom added onto your home depends on a few different factors including cost of materials, local labor costs, and design. Screened in porches cost an average of $25,000. However, the average cost of a custom sunroom is $100-$400 per square foot. For an average sized sunroom of 100-200 square feet, the total price can be anywhere from $10,000 to $80,000 (3).

Detached Addition

A detached addition is any structure that is built on your property that stands alone and is not connected to your house. There are many types of detached additions:

• A simple shed-like room
• A full guest house
• A pool house
• A detached garage

A simple shed-like room that doesn't require heat or electricity costs around $15,000 to build. A full guest house or pool house that requires heat, cooling, and electricity costs approximately $25,000 on average. If you're buying a prefabricated structure, the cost may be slightly lower. However, if you're having the detached addition built from the ground up, you may need an architect which can cost an extra $4,000 on average.

A detached garage can cost between $9,000 and $12,000 since it needs to be built from the ground up. Adding HVAC, plumbing, or electrical to your detached garage will bump the price up to about $14,000. You could also have a living space built above the detached garage, though that will increase the price even more.

It's important to keep in mind that getting a garage is one of the best options for increasing your property's resale value. The average return on a detached garage is approximately 63.7% (4).

Will an addition add value to my home?

Whether you're thinking of selling your home soon or not, it's certainly important to consider any return you may get on your addition. Most additions will add at least some value to your home, but key rooms - like bedrooms or detached garages - will add more value than others.

How can I save money on an addition?

It's no secret that adding onto your house can be an expensive project. However, there are a few tasks you can do yourself if you're handy enough like painting the walls, laying down flooring, or even installing a vanity. If you do smaller tasks like these yourself, you can easily save some money. However, always be sure you know what you're doing before taking on a task yourself. Otherwise, you may have to spend even more to have it fixed if it's done incorrectly.

Remodels

Kitchen Remodel

We all have an idea of what our dream kitchens should look like, and most of the time, the reality falls a little short. With a kitchen remodel, you can get the kitchen of your dreams, whether that's a sleek and modern kitchen, a rustic farmhouse kitchen, or a classic galley kitchen. No matter what kind of kitchen you want, a professional can help you achieve your goal.

When it comes to getting a kitchen remodel there are a lot of different things to consider:

• What is your budget? Before starting any remodel, figure out what your total budget is.
• What materials will you choose? Keeping your budget in mind, you'll need to choose the materials for your countertops, flooring, appliances, sinks, cabinets, back-splash, and everything else. Choose your materials carefully. Be sure to consider price range as well as how the material will fit your lifestyle.
• Are you planning on moving appliances? Moving appliances like a gas stove/oven will require a plumber to move the gas lines, which will add more to your overall cost.

The cost of a kitchen remodel depends entirely on how involved the project is. The national average is $20,000 for a 200 square foot kitchen (5). For a mid-range kitchen remodel that includes adding an island, the price costs around $52,000-$63,000. For major, upscale remodel, expect to pay up to $120,000 or more.

If you're planning on selling your home anytime soon, getting your kitchen remodeled will help increase the value of your home. The kitchen is one of the two rooms (the other being the master bath) that potential homebuyers spend the most time inspecting (6).

Bathroom Remodel

Remodeling your bathroom can see a major ROI - an average of 60%. The national average cost of a bathroom remodel is $18,000 (7). However, that price varies based on the size of the bathroom and the materials. The average cost actually works out to about $125 per square foot.

As with kitchens, there are quite a few things to consider when renovating your bathroom:

• Budget for the project
• Overall design and aesthetic
• Plumbing (such as sinks, toilets, showers, and baths)
• Vanity (single sink or double sink)
• Countertops (different materials have different pros and cons, so be sure to choose one that fits your lifestyle)
• Water-efficient plumbing fixtures

While some smaller jobs of a bathroom remodel could be a DIY project if you have the experience, most things should be left to a professional, especially if you plan on moving any fixtures and pipes. If you're redesigning your bathroom completely, be sure to check the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) for guidelines for leaving enough room between fixtures (8).

Basement Remodel

Finishing or remodeling a basement is a big project that can have incredible results. In fact, you can get a 70% ROI with a remodeled basement (9). As far as cost for the project goes, it varies greatly based on what type of remodel you're looking to have done as well as the size of your basement. For smaller projects like a partial remodel, expect to pay around $20,000. For an entire basement remodel that includes a family room and a bathroom, the price increases to $60,000 to $92,000.

When deciding to remodel your basement, consider what you want its main function to be (10):

• A man cave with only finished floors and walls can cost about $5,000.
• For a playroom that has carpeting, windows, and lighting, the cost is about .
• An entertainment room that has a bar and hardwood flooring or another type of hard flooring can cost between $10,000 and $15,000.
• If you want to turn your basement into a laundry room that requires plumbing, hookups for the appliances as well as hookups for the dryer vent and water, expect to pay around $10,000.
• A finished office that needs electrical wiring and internet access can cost up to $20,000.
• Turning your basement into a guest suite with a bedroom and bathroom will most likely cost $20,000 or more.
• If you want to go all out and turn your basement into an incredible theater room, you'll need to get soundproofing, electrical wiring, seating, and a few other things. This can cost around $82,000.

The biggest thing to keep in mind when remodeling your basement is moisture control (11). Basements tend to experience the most moisture damage of any home, and it's imperative that proper steps are taken to waterproof the basement.

Garage Remodel

Traditionally, people keep their cars in the garage and probably a few storage bins as well. However, that doesn't mean that the entire garage has to be unappealing or disorganized. A garage can be remodeled into an organized storage space, a workspace, and even a guest bedroom or suite. Professionals can help design a custom garage that matches your needs, budget, and lifestyle so you'll have the garage you've always dreamed of. The cost of remodeling your garage can start as low as $2,000 (if mostly a DIY project) and can go as high as $20,000 for a full conversion into a family room or guest bedroom.

Exterior Renovation

When it comes to increasing the curb appeal of your home, there's no better place to start than with exterior renovations. Whether you only change a few simple things like the color of your front door or switching out the light fixtures for newer ones, or if you decide to do a major overhaul and update the siding and landscaping, exterior renovations are a must if you want your home to be as perfect as possible.

Not sure what kind of exterior renovation you should focus on? Here are the most popular projects and their average prices: