Sears Home Improvement - Wichita
Luxury Bath Systems of Central Kansas, Inc.
Addition Estimates and Costs
To calculate a project’s Home Additions approximate estimate, you have to take a lot of factors into account. This is because, in a Remodeling and Additions project there is no way that the cost can be estimated without making a detailed study of the requirements and needs of a particular family.
For instance, a family may possibly desire to put in a bedroom and bathroom for their little ones. The family’s present Wichita region home is located on a flat lot, with space to conveniently expand it according to their requirements. Their residence also has a simple roof plan that permits utility connections for the addition to be included without much structural alteration to the existing home. The plumbing has ample facility for an extra bathroom, and installing drain lines and water lines are should not be too complicated. The authorities that issue construction permits and regulate procedures are easy to work with, ensuring a smooth completion of the project and fewer and costs to the contractor. Also, because it is a children’s room with minimal requirements, the needs for the finish level of the addition are not very high.
On the other hand, a young single adult could be looking to refashion an existing bathroom in his Wichita area condo. However, the condo association has very stringent regulations relating to any construction activities. It is possible that the time required may be more than that spent in the previous family’s case. It may also result in a much higher cost as the contractor would have to make efforts to get a clearance from the condo association to finish the task. All this expenditure doesn't even take into consideration the cost of bathroom fixtures, tiles, bath tub, countertops etc. Bathroom fixtures tend to be expensive. So, this young woman's bathroom remodeling is sure to cost more unlike the previous family who got their kids’ room done with only essentials and no fancy items.
Most contractors and builders will give you large ranges of Price Per Square Foot in order for you to think about the overall costs without going into too much detail. For our examples, the first family could be looking at a price per square foot in the range of $70/foot to $150/foot - all depending on the actual details of the project. Our young lady in the second example could be looking at a much higher cost per sqft. Bathrooms and kitchens are absolutely the most expensive rooms in a home! They contain the majority of a home's systems - electrical, plumbing, HVAC. And because they are either public or intimate spaces, people typically finish them at a much higher level than other rooms in their homes. With her extremely high-end tastes, her small bathroom remodel could cost between $200/ft to as much as $400/ft!
Thus, if you are trying to figure out how much your project could cost - ask yourself hard questions and really study what you want to do. Of course, the best thing to do is involve a professional! Good Home Additions contractors make their living by helping you answer these questions! Our service is specially designed to put you in touch with as many qualified contractors as possible - so that you have the power to choose the one that fits your needs and situation best!
When speaking with your potential contractors, you have to be prepared and learn to communicate your needs and desires as clearly as possible. Begin with the basics of your project and then drill down to all of the details. And above all, don't be overwhelmed! Realize that this should all be fun and enjoyable! There will be problems, delays and headaches - it is construction after all - but the rewards for a successful Home Addition always outweigh the hardships and difficulties. Stick with your gameplans, be patient, and you will be rewarded!
Here are some questions to start thinking about your Home Additions costs, and to prepare you for a conversation with potential contractors or builders:
1. How large will my Home Additions project be?
- plan in terms of Square Feet
2. How much work needs to be done to the structural part of my project?
- Will excavation or fill be needed? (Is your project going to be on a flat lot, or is there slope, drainage concerns, extensive trees to be moved or removed)
- Will the foundation require special considerations or be difficult?
- If you want to build a second story or add on above a garage, is your existing floor and wall system ready to support another floor? How much demolition and re-construction will be needed below your planned addition in order to support it adequately? Will you need to build a stair system or re-do an existing one?
3. How many doors, windows, or openings are you thinking about or planning on?
- Openings in your building envelope (the exterior walls and roof of your home) are important considerations for heating and cooling, orientation to sunlight and structural design.
4. Are there special considerations for the roof of my Home Addition?
- Do you have a flat roof or commercial style roof? Are there complicated angles that will need to be planned out and executed well?
- What style or level of shingles or tile do you want? More expensive clay tiles or molded rubber slate look-alikes? Simple one tab shingles? Somewhere in-between?
5. And finally, what level of "finish out" are you planning on?
- Expensive, special order door hardware or more standard production-level knobs, hinges and levers?
- Types and square footage of flooring? Carpet and vinyl are typically on the low end, while solid wood, designer tiles, and marble quickly add to your expenses.
- How much custom cabinetry or special carpentry are you thinking about? Built-in bookcases or entertainment systems? Lots of stairs or railings? Will you be able to use production built cabinets or will you require more custom built cabinets for specific purposes?
- What kinds of countertops and hard surface materials do you want to use? Laminate countertops typically are the least expensive option (although there are expensive laminate products available), while solid surface natural stone (granite, marble) or man-made solid surface countertops (quartz, aggregate, concrete, Corian) are more expensive.
- What about lighting and electrical needs?
- Is it going to be a challenge to properly heat and cool your new space? Will you need to add to your existing HVAC system or install a completely new system?
- How much plumbing is involved? What style or kinds of fixtures do you want?
If you can answer the majority of these questions - it is time to get professional contractors or builders involved! And that is exactly where we'd love to help - our contractors are pre-screened to make sure they carry the required licenses and are waiting to help you answer your questions and get your Home Additions project off the ground. Our service is completely FREE to you - All you need to do is submit your information through the form on this page and wait for our Contractor Partners to call you back. You are Not Obligated to use them either (although it is our goal to find the best contractors, and make sure that our network is most useful to you!). Remember: ask questions, be clear with your expectations, and have fun with your home!
Recent Requests
I'd like to know how much this garage conversion would cost: Convert a garage into a recreation room flat roof 8 ft high walls 23x23 feet. insulated using with wall mounted electric heaters.
Don N
I have a split level that i am considering adding on to in the Kitchen/Living room area. Either enclosing and finishing the carport or extending off the rear of the kitchen/eating area. This would also involove remodeling the kitchen, hardwood floors, et..
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