Home Additions: Building Out vs. Building Up

While home additions are an exciting project to take on, there’s no denying that they can be stressful. When you’re looking to extend your home, you first need to ask an important question: Should you build out or build up?

To determine the answer, there are several aspects to consider. Looking at the full range of advantages and disadvantages for both is the best way to come to the right solution for your needs. Here, we do just that to make your decision a little less daunting.

Building Up: Adding a Second Story

As the name suggests, building up involves adding a second story to your property. Things like your budget and household needs must be considered before any project. There are a range of advantages and disadvantages to building up:

Advantages of Building Up

There are undoubtedly benefits of building up rather than out, including:

• Preserve your yard space: Because you’re building upward and not outward, you don’t have to sacrifice any of your yard to extend your home’s interior space.
• Potentially lower cost per square foot: Typically, it costs less to build up rather than out as less material and labor is required.
• Minimal impact on home’s footprint: Your home’s footprint won’t impact the environment nearly as much as building out because you aren’t increasing the surface area of your home.

Disadvantages of Building Up

With advantages come disadvantages of building up and not out:

• More complex construction process: It will likely be harder to complete a second-story build due to the difficulty of reaching certain spots in your home.
• Potential need for a stronger foundation: Unfortunately, your existing foundation may not have what it takes to support the buildout of a second story.
• Temporary relocation during construction: You may need to relocate during the project, as building up can greatly disrupt your daily life.

Building Out: Expanding Your Ground Floor

Building out entails extending the ground floor of your existing floor plan. After considering your needs and budget, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the benefits and setbacks of building out and not up:

Advantages of Building Out

Building out may be right for you when taking these factors into account:

• Easier construction process: Building out is a less complex project, as you’ll only need to make minimal disruptions to your existing space.
• No need to alter your existing roof: A wonderful benefit of building out is that you won’t have to tear up and rebuild your home’s existing roof.
• Potential for better integration with existing space: Building out offers a more seamless integration process, allowing you to preserve your home’s design and aesthetics.

Disadvantages of Building Out

On the other hand, the disadvantages that may come with building out include:

• Reduces outdoor space: Building out inevitably takes away from your outdoor space, so it may not be the right option if you’re working with a small yard.
• May require zoning variances: You may have to work your extension layout around any zoning limitations in your region.
• Potential issues with property setbacks: In addition to losing outdoor space, building out may lead to issues and heightened costs for excavating and foundation requirements.

Factors To Consider When Choosing

As mentioned above, many aspects must be considered before planning your project. First, laying out your budget plays a key role in determining what makes the most financial sense.

Considering both your lot size and zoning laws is essential. Having a professional inspect your home’s structural integrity and any potential alterations is another huge factor. From there, determining your own lifestyle needs and personal preferences is crucial to ensure you’re happy with the result.

CQC Home Addition Services in The Triangle

Careful planning and consulting with a professional should be a priority at the start of your project. CQC Home offers services that include kitchen, bathroom, and whole-home remodeling alongside our home additions, so we’re bound to have a construction solution for you.

Learn more about our home addition services and schedule with us today.