Additions

There are lots of things you need to consider when planning a home addition. These things range from municipal regulations to the CC&Rs of your community and from the street-facing profile of your property to the garden space left behind. LEAD Construction can help you navigate these considerations to achieve the desired end result while staying within budget.

Each municipality has regulations for its residents and businesses. It’s all part of the zoning regulations and it can have a significant impact on the land usage your house sits on. The things covered may include proximity to the sidewalk, space between neighboring houses and the number of stories your home can have. LEAD Construction is familiar with most of the municipal regulations in the 680-corridor region and can help you avoid zoning problems.

Depending on the community you live in, there may also be CC&Rs to comply with. Whether you realize it or not, you agreed to these regulations when you purchased your home. They cover similar things as the municipal zoning regulations but generally go into more detail. They are designed to maintain the community atmosphere and can dramatically restrict your ability to make structural modifications. Check with your Home Owners’ Association to ensure your plans are permitted by your community.

Most people would argue that the front street-facing profile of your property is the most important. Additions can add space and character to your property but they shouldn’t be constructed at the expense of your home’s appearance. Take a look at the other houses in your neighborhood and see what others have done. Neighborhoods look best when the homes have a consistent theme to them. In general, a huge over-built home – even a beautiful one – looks awkward and out of place beside a string of small charming bungalows.

Garden space if a major consideration. House additions can quickly eat up the open space and that can detract from the appeal of your home. There’s always a balancing act between a home expansion and green space surrounding it. Of course, this can also have legal implications if the addition requires the removal of a large tree. Some municipalities don’t allow such actions without prior approval. Be sure check such regulations before starting your project.

Any addition will require full architectural drawings and permits from the city. This can be an expensive process and LEAD Construction has a number of contacts that may be able to lower costs. Please give us a call early in the process so we can furnish you with the information we have. Bottom line; the less you spend on the front end, the more you’ll have left over to incorporate added elements to the finished product.

Home additions can be a terrific investment along with providing a home with more living space,. However, before embarking on building a home addition, or other large home remodeling project, there are a number of important factors that should be considered. These items include: neighboring home market values, home addition costs, architectural plans, financing, timetable for completion, and your personal disruption threshold and sweat equity commitment level. Many homeowners plan to put in a great deal of their own sweat equity in a home addition project. However, it is important during the planning stage for the homeowner to really assess what they have for time and home improvement skills. Many homeowners frequently overestimate their free time and skill set on planning a home addition. The result, the project gets delayed and cost overruns occur. Do not underestimate the work required on building a home addition. In most phases of a home addition project leaving it to the professionals is the best way to complete the project in a timely and cost effective manner.

Lead Construction specializes in house additions in Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Clayton and Martinez as well as the surrounding communities.