Building an addition on your home involves many decisions, including whether your addition will be built vertically or on ground level. While both types are not always possible for every home, price is an important consideration if building up and building out are both viable addition options.


So which is cheaper – adding a second story to your home or building an addition on the ground level?

Building Up: Second story additions

Why choose a second story addition?

The decision to build a second story is usually made when homeowners are looking to add a significant amount of space to their home, especially when additional bedrooms are needed. The most common reasons for a second story addition are families that are growing or wanting to give family members their own living spaces.

Deciding to build a second story is not a decision that should be made lightly. Adding a second story involves removing your existing roof and that means your family will probably need to relocate for the duration of the addition construction project. This relocation cost could add significantly to the budget for your home addition. You’ll also need to be sure your foundation is strong enough to support a second story, and that you have space for the addition of a staircase.

However, building a second story is a great choice for families that need more space but can’t expand their homes footprint due to limited yard space. This is a common issue in urban areas with small distances between homes. Adding a second story will also increase your home’s value, particularly if you add a new master suite.

Building Out: Ground-level additions

Why choose a ground-level addition?

Many ground-level additions are built to add recreational or storage space to a home, like a sunroom, den, office, living room or garage. Ground-level additions also include adding space to your kitchen – another common type of addition. These kinds of additions add to the total footprint of your home, but don’t always mean an increase in bedrooms. Of course, bedrooms can also be added to the ground floor of a home as well, this is just less common.

Building on to your existing home structure requires space on your property. Homes with larger backyards find this kind or construction easier to manage than houses with little yard space. Building out requires excavation, adding foundations and tearing down existing walls to connect the addition to the rest of your home – all of which can get pricey.

However, building out is much less disruptive to your living situation. Remodeling Pros’ Last Day Breakthrough system means you can continue enjoying your home while we complete the addition project and connect it to the rest of your home when the project is virtually complete.

If you’re considering a home addition project, the best way to find out the most cost-effective way to increase your living space is to talk with a design build firm like Remodeling Pros. Our designer will discuss all your options and create a design that meets your needs and budget. We will also provide a 3D rendering so you can visualize the completed project before constructions begins.

Ready to talk to Remodeling Pros about your addition? Contact us today for a quote on your home addition project!