Posted: 9/28/2009 11:53:24 AM EDT
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We're thinking of adding a second story to our house and not sure where to start.
We've got a small 900sq ft 2 bed 1 bath house with half basement. As far as we can tell it was built sometime before 1912 and then added on to. How do we go about determining if the foundation would be suitable to hold a second story? Do we need to hire an architect to design it? If so what's a good way to find one? I've built numerous outbuildings in the past so I'm fairly familiar with construction and want to do most of the work myself. Any tips would be appreciated. |
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you'll need to hire an architect as he/she will know the building codes and structural requirements needed to add your 2nd floor.
To get a rough idea, contact a local contractor and ask him to take a look at your house. They may charge or do it for free, but it'll give you an idea of what's involved, especially if does "add a levels" in your area on houses built in the same time frame. |
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I added a story to a 1950s house. My contractor did the drawings and then had them reviewed by a structural engineer.
That has been six years ago, with the only problem being the added weight by the extension of the chimney above the new roof has caused some settling, and this is something that you should take into account. The contractor has a pretty neat method of inserting supports through the existing roof, then building the new roof above it. The sides are then built up to meet the new roof, the old roof and trusses are sawed up and thrown out a window into a dumpster, and the whole project stays protected and under roof at all times. Maybe this is SOP - I don't know, but it worked great. |
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Quoted:
I would consult with an architect, then that way, the plans will be legit, and I'm sure they could continue the overall theme of the house itself. The only theme to this house is it has walls and a roof. A couple of the walls may actually be strait 
We plan on gutting the existing structure and remodeling everything if we can get it refinanced. Thanks for the replies. Anybody have a rough idea what an architect might charge to do a set of plans? |