Hi Eric,
My husband and I just bought a lovely home in Shaw that we are so happy with! The location is great and right now, even though it is tiny (900 sq ft), it is all the space we need. I could see us potentially wanting more space in about 5 years, and I am trying to start saving for an addition, but have no clue how much these things tend to cost! We would ideally like to put a two to three story addition on the back of the house–likely just one additional room on each floor and one full bath on the upper level (I’d say we’d add about another 400-600 sq. ft).
Do you have any idea how much this would cost or do you know any online estimator tools that could give me an idea of how much I should be saving?
Thanks!
-MK
Dear MK,
Thank you for the question. With inventories in the district being so low, I expect this to be a question on a lot of people’s mind. I have several friends who have added on to homes, and have consulted with contractor Bill Bodine who is on The Cribline’s Approved Vendor list about your question. The rule of thumb is about $100 to $200 per square feet. That amount can also be higher if you decide to install top of the line faucets, toilets, or depending on the foundation, electrical requirements, and exterior materials.
But as a rule of thumb, adding another 600 square feet would be about $60,000 to $120,000.
You need to make sure that your contractor is licensed in DC, and has a successful track record of navigating the DC permitting system. I would also highly suggest getting several references.
I hope this is helpful. Eric
