Once you have decided that it’s time for a room addition, you’ll need to decide whether to go up or out. Like anything else, there are pros and cons to each approach.

Adding on to the ground floor will be less expensive, so if that’s the most important thing to you, there’s your answer. Of course, you may not be able to add as much space as you like, because you may not have enough room in your yard. City regulations regarding how close to the edge of your property you can build (called “setbacks”) might limit you as well.

Aside from these regulations, you should think carefully before about eating up a large portion of your backyard with a room addition. Will you be leaving enough room for your kids and /or pets to play? How will it affect your ability to sell the house at some future date? While you may enjoy having a large house and very small yard, not everyone will feel that way.

Of course, you might be glad to have less lawn to mow, or you may have an extra large cul-de-sac lot-in which case, building out would be a good option.

One more plus to going out instead of up is that with a ground floor addition you can usually live in the house during construction. When we build a second story we remove the top portion of your house. Imagine standing inside your home watching clouds go by above! Needless to say, living without a roof for a few months doesn’t work for most people.

What about adding a second story? This is a more expensive option because of the structural work that must be done to support the weight of a second story, but many people choose to go up in order to preserve their yard space.

Another good reason to go up instead of out is a view. There are many areas where a second story can take advantage of a great view that you’d never see on the ground floor. If you suspect you might have a nice view from a second story, by all means get up on your roof and look around (please be careful up there, don’t get distracted!). Quite often the sea breeze is better up there as well.

Even if you won’t have a view, a second story gives you the opportunity to revamp the way the whole house looks from the outside. Walk around your neighborhood and see how many houses have had second story additions added. You may even see one that started as the same plan as your house.

Don’t be discouraged by the ugly boxy look of many of them-it doesn’t have to be that way. Some extra time spent in the design process can pay off with a second story that looks like it was always there (instead of like a box dropped from a helicopter!). Speaking for K-Co, we refuse to build the box-on-the-roof type of second story addition.

The most common second story addition we see is the master suite-a master bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet. Having a master suite on the second floor will give you some privacy from the rest of the house-a great thing for parents!

A recent trend is larger bathrooms. Luxurious fixtures, like showers with multiple heads and Jacuzzi-type soaking tubs are common. In today’s world, what with cell phones and e-mail, etc. often the bath is the only place a person can get some peaceful time alone.

We normally install a separate heating system to create zones, for greater efficiency, translating into lower power bills. Another common feature is a small deck on the second floor. If you have a view or a canyon lot, this might be a great idea.

What are some of the drawbacks of a second story addition? Some parents tell me they don’t want to have young kids on the first floor while they are upstairs. Keep in mind a second story includes stairs, which might be difficult on an older person. It will make you think before you go up…”do I have everything I need?”

Another challenge is where to put the stairs. Often we have to use a small bedroom on the first floor to place the stairs. Most stairs take 13 feet plus 3 feet for a landing at the top and bottom.

These are tough decisions. Often when I show up for a design meeting the couples can’t agree on up or out. I hope this article will help you make a decision before I get there, but if not, I will be glad to give you the pros and cons on your particular situation.

Tags: 2nd Story Clairemont, General Contractor San Diego, Room Addition Bay Park, Room Addition Clairemont, Room Addition San Diego