Home Addition Planning Guide
What to think about before you design, price and build an addition.
Tell ATECT Architecture about your addition.
Use the Project Planning Questionnaire to organize your property, goals, budget, timing and professional-service needs.
Start with the reason for the addition.
Before discussing square footage, identify what the addition needs to accomplish. More living space, a larger kitchen, a bedroom suite, a home office, better connection to the outdoors, or a combination of goals can lead to very different design solutions.
Questions to answer
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- Which rooms or functions need more space?
- How should the addition connect to the existing house?
- What existing spaces could be reorganized instead?
- What features are essential and what would be optional?
- Are there site, drainage, grading or access conditions you already know about?
Understand the property
Gather your property survey, existing drawings if available, photographs and any information about prior additions or renovations. Zoning, setbacks, easements, lot coverage and other site requirements may affect what can be built.
Think about budget as a project investment
A project budget is more useful when it considers the complete scope rather than only the construction itself. Design, documentation, permitting, site work, finishes, fixtures and other project-specific costs can affect the overall investment.
Decide where you are in the process
You do not need every answer before contacting ATECT Architecture. ATECT can help determine what information is needed to move from an idea toward a workable design and construction-document path.
Ready to discuss your addition?
Complete the ATECT Project Planning Questionnaire and tell us about the property, goals, timing and services you may need.