Building Costs Affecting Room Additions in Los Angeles

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Once you have decided that a room addition is the right decision for you and your home, there are a few more steps to take before that new room becomes a reality. You need to consider how you want the addition to look, how you want it to fit in with the existing home, and most importantly, how much it is going to cost. There are quite a few building costs that can affect a room addition in Los Angeles, and it is imperative that you understand what they are before undertaking such a venture.

These costs may affect the scope of your plans but they should not deter them completely; that is because a room addition is a great investment for the home, it adds additional space that is needed, and it can increase the value of the home as well. When you are ready to discuss the building costs of your room addition, consult with us at Pacific Green Homes and we will formulate a plan that fits your budget.

Relative Cost of The Various Room Additions

Garage Conversion

This is one of the cheaper options because the room already exists. It will need to be repurposed of course, and amenities like plumbing, electricity, and HVAC utilities will need to be added. Additionally, the garage door may need to be redone so that it looks like a regular door.

Attached Unit

This is a room addition built directly onto one side of the house. This type of addition can get expensive because a new foundation needs to be built in order to support the new room. The larger the addition, the larger the foundation needs to be, and the greater the cost will be.

Detached Unit

A detached addition can be anything from a simple shed, to a garage, to a complete living space. The function of the room determines how much it will cost, a shed or garage that does not need any air conditioning and has minimal electricity needs is much cheaper than a living space that requires more extensive electrical work, plumbing, and an HVAC system. Connecting these systems to the existing systems could incur significant costs. However, no demolition work needs to be done, and that could offset the overall cost somewhat.

Second Story Addition

The addition of a second story does not affect the square footage of the house, so there is no need to build a new foundation for the home. However, it is possible that the foundation beneath the second story addition will need to be reinforced in order to accommodate the extra weight. Also, a staircase will need to be built to access the new addition, and that will add to the overall budget of the room addition.

Building Costs of A New Room Addition

  • Excavation and Site Preparation – This includes excavating a hole to pour the foundation, as well as demolishing an existing wall, or part of the roof, to prepare the house for the addition of a new room. Costs vary depending on the extent of work that needs to be done, a wall removal costs $300 – $500, while an average excavation costs about $2560.
  • Building the Foundation – On average, this costs about $75 per cubic yard. If it is necessary to drill down deeper because of the toughness of the ground, then that could increase the cost per cubic yard because more sophisticated drilling equipment may be necessary.
  • Support Beams and Roof Trusses – These can cost $15 – $30 per square foot, but the cost is also affected by the cost of labor and the lumber.
  • Roofing – Costs depend on the roofing material, which of course has to match the rest of the house. Asphalt shingles are the cheapest roofing option and cost $80 – $100 per square foot. More expensive options, like slate or metal, will increase the price.
  • Vinyl Siding Installation – This costs $7 per square foot on average.
  • Drywalling Ceiling and Walls – The average cost of a 4 ft x 8 ft sheet of drywall is about $9.80.
  • Insulation – This generally costs $2 per square foot.
  • Door Installation – The cost varies depending on the style and material of the door, but the average cost is $175 and goes up from there.
  • Window Installation – About $300 – $700 per window.
  • Ceiling Molding – Roughly $3 per foot.
  • Electrical Wiring – Hiring a licensed electrician to install the electrical system will cost about $50 – $100 per hour.
  • Flooring – Costs vary according to the material, cheaper options like vinyl costs about $1185, while more expensive wood flooring can go up to $4400.
  • HVAC Installation – This involves installing ducts and vents and connecting the room addition to the HVAC system of the house, this usually costs about $1050.

Let Us Help You Build Your New Room Addition in Los Angeles

Once you have decide what kind of room addition in Los Angeles you want, and the budget you are willing to allocate to that room, Pacific Green Homes will be ready and willing to construct that room for you. We will ensure that the new room is exactly how you want it and that it looks like it has been a part of the home from the beginning, because it is going to be a part of your home from now on.

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