I mentioned before on this blog how I am getting ready to put a major addition onto my home. I thought I should take a few moments to show all of you just how small my home currently is.

Here is a shot from the front of the house.
This shot is taken from the driveway.

This house is just about 800 square feet. The basement has a low ceiling and is not as big as the house above it. Parts of the foundation are filled in with dirt while other areas are accessible.

The yard is large but there is a slope that turns into an eight foot drop over ten feet about 25 feet behind the house. I'm hoping to take advantage of this by putting on a 25x25 foot addition with a walk-out basement.

Looking up from the base of the slope.

My wife and I have gone back and forth about the basement. She wants to just drop a slab in place to save money but I want a room I can use for a shop without bumping my head on the ceiling. I also feel that because of the drop in the back we can't just use a simple slab, we will need to have some sort of retaining wall built under the slab where the slope is.

A 25x25 foot expansion will go a few feet past the existing bulkhead. This will allow me to get rid of the water problem we have with the bulkhead. It's not the doors but the blocks themselves that have leaking problems. I've used Dry-Lock on them and it did meditate but not fully remedy the water problem.

This is a side view. The deck sticks out about 15 feet and will be replaced by the addition.

We will also put a small upstairs on with the addition. We will not raise the entire roof but the area above the addition and part of the existing roof will be raised. We may have to raise the chimney as well. After we get the pricing estimates (and add out assumed 15% to them) we may just raise the whole roof, it all depends on the cost.

Our main goals are:

  • Master bedroom with bath upstairs.
  • Dining room and laundry area on the main floor.
  • Shop for me in the basement.

    We have not drawn up a specific floor plan and I will be meeting with a builder next week to go over the basics and get some rough estimates on cost.

    Now, I know most people are used to seeing the home shows on TV where they tear the whole place down and don't even talk about the budget. I'm all about the budget! I'm not made out of money so I have to watch my nickels lest I go broke before the job is complete.

    I hope to impart what I have learned to all who read this blog.

    Only time will tell if this becomes a "do as I do" story or a "don't do what I did" story. I hope for the "do as I do" type because this is directly affecting me!