The spouse and I have been wanting some more space in our house. We currently have a building which we call a “shed” (actually it’s a small finished unit with electrical, lights, windows, etc.–the only reason it’s not a mother-in-law unit is because we weren’t allowed to add any plumbing/bath/kitchen/etc. to it) but we’d really like to have an actual house addition.
We know nothing about this. Nothing about costs, who we’d need to contact (presumably an architect and/or contractor, yes)? This would be a game room, so it wouldn’t need any plumbing–just a room with a window or two and some outlets.
Some specific questions I have (but please, if you have advice/anecdotes/exhortations to run for the hills and forget we ever considered this mad plan/etc., feel free) are:
What’s it likely to cost (ballpark)? I’m figuring it will be about 11x18.
Zoning-wise, is it reasonable to think that we can have a house addition stick out as far into the back yard as the freestanding unit does? We’re in San Jose, CA, if it matters.
How do they build it? How would they turn an exterior wall into an interior one? The area we want to put it currently has a sliding glass door to the back yard–I figure we can have them knock that out and put in some french doors so we can close off the game room to keep the cats out. Do they build it out and then do something to the exterior wall, or would they have to knock out that wall and start over?
Currently, our dryer has the most stupid venting ever. It’s on the opposite side of the house, and the vent goes across the family room and vents out where the room would be. It would be *much *easier to reroute the vent so it goes to the outside of the house where the utility room actually is (shortening it from about 20 feet to about 4). Is this difficult?
Would there be any way we could preserve the shed, maybe to sell to someone else? It’s one of those prefab room things–it’s quite nice, and has its own foundation. I’d hate to just destroy it if it can be saved.
And, finally, how long should we reasonably expect this to take, and can we continue to live in the house (with our cats) while it’s being done?
Thanks in advance! Yes, I’m really an idiot when it comes to this kind of thing. Don’t laugh.
We just did a major remodel of your house that included an addition, so hopefully I can answer some of your questions.
What’s it likely to cost (ballpark)? I’m figuring it will be about 11x18. Only way to know is to get quotes from a several contractors. Don’t panic if you get a high estimate, if a contractor is busy, they’ll quote high
Zoning-wise, is it reasonable to think that we can have a house addition stick out as far into the back yard as the freestanding unit does? We’re in San Jose, CA, if it matters. Your contractors will have general knowledge of the zoning rules, but this sounds reasonable to me.
How do they build it? How would they turn an exterior wall into an interior one? The area we want to put it currently has a sliding glass door to the back yard–I figure we can have them knock that out and put in some french doors so we can close off the game room to keep the cats out. Do they build it out and then do something to the exterior wall, or would they have to knock out that wall and start over? Yes, if the existing wall is in good shape it is easier to strip off the siding and turn it into an interior wall, re-using the existing doorway is a good idea.
Currently, our dryer has the most stupid venting ever. It’s on the opposite side of the house, and the vent goes across the family room and vents out where the room would be. It would be much easier to reroute the vent so it goes to the outside of the house where the utility room actually is (shortening it from about 20 feet to about 4). Is this difficult? It certainly doesn’t sound difficult. If the dryer is by an exterior wall, a hole saw is all you need
Would there be any way we could preserve the shed, maybe to sell to someone else? It’s one of those prefab room things–it’s quite nice, and has its own foundation. I’d hate to just destroy it if it can be saved. Put it on craigslist, see what happens?
And, finally, how long should we reasonably expect this to take, and can we continue to live in the house (with our cats) while it’s being done? Certainly no longer than 4 months, and quite possibly much less, depending on how much your contractor does himself and how much he depends on subs. You should absolutely be able to continue to live in the house, we removed 2/3 of the second floor of our house and had plastic sheeting for a wall in our kitchen for a month, but we still lived there.
1–no idea, costs vary so much by area that it would be tough to give you anything but a ballpark. But I would say for what you describe something in the very wide range of $65-125 SF could happen.
2-again you will need to discuss with an Architect you hire and/or the local zoning examiner. Most cities have fliers that they hand out for homeowners. But typically there is a minimum backyard dimension from the property line you need to address. Other issues will be maximum lot coverage. In other words you can only have x amount of your property covered.
3-any number of ways. But in general yes, they would turn an exterior wall into an interior one. I would assume they would take out the window, cover it with plastic and take off the siding, etc. I don’t usually get involved in means and methods but that would be logical.
4-yes I would suggest you do that. Your dryer will be much more efficient if it doesn’t have to push as far as you currently are doing. Plus it will be easier to clean out, etc.
5-probably yes. Depends on how the shed was built I suppose
6-Yes you can live in the house–all of this sounds like exterior work in that it is off the side of your house. I would guess 6-8 weeks depending on how busy your contractor is, the access to the backyard, what exterior materials you are talking about, etc. Getting your building permit will be also need to be factored in. I just finished an addition to the back of a house for some friends and it was about 6-8 weeks here in the Seattle area. But all the Contractors here are starting to get busy so you can expect that time frame to increase.
good luck–feel free to PM if you have other questions or need an Architect
Wow, cool. I’ll need to go looking for it! (Sorry, sorry!)
Actually, I was more concerned with whether it would even be possible to dismantle it and get it out of the yard (our back yard is pretty small). Is that something the contractor can possibly do?
I’m kind of a nervous sort–I certainly wouldn’t feel right about leaving our house if it had plastic sheeting for a wall (not only because of the potential for the cats getting out, but also for bad guys getting in). I’m wondering if it’s feasible to build out the room part first and then knock out the sliding door and replace it, so there wouldn’t be an opening.
yes–they could take it out and plywood over it while they build the addition and then cut the plywood out. Again these are questions you should get together with a good General contractor to discuss as there are many ways to achieve the same goal. All of course with varying price tags, but a good GC will listen to your concerns and will work to solve them.
I’d suggest joining a good referral service to find a contractor. Angie’s List is one thats popular in the US. Other country’s should have similar web sites. It should provide real comments and ratings from Contractor’s former customers.
Randomly picking a contractor from a phone book is a risky decision. Don’t let just anybody with tools and a pickup truck work on your house.
Watch the show “Holmes on Homes”. It’s on cable and may be available on Netflix or at your library. He goes into homes and fixes problems from other contractors. It will help you spot your contractor doing anything shoddy and incorrect. Mike Holmes also as a book called “Make it Right”, which helps homeowners figure out what needs to be done in a renovation.
Never assume the contractor is your friend or looking out for you best interests. He’s not necessarily a crook, but he’s in business and his motivation is to make a profit. He may make decisions and cut corners to save money. Have a plan on how to deal with the cost overruns which are certain to happen. The “Make it Right” book can help you figure out how to manage the relationship with your contractor.
Consider getting your own home inspector to sign off on the work. Have him come before any walls are sealed up. Put it in your contract that all issues from the inspector must be resolved before final payment will be made. Also, ensure that all necessary permits from the city are granted before work starts. Contractors will often not get permits and it will cause problems when you try to sell.
Unfortunately, it’s up to you to make sure that the wiring, ducting, insulation, roofing, etc are all done properly. Don’t trust that your contractor will do it correctly. If you don’t know what to look for, pay someone who does. It will save you money in the long urn.
My brother built an addition a few years ago and the cats saw this as an opportunity to explore. More than once, I got a call from him saying he needed to get out of the house because he’d just pulled one or both of the cats out of the attic or off the roof again. He made a point of going around each day after the builders left to look for openings that would attract them, but he missed quite a few. Be prepared.
Eh, isn’t this what city inspections (tied to permits) are for? And isn’t “Always have permits pulled, it’s for your own protection” something that Mike Holmes teaches us??
Any time I have had work done - ditch enclosure, deck with outdoor lighting, shed with cement pad - I’ve had to both get permits (or pay the contractor to get them) and wait for inspections.
Granted, not all municipalities are the same. But you may not have to get a third-party inspector - you may be forced to use your city’s. Whatever the case - don’t avoid it!
A novice may not know what permits are needed. You can’t trust your contractor when he says only X needs a permit and Y doesn’t. Is he correct or is he lying?
The city inspector will only inspect the work related to the permit he’s inspecting. So he’ll inspect the electrical for the electrical permit, but he’s not going to say that the insulation isn’t sufficient or that the roof flashing is missing and will leak water into the walls.
If you’re spending 10k+ to get a renovation, it's worth a few hundred to have your own advocate look over the work for problems.
Are you in SJ proper, or are you covered by the County?
Figure that out, then go down to the planning department and have a little chat with a planner. They can give you lots of good info about setbacks, etc. I think that generally in SJ the rear setbacks are 20 ft. The fact that you have an existing outbuilding isn’t going to come into play unless you are actually absorbing that building into your house. If that building isn’t built to code, you may not be able to do that if it extends past your setbacks.
But really, talk to a planner in either SJ or the County. More often than not, they are glad to help.
I can give you some rough costs if you tell me what you’re using the space for-- living space, kitchen, bath…?
Oops. I see you already specified a game room. Figure a contractor is going to charge you anywhere from $150 - $200/sq ft. Assuming you’re on a flat lot and don’t need to do any grading or add retaining walls.
Are you in SJ proper, or are you covered by the County?
[quote]
SJ proper.
What’s a setback? Is that how far something has to be from the edge of the property? If so, 20 feet would be a big problem. Our yard is pretty small. However, the outbuilding was built to code–the builder got all the permits. So assuming it’s allowed to be where it is, would it be reasonable to assume that if we tore it down, we’d be able to build something else that reached out as far as it did?
The planning department is on the 3rd floor of 200 E. Santa Clara St.
Yes, the setback is the distance from your house to the property line. They can vary, and might be different if you have a really small lot, but 20 ft is standard in most of Santa Clara County.
Once you tear it down, you’re tabula rasa.
Let me see if I can look up in the SJ municode and see what the setbacks are. Do you know your zoning designation?
Looks like accessory buildings don’t have setbacks. That’s what you have now. For residences, the rear setback is 20 - 30 ft, depending on your zoning district.
If that link doesn’t work, go to this link and click on “Zoning Ordinance” on the top. Then click on “General Provisions and Zoning Districts”.
Ugh. This might all be moot, then. If we have to leave 15-20 feet between the rear fence and the edge of the addition, that wouldn’t leave enough room to make it worthwhile.
You can also ask for a variance from the city council, or maybe from the planning department itself. Just because the zoning ordinance says something doesn’t mean it’s absolute. I think having your accessory building is reason enough to show that the neighbors wouldn’t be bothered by an addition that occupies roughly the same footprint.
As an example, zoning in my township says you need to have 75 feet of setback from the edge of the road. We measured out with the contractor and we were only 70 feet. Called the town inspector and he says “Is it 75 feet from the centerline of the road?” It was, and he approved it with no variance needed.
That’s encouraging. I will look into it. Yeah, the addition would take up about the same space as the outbuilding–the only extra would be closer to the house. The building is very close to the back fence–I think there are only 2 or 3 feet between the fence and the wall. The neighbors around here are cool, and they’ve never complained about it. It doesn’t block their views of anything but our backyard (which they don’t need to be seeing into anyway!)
Thanks–at least I’ve got a glimmer of hope now that it might still be possible.
(Sorry, sorry!)