当你对现在的家不满意时，它可以令人兴奋地启动一个新增加的计划。 一个新的客厅，卧室，或更多可以增加你的家的价值，同时提高你的生活质量。

另一方面，即使是一个适度的增加也可能变成一个大型建筑项目，建筑师和承包商要管理，建筑工人在你的房子里闲逛，锤子敲打，到处都是锯末。 虽然新建房屋可能是一项非常好的投资，但每平方英尺的成本通常比建造一栋新房子要高，比购买一套更大的现有房屋要高得多。

定义你的需求

要确定一个额外的东西是否适合你的特定情况，首先要明确你想要和需要的是什么。 By focusing on core needs, you won’t get carried away with a wish list that can push the project out of reach financially.

If it’s a matter of needing more space, be specific. For example, instead of just jotting down “more kitchen space,” figure out just how much more space is going to make the difference, e.g., “150 square feet of floor space and six additional feet of counter space.”

If the addition will be for aging parents, consult with their doctors or an age-in-place expert to define exactly what they’ll require for living conditions, both now and over the next five to ten years.

添加的类型

Bump-out addition—“Bumping out” one or more walls to make a first-floor room slightly larger is something most homeowners think about at one time or another. 然而，当您考虑到所需的工作和创建的有限空间时，它通常是您最昂贵的方法之一。

First-floor addition—Adding a whole new room (or rooms) to the first floor of your home is one of the most common ways to add a family room, apartment or sunroom. 但这种方法也会占用庭院空间。

Dormer addition—For homes with steep rooflines, adding an upper floor dormer may be all that’s needed to transform an awkward space with limited headroom. 成本是可以承受的，如果做得好，天窗也可以提高你的房子的路边吸引力。

Second-story addition—For homes without an upper floor, adding a second story can double the size of the house without reducing surrounding yard space.

Garage addition—Building above the garage is ideal for a space that requires more privacy, such as a rentable apartment, a teen’s bedroom, guest bedroom, guest quarters, or a family bonus room.

许可证要求

You’ll need a building permit to construct an addition—which will require professional blueprints. Your local building department will not only want to make sure that the addition adheres to the latest building codes, but also ensure it isn’t too tall for the neighborhood or positioned too close to the property line. 一些建筑部门在给你许可之前也会征求你邻居的意见。

合法公寓的要求

虽然有一个能提供额外收入来源的租房者的想法可能很诱人，但建造和租赁一套合法的附加公寓的现实可能会让人清醒。 Among the things you’ll need to consider:

• Special permitting—Some communities don’t like the idea of “mother-in-law” units and therefore have regulations against it or zone-approval requirements.
• Separate utilities—In many cities, you can’t charge a tenant for heat, electricity, and water unless utilities are separated from the rest of the house (and separately controlled by the tenant).
• ADU Requirements—When building an “accessory dwelling unit” (the formal name for a second dwelling located on a property where a primary residence already exists), building codes often contain special requirements regarding emergency exists, windows, ceiling height, off-street parking spaces, the location of main entrances, the number of bedrooms, and more.

此外，租房者有特殊的权利，而房东有额外的责任。 You’ll need to learn those rights and responsibilities and be prepared to adhere to them.

平均成本

增建房屋的成本取决于多种因素，比如所用材料的质量、从事增建工作的工人、增建房屋的类型和大小、房屋的年龄和现状。 然而，大致来说，如果你的房子位于价格较高的房地产区域，你可以计算出每平方英尺的花费约为200美元，而在价格较低的市场，每平方英尺的花费约为100美元。

你可能想知道，如果你几年后卖掉房子，你付出的努力能得到多少回报？ The answer to that question depends on the aforementioned details, but the average “recoup” rate for a family room addition is typically more than 80 percent.

底线

当然，在聘请建筑师制定计划之前，你应该研究一下现有的房屋市场，在你现有的房屋上建造一个额外的房屋是一个很好的方式来扩大你的生活区，定制你的房屋，并保持在同一个社区。