Is it worth extending on an old house?
- Thread starter kennyboi
- Start date
It can, but it depends on many other factors:
1. Are the foundations good enough to take the extra weight?
2. Can it be done in a way that makes it not look like it has been tacked on?
3. Is their demand for that accommodation?
4. How much will it cost Vs end value............and so on.
Usually they don't add a floor on top of the existing timber house, they raise the existing timber house and build in underneath.
If you don't do a lot of work yourself it can cost a fortune. Very very labour intensive compared to a new build.
Here's what I did with my old timber house: http://somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92426&highlight=ppor
I would estimate it cost me $150 000 to fully renovate upstairs and do the extension downstairs. But I did all the work myself. Add $200 000 to pay someone else to do a similar job.
Most people price up these sorts of projects... and then they knock down the existing house and build something new for half the price.
This may be true for Queenslanders, but I don't believe it is in NSW for 50yo timber framed houses.
Depends on the house I guess. Lots of post war houses get raised and built under too. Can the OP post a pic of the property? Is it on stumps or a slab?
It is on stumps, timber framed permalume house. Been thinking if there is worth adding a storey on the rear half of the house.
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How much do you want to spend?
I don't know much about adding a second story on top of an existing house. But I'd imagine there's a reason why people normally raise the house and build under. Off the top of my head the extra issues would be having to knock down the old roof, do a whole new roof, the existing footings/stumps may not be deep enough to support a structure twice the height and weight, the walls would not be strong enough to support a second story and you'd have to do all sorts of things like putting steel beams and steel posts everywhere and rip off the internal walls to put bracing ply everywhere. But those are just issues I imagine you'd face, speak to an engineer for proper answers.
I would budget $200 000 if you just wanted to raise the existing house and build underneath it. Not too sure how much to add a second floor to the back bit.
Ouch! It probably would be better to rebuild at that price.