Home Additions: Is it Better to Build Up or Build Out?

If your home is starting to feel cramped and you’re in need of more space, considering a well-designed home addition can alleviate your concerns, elevate your home, and give you the extra space that you need. It allows you to stay put in a neighborhood you like while expanding your home’s square footage and potential. But is it better to expand out or up?

At Flansburg Construction, we’ve helped countless homeowners design comfortable additions to their home, but on the first floor, and even help constructing a second. Choosing the right home addition option can depend on a few factors. Here’s how to consider whether to build up or out:

What is Building Up?

Building up is simply adding living space above your current home. Whether it’s adding a full second story, expanding part of the second floor, or even building over a garage. There are a few benefits to building up:

Keeping Yard Space Intact

When you build up, you’re not affecting your yard or diminishing space. This is specifically important if you have a smaller lot and need to preserve as much space as possible.

Enhancing Your Views

Building a second story addition can help improve views from your home. It can also help increase natural light into your home, and if thoughtfully designed, can enhance the curb appeal of your home.

Increased Home Value

If you add a second story to your home, it can have a significant impact on your home’s value. The added square footage and space often result in a higher resale value.

What is Building Out?

Building out involves adding space at the ground level. These additions often include family rooms, expanded kitchens, primary bedrooms, sunrooms, and even in-law suites.

Improved Accessibility

Building out is a great option for older homeowners because there’s no need for stairs.

Less Structural Complexity

Building out requires less planning and engineering to the structure of the home and generally has fewer structural demands.

Easier Build Process

Generally, built-out additions result in less disruptions, making it more comfortable for the homeowner.

Flexible Designs

When you opt for a build-out addition, you can create better transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, resulting in improved functionality.

Challenges of Building Up & Building Out

Building up can be challenged because of the structural requirements, as your home’s existing foundation may not be capable of supporting more weight, which would require more reinforcing. It also requires more construction, which can be disruptive for homeowners.

The challenger for building out is that it results in a loss of outdoor space, effectively reducing the size of your yard. It also may have issues with zoning, and could require additional work to redesign the landscaping and drainage to your property if the addition affects those aspects.

Let Flansburg Construction Help You Expand Your Home

If you’re considering a home addition to help increase the space and value of your home, Flansburg Construction has extensive experience in both building up and building out. If you’re considering your options of whether to go up or out, we can walk you through the process to help you see which option best suits your home.

Reach out to see how we can help expand your home!