https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 22:54:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704878 Thu, 02 Mar 2017 09:20:06 +0000 ValentineMommy 2704878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: I'm an interior designer, so I drew up the plans. Then I had to have an architect sign off on it, and then the structural engineer did the survey/signoff. I will have to take some pics and post on your wall! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704839 Thu, 02 Mar 2017 08:17:43 +0000 hellobeeboston 2704839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: great post as I have similar addition goals on my mind and we also have a center entry colonial similar to yours! We don't have the addition though, but we do have a finished basement. Is your kitchen on the left or right? I wouldn't want the garage to be on the living room side, just thinking about carrying in groceries through the LR to the kitchen. But that's not a huge deal. I liked @milano14: suggestions... basement playroom (that's what our basement will be in the future when the kids are older and can be unattended)! </p> <p>Where is your mudroom currently? Also on playroom side? I guess you would want that by the garage. </p> <p>My dream is also to extend our kitchen and possibly create another living room type space, add a mudroom connecting to new 2-car garage, and build master-suite with new bathroom and office nook on top! </p> <p>Have you consulted an architect yet? I wonder what that costs in MA, so curious to know! </p> <p>Good luck, super exciting!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704828 Thu, 02 Mar 2017 07:35:12 +0000 milano14 2704828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: posted on your wall </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704591 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:42:57 +0000 Jennibenni 2704591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: The best thing to do would be start with an architect. Once you have plans you can bid them out to contractors. If you have no referrals or contacts for architects, schedule meetings with several and treat it like an interview. Tell them what you said here and see their perspective, but also see if you like their personality and would feel comfortable working with them. Sort of like choosing a doctor! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704574 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:30:19 +0000 Foodnerd81 2704574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure how I would accomplish it, but I would do whatever it took to have an additional full bath/ actual master bedroom and master bath. Depending how long you plan to stay, I think the extra bathroom would be super helpful for you guys, or make it a lot easier to sell. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704546 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:10:56 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2704546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: I would just think about trying to keeping the one left side untouched. Also I would think about putting a new master suite up there next to the existing bathroom so plumbing wouldn't have to be run as far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704531 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:00:09 +0000 HappyBaker 2704531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: Haha nope I'm not your sister! But thanks that helps and is what I'm thinking is going to happen to us once the kids get bigger or we add more of them.</p> <p>@looch: @milano14: I didn't even think of doing both, obviously we'd have to spread it out over a long period of time to be able to afford that, but that does seem to solve all of the issues and give us the best space! </p> <p>@milano14: My biggest question is just how does this start! Do I find a residential architect to help us come with the plans, and then find a contractor after that? Will an architect be annoyed that we don't have a definite idea of what exactly we want to do? I really want someone to help us figure out the best solution, not just make a plan of what we say since we clearly have no idea! </p> <p>@ValentineMommy: That is amazing and I didn't even think that would be an option! I think it would be the cheapest for sure. Any chance you have a pic? Did you work with an architect first to draw up a plan, then have a structural engineer check for soundness, or the reverse? Thanks! </p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: I really like that!! Thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704468 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 14:01:19 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2704468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: What about something like this? I think you'll have to consider a "hallway" of some sort. </p> [attach=1506/17/om5gu7.600x313.Screen-Shot-2017-03-01-at-2.01.03-PM.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704467 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 13:57:29 +0000 ValentineMommy 2704467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure which option I'd make, but we did have a very similar situation.</p> <p>Our back room/playroom was also an addition, and has no foundation. We built a large master bedroom suite over top of it, without any special reinforcing of the playroom. </p> <p>We did have a structural engineer come and survey and make sure it was ok. The addition actually sticks out over the playroom (it's bigger) and creates an overhang that has columns supporting it. It's been 10 years and we've had no issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704459 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 13:46:42 +0000 milano14 2704459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would also want to do 1 and 2. Tear down the addition, put in the basement (playroom), garage on the first floor and then Master Suite on the 2nd floor.<br /> Do you need 5 bedrooms? Or just want 3 with a master? (given that the master is bigger). With enlarging the existing bathroom on the 2nd floor and getting access to the space above the new garage you will pretty much lose the 4th existing bedroom. But you could have 3 bedrooms, a larger full bath, and then a master suite with an additional bathroom.<br /> Obviously ,this is the most expensive option!<br /> I'm a residential architect so PM me if you need any help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704389 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 11:48:33 +0000 looch 2704389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would want to do 1 and 2...I'd tear down the addition, build it back and put a second story on it. Then I'd do the garage on the side of that, with a storage loft on top of that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704302 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 10:20:38 +0000 SweetiePie 2704302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do the option that allows an additional full bathroom, which I think is your first option.<br /> If you can turn it into 2.5 baths that would be huge, I think.<br /> My sister has a very similar house to yours (maybe you are my sister :silly: ) and the 1.5 baths with 3 kids (one of them being 10 and slowly needing more and more privacy) is pretty rough. Their bathroom is a nice size but it's still small to be the only full bath. Its their main complaint about the house.<br /> And 5 bedrooms with one being a new master would also be great. You could use one of the existing as storage/office/etc and not lose any bedrooms in use. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-addition-to-add-to-our-house#post-2704259 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 09:43:07 +0000 HappyBaker 2704259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are so many great interior design / home design brains on here I figured I'd see if anyone could give me some ideas that I'm not thinking of / give advice on which of the ideas I have make sense.</p> <p>Attached is a photo of the style of home we live in (this is not our house but it's exactly the same design / size), and what the upstairs layout is like. We have 4 (small) bedrooms and 1.5 baths. Downstairs are an eat in kitchen / dining combo, living room, mudroom / laundry room and half bathroom. The addition on the right is our playroom, but the previous owners built it themselves and its pretty crappily done / there's no real foundation beneath it / I think we would need to redo it if we added a second story to it.</p> <p>Our only full bath is upstairs and is TINY, like when we give the kids a bath I can't even kneel in front of the tub because the toilet is so close to the tub, and the door hits the tiny vanity when it opens. </p> <p>We'd like to:<br /> - Enlarge the full bath, it doesn't have to be by much, just a couple feet wider would be enough.<br /> - Add a bedroom, possibly an actual master? Our room right now barely fits our queen bed and two dressers.</p> <p>I have a bunch of ideas on how to accomplish this but I know nothing about building / architecture so I'm not sure how feasible or expensive any of these would be! What do you think the cheapest way to accomplish this would be? </p> <p>1. Tear down existing playroom, build a two story addition - keep first floor as playroom, second floor extra bedroom / master, enlarge the bathroom.</p> <p>2. Tear down existing playroom, build a garage. This would allows us to then finish the entire basement (since we could move everything in our basement currently into the garage), with a playroom and bedroom down there.</p> <p>3. Add a third story / finish the attic - is this even possible? I don't think the ceilings in our attic are quite tall enough to just add dormers, so I'm thinking no? But this would be super amazing since it would give us a ton more space!</p> <p>[attach=1530/17/om54vv.400x300.90ab4ecfc8eb466db48108f2baba80a7.jpg]</p> <p>[attach=1530/17/om54vw.400x400.Untitled-1.png] </p>