How do I know if my lot can accommodate an addition?

It comes down to your zone's setbacks, maximum height, and lot-coverage limits. We pull your plat and zoning early to confirm how far you can build toward property lines and whether you have room to go out; if not, a second-story addition may be the path. Corner lots and flag lots have their own setback quirks we check for.

Can you make an addition look like it was always there?

That is the whole craft of a good addition. We match roof pitch and overhang, source siding and trim profiles to blend, feather in the roofing, and align window styles and heights. From the street a well-done addition should be invisible; the seams are what betray a rushed job.

Is a second-story addition possible on my house?

Often, but not always. We verify that the existing foundation and walls can carry the new load, which sometimes requires reinforcement, and we confirm the lot's height limit allows it. On expansive Utah clay we pay particular attention to whether the original foundation was built for a second story.

Do additions affect my property taxes?

Adding permitted living area typically increases your assessed value and therefore your property taxes, though the added value and usable space generally outweigh the adjustment. We can only speak to construction; your county assessor determines the actual valuation.

How disruptive is an addition to daily life?

Less than a whole-home remodel, because we keep the existing home sealed off from the new work until the tie-in. The most disruptive moments are the exterior opening and utility tie-ins, which we schedule tightly and dry-in quickly to protect the existing home from weather.

How long does a home addition take?

A bump-out can run two to three months, a main-level wing three to five, and a second-story addition four to seven or more, plus design and permitting ahead of construction. Utah's weather and city review timelines factor into the schedule we commit to.

Construction & Remodel

Home Additions

More room where you already love living — built to look original.

Estimated Range

$60k – $350k+

Request detailed quote

Service Tiers

Bump-Out Addition

$60k - $120k

A modest single-room expansion that stretches a kitchen, primary suite, or living area within existing setbacks.

Cantilevered or foundation bump-out
Roofline tie-in to match existing
Matched siding and windows
Extended HVAC and electrical
Interior finish to blend seamlessly

New Wing / Main-Level Addition

$120k - $250k

A full ground-floor addition with its own foundation for a suite, great room, or expanded living space.

New engineered foundation
Full structural framing and roof tie-in
Independent HVAC zone
Matched exterior envelope
Complete interior build-out

Second-Story Addition

$200k - $350k+

Adding a full upper level, the most complex addition, requiring foundation and structural verification below.

Existing structure and foundation reinforcement
New staircase integration
Full second-floor framing and envelope
Systems extension upward
Roofline redesign to unify the home

Key Benefits

Gain square footage without leaving your lot or neighborhood
Add a primary suite, home office, or growing-family space right where you need it
Increase home value with usable, permitted living area
Match rooflines, siding, and finishes so the addition reads as original
Avoid the cost and disruption of selling, buying, and moving

Our Process

Feasibility, zoning & setbacks
We confirm the addition fits your lot's setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage before design.
Design & structural engineering
We design the addition to blend with the home and engineer the tie-in and any reinforcement.
Foundation & structure
New footings or foundation reinforcement, then framing tied cleanly into the existing structure.
Envelope & systems tie-in
We weather-seal the addition and extend HVAC, electrical, and plumbing from the existing home.
Finishes & seamless blend
Matched siding, roofing, flooring, and trim make the new space indistinguishable from the original.

Cost Guide

Addition pricing depends heavily on type: a simple bump-out might run $60k while a full second-story addition can pass $350k, because each type demands a different amount of foundation and structural work. The single biggest cost divide is whether you build out on a new foundation or build up on the existing structure. Matching an older home's materials and rooflines also adds craft that a plain box would not. The estimate ranges below reflect what drives an addition budget on Wasatch Front homes.

Addition type

A cantilevered bump-out avoids a new foundation and is the most economical; a main-level wing needs its own footings; and a second story requires verifying and often reinforcing everything below it, the costliest path.

Foundation and soils

New footings on expansive Utah clay may need deeper or engineered foundations, and tying a new foundation to an old one without differential settlement adds detailing worth $8k–$25k.

Structural tie-in

Cutting into the existing roof and walls, sizing new beams, and reinforcing for a second story's load carries engineering and framing cost that a stand-alone structure would not.

Matching existing finishes

Sourcing siding, trim profiles, and roofing that blend with a decades-old home — or re-siding a wall to hide the seam — adds material and labor beyond a plain new elevation.

Systems extension

Determining whether the existing furnace, panel, and water heater can serve the new area or need upgrading can add $5k–$20k, especially for a second-story zone.

Project Timeline

Feasibility, zoning & setbacks
2–4 weeks
We verify setbacks, height, and lot-coverage limits against your plat and zone, and flag any variance or HOA review needed.
Design, engineering & permitting
6–12 weeks
Blend-focused design, structural engineering for the tie-in and any reinforcement, and city permit approval.
Foundation & structure
3–6 weeks
New footings or existing-foundation reinforcement, then framing tied into the home and dried-in quickly against weather.
Envelope & systems tie-in
3–5 weeks
Roofing, siding, and windows to match, plus extending HVAC, electrical, and plumbing with the required rough inspections.
Finishes & blend
4–8 weeks
Interior finishes, matched flooring and trim, exterior touch-up, final inspection, and a walkthrough of the unified home.

Materials & Options

Matched siding and trim

We source or mill siding and trim profiles to match your existing exterior so the new wall does not read as a bolt-on addition.

Engineered beams for roof tie-in

LVL or steel headers carry the loads created when the existing roof and walls are opened for the addition, keeping the connection sound.

Foundation dowels and epoxy anchors

Doweling the new foundation into the old with epoxy anchors ties the two together so they move as one on Utah's shifting soils.

Ice-and-water roof underlayment

At the new-to-old roof valley and eaves, a self-sealing membrane guards the vulnerable tie-in against ice dams and wind-driven snow.

Matched flooring and interior trim

Blending flooring runs and baseboard and casing profiles across the threshold is what makes the addition feel original from the inside.

Permits in Utah

Any addition that increases the footprint or living area of your home requires a building permit, along with electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits for the extended systems. Before design, the governing constraints are zoning: your lot's setbacks from property lines, maximum building height, and allowed lot coverage, all set by your city. Building closer than the setback allows requires a variance, which is a separate and uncertain approval process. Inspectors verify the new foundation, the structural tie-in and any reinforcement, energy-code compliance for the new envelope, and the systems connections. In HOA and mountain-town design-review areas, exterior changes need approval before the city permit. We confirm zoning feasibility first, handle Blue Stakes and the full permit package, and manage the staged inspections through final.

Maintenance

Inspect the roof tie-in valley and flashing each fall, since the junction of new and old roofing is the most likely spot for a future leak.
Watch the interior seam where the addition meets the original home for hairline cracks in the first year as the new structure settles.
Confirm the extended HVAC zone heats and cools evenly, and rebalance dampers if the addition runs warmer or cooler than the main home.
Keep grading and downspouts directing water away from the new foundation, especially where it ties into the original footing.
Re-caulk the exterior joints where new siding meets old every few years to keep the weather seal continuous.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Designing the addition before checking setbacks

Homeowners fall in love with a footprint that intrudes into a required setback, then face an uncertain variance process or an expensive redesign after the fact.

Building up without verifying the structure below

A second story imposes loads the original foundation and walls may never have been designed for, and skipping that verification risks settlement and cracking throughout the home.

Not matching rooflines and materials

A mismatched pitch, siding, or window style makes an addition look tacked on, which reads as amateur to buyers and can actually reduce curb appeal despite the added space.

Overloading the existing mechanical systems

Assuming the current furnace and panel can serve new rooms often leaves the addition uncomfortable or the electrical overtaxed, and retrofitting capacity afterward is far more disruptive.

Whole-Home Remodeling

Reimagine the house you love without leaving the neighborhood you chose.

$150k – $500k+

General Contracting

One accountable builder from first budget to final walkthrough.

Project-based · typically 15–25% of construction cost

Attic & Dormer Conversions

Look up. Your new master suite is already there.

$20k – $80k+