Second Story Addition Considerations

Adding space to your home at the second or even third story can capture views, maximize square footage on a small lot and let you locate all the bedrooms on a single level. However, all that space can come at a high cost. A second story can greatly impact the rest of your home, which often means structural reinforcement on other levels.

The design and function of a second-story addition will have a ripple effect on the rest of your home, a whole house impact — everything from finishes to mechanical work to structural work. A good design will make the second story look like it was always intended, so take the necessary time to make sure the addition does a favor for your curb appeal and your home’s functionality.

A new staircase usually means taking a bite out of your existing main-floor rooms, which can impact the use of those rooms and the traffic flow. Sometimes it’s a no-brainer, like over existing ones going to the basement. But sometimes a little creative thinking is required. Working with a good architect to thoroughly examine all of the options for stair location will yield the best results.

Windows, doors and siding are key elements of the structure, and become big question marks with second-story additions: Should you match them? Start over? Do half and half? If structural work at the main level requires removing half of the siding, you may wonder whether or not the whole house should have new siding. If main-floor windows and doors are tired, rotting, don’t meet energy code or are simply out of style, should they all be replaced?

Making these decisions early in the process is key. Going back to order windows for half a house when the project is already started is sure to cause delays. Part of the demolition process for second-story additions is removing the entire roof system. A contractor experienced with these kinds of remodels will have protection systems to keep rain out, but it won’t be feasible to live in the home during the renovation. A project of this size nearly always requires vacating your home for the duration. But you’ll get to move back into a home that’s doubled in size and is 100 percent ready. To discuss your addition to your home, consult Reagan Construction Group today!

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We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project. "

- Chris and Deb
"Jeff and Scott are inspired to seek the absolute best end to any given project, always striving to reach high levels of both productivity and quality. On a regular basis, Jeff and Scott collaborated with fellow professionals to develop designs, timelines, and when we were stuck, offered us much needed advice and guidance to provide the perfect product: in our case, total renovation of a 1950s cape cod style house."

- Salvatore and Kimberly Privitera

We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project. "

- Chris and Deb
"We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project."

- Chris and Deb

We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project. "

- Chris and Deb
"We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project."

- Chris and Deb

We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project. "

- Chris and Deb
"We purchased a vintage (circa 1906) beach house in The Point area of New London that required a challenging total renovation, remodeling and upgrade, from flooring to plumbing to new kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Jeff and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with, very professional, and, more importantly for us, very pro-active throughout the project, recommending various modifications and providing excellent advice and ideas that resulted in a really wonderful outcome (Jeff re-designed the Master Bath layout in a way we would never have considered – his new design really made a tremendous improvement to Master Bedroom/Bath).

We were very pleased with the quality of the craftsmanship, from woodworking to bathroom tiles. The follow-up touches were also very welcomed and appreciated. Overall, we would certainly recommend Jeff and his team for any home project."

- Chris and Deb