How Much Does It Cost to Add on a Room?
The popularity of HGTV and Pinterest prove that homeowners like to dream.
Since winning the lottery is limited to only a few people in the country (as are six-figure salaries), the rest of us need to be realistic. So what does it cost in the Northeast, NYC-metropolitan area to make home additions?
Based on prior jobs, we can give you some basic numbers on adding a room to your home.
Cost per Square Foot
When giving a quick estimate, we say it will be about $170-200 per square foot of addition. That includes:
The finished shell with roofing
Siding
Standard windows
Interior stairs
Standard tub, toilet and sink
Framed rooms with drywall
Basic electric and plumbing
It does not take into consideration:
Special windows
Appliances
Big tubs and large showers
Kitchen cabinets and cabinet pulls
Counter tops
Bathroom vanities
Fancy entry doors
Decks, patios and balconies
Tile work
Hardwood floors
Decorative light fixtures and light bulbs
Possible Cost of Home Additions
One-car detached garage that matches the house siding and roof with an electric garage door, a man-door and rafter storage space: $20-26,000
New entry door and stairs with stonework sidewalk: $8-10,000
New two-bedroom, three-bathroom home with one-car garage and basement, including tearing down the house and digging new basement: $470,000
Add a level with two bedrooms and one full bath, one-car garage with new roof and siding, new deck and Florida room: $155,000
Labor Cost
Some homeowners may choose to buy their own material instead of going through a contractor, but you will still need to pay for labor.
To give you an estimate, we charge $50-60 an hour per person for labor-only jobs. A good carpenter can cost between $17-30 an hour, and a helper is $10-15.
To frame a two-car garage with a room above, labor only will cost about $13,800.
Cost of Materials
Add to all of this the prices of materials and the rising labor costs for an experienced crew, and the overall price will continue to increase.
A square of roofing shingles costs $125-175, which covers 100 square feet. Siding with similar coverage costs $250-300 per square foot. Plywood can be anywhere from $15-25 for a 4-by-8 foot sheet, and a 4-by-8-foot sheetrock is $10-15, and 2-by-4s are around $2-4.
Why are costs on TV different?
HGTV and other home-improvement channels are great for inspiration, but it’s important to remember they are first and foremost created for entertainment.
HGTV designers have endorsement deals with suppliers, so they get special pricing for mentions and advertising on the shows. A certain brand or store may offer a TV show a high-quality wood floor at a lower price in exchange for being mentioned on the show. So when you see the price of an item on HGTV or other home-improvement networks, remember that those are lower than what you can expect to pay.
TV shows often have larger crews that can get more done quicker, and inspections are typically passed faster. This means less time is spent working, so lesser labor costs are shown.
Shows are also edited to make the project timeline look faster. They don’t show every minute of drywall spackling, or how the mason grouts exterior stonework for hours or days.
Special orders, clients changing their minds about design decisions, and Mother Nature can also extend the lifeline of projects.
Understanding what costs go into your home addition or remodel will help you decide what is a realistic total cost for adding on a room.
This is not to scare you off doing an addition to your home but to help you see the big picture (and not just the TV-screen-size of home renovations).
