OT: I'm thinking about putting an addition on by building. Where do I get started?

[Derek Smalls]

I'm considering putting an addition onto my existing building. Not sure where to start, architect, civil engineer, general contractor??? I've never done this kind of thing before and I feel like I don't even know where to get started?

There are some issues I know I need to contend with. The rear part of my property, where the addition will be, is about six feet lower than grade where by building currently stands, so I may need a retaining wall. Also there is a power line easement at the back of the property. Not sure what problems that will create or how close I can build to it. Drainage will also be an issue.

Ideally, I'd like to talk to someone, and compensate them for their time obviously, who could give me a realistic idea of what would need to be done as well as the approximate total cost of the project, before I get too far into this. I just don't know who that person is. I've contacted a few local architectural companies but they are all either too busy right now to get involved or don't handle this kind of project. Exactly what kind of company should I be calling?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Matt@RFR]

You need a general contractor (GC) that is familiar with your style of building. They charge 20-40% of the total cost of the project to oversee everything. They deal with the architect, engineer, all the governmental agencies that will make your life miserable, and all the subcontractors that do the actual work. The subs might be part of the general's company, or they might be individual companies. You will have one point of contact throughout the process: The GC.

When you get your quote, triple anything to do with the town/county/state government (design review, permits, environmental impact bullshit, etc.), and add about 50% to everything else and you'll probably be close.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Sniff out the best GC around, then be prepared to wait because he's busy, and pay because he's good. A bad GC will make your life hell. Been there. When I built our current 4800 sq ft metal building, it was supposed to be done in 5 months, but took 2 years and nearly broke us. We ended up finishing a lot of the building ourselves.

 

[BT Fabrication]

I am expanding my own building. first thing you need to know is if you can even build or expand there. ask the local township/county, some have max % land use if you have a small lot.

next thing you need to know is what exactly you want. draw it rough on paper, and bring to a building engineer to manufacture a set of drawings.
then i had to take those drawings, bring them to a roof truss company to engineer the trusses.
then had to take all that and submit it to the county for approval.
this year, I started it back in january, got drawings by june. truss drawings by july/aug and a permit the end of august.
then you have to find people to do every little thing, like concrete, and gas and wiring and framing etc.
its a crap ton of work for even a small expansion.
thats why most people hire a general contractor..

 

[Derek Smalls]

Thanks for the responses guys.
I'll go down to city hall today and see if I can get some questions answered, specifically about the power line easement and % land use thing. I do have a small lot and the building with the proposed addition would be covering a large portion of it. I have suspected that may be a problem.

I'd like to handle as much of this myself as possible and avoid hiring a general contractor, but being this is my first rodeo that may not be a smart move. Paying someone who knows what they are doing may save me a ton of heartache and money in the long run!

 

[Garwood]

IMO, either suffer through doing it all yourself or suffer through paying a top notch GC to do it all for you.

If you suffer through doing part of it yourself and suffer through the consequences of a bad GC you'll hate life.

 

[michiganbuck]

You might draw a sketch of your plan with lot lines, concrete and existing stuff to a local builder for a bid. That guy/gal will give you plenty of good advice.

I knew a lady who wanted a simple driveway culvert. She went to city hall and they told her that an engineer had to design it, the place had to be surveyed and a ton of expensive crap. Most of the farmers there just put one in or had one put in for 1/4 of what she ended up paying.

 

[gustafson]

We don't know if you have 10000 sq ft, 10 acres or 100 acres
Whatever it is see if your county has online plot plans you can access, they are usually more accurate than assessors maps
'usually' easements are what they are, and again they should be on the deed. I don't know of any setbacks for easements, but anything is possible
Your town or county probably has zoning maps online that will tell you setbacks[something like 40 ft from the road, 20 feet from sideline, 10 feet from back whathaveyou] for whatever your zoning district is
Other things are distance from septic, distance from well, distance from wetlands
Many places have no zoning or inspections, but that doesn't really mean no rules.
IF you get this information before talking to anyone you can have a better conversation

 

[Motorhead99999]

I build pole barns for a living. Contact a contractor to get a quote. Most do free quotes. If you get a quote that suits your budget contact the town and meet them with a google maps image or hunting app with property lines and draw your building on it with measurements to the lines. As far as grade you will have a hard time finding a contractor that does grade work and construction but they are out there. Rent a big exscavator to set barrier blocks and fill it up or hire a escalation company to do grade work. Job coordinators are a waste of money on a job less than 150k

Also in north east us building materials are still high but prices are beginning to go down slowly but are unpredictable. As of right now any pole barn we build is roughly double what it was before Covid.

Either way I would contact a building contractor first. 95 percent of them will set you in the right track as far as what you need to do or get done and usually have a list of company’s that they deal with like dirt work, concrete and electrical.

 

[Ox]

I feel sorry for you folks out there in "zoned" land.

-------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[gustafson]

I feel sorry for you folks out there in "zoned" land.

-------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Shrug
No lead smelting plant across the street from me
No brick wall on my lot line

Like all of life, learn the rules, deal with them.

 

[rabler]

'usually' easements are what they are, and again they should be on the deed

We got a nice discount on the house we're currently in. The seller had built a garage on an easement across the property. The easement was for access to property we already owned. The seller(really the estate, occupant had passed away) had the option of accepting our offer or bulldozing the garage, otherwise couldn't show clear title. The garage was nearly 20% of the total value on appraisal.

 

[gustafson]

We got a nice discount on the house we're currently in. The seller had built a garage on an easement across the property. The easement was for access to property we already owned. The seller(really the estate, occupant had passed away) had the option of accepting our offer or bulldozing the garage, otherwise couldn't show clear title. The garage was nearly 20% of the total value on appraisal.

People are in fact funny. Of course it never affected the owner, so he doesn't care/

 

[rabler]

People are in fact funny. Of course it never affected the owner, so he doesn't care/

True, but apparently at least according to Indiana law, we could have demanded the bulldozing of the garage at any point, at the owner's expense. We didn't really need the right of way, but legally we could have been real jerks earlier. The previous owner was an elderly widow, I believe her son-in-law had arrange to have the garage built, but had neglected to check the records. Building permits are not required here, except for septic tank installations. Just because permits are not required doesn't mean you don't need to do your homework. Son-in-law and her spouse, the widow's daughter, may have suffered some inheritance loss as a result.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

If the addition is a metal building, your local metal building distributor (if you have one), can design the addition and they have engineers that can stamp the plans, and a list of metal building erection contractors in your area.

 

[gustafson]

Go back and look at the appreciation over the last decade of our "zoned" land versus your un-zoned. You may not feel so good.

I do support[most] zoning, or at least the concept.
However to paraphrase someone smarter than me, the increase in the price of houses only helps you if you have more houses than you need

 

[john.k]

Zoning is nothin.....on my place here ,I got whats called overlays.....every overlay is a colour on the city map and relates to some individual town planning condition......for instance noise overlay from the 4 lane road outside .....gas plume overlay from the fuel station next door.....then there is all the green crap.....biodiversity overlay,koala habitiat overlay,significant tree overlay.....even an overlay relating to the airport 15 miles away.........I cant have a flashing light on a 100ft high pole.

 

[gustafson]

I cant have a flashing light on a 100ft high pole.

Good lord how do you live with such restrictions on your liberty

 

[Modelman]

Whatever it is see if your county has online plot plans you can access, they are usually more accurate than assessors maps
'usually' easements are what they are, and again they should be on the deed. I don't know of any setbacks for easements, but anything is possible
Your town or county probably has zoning maps online that will tell you setbacks[something like 40 ft from the road, 20 feet from sideline, 10 feet from back whathaveyou] for whatever your zoning district is
Other things are distance from septic, distance from well, distance from wetlands
Many places have no zoning or inspections, but that doesn't really mean no rules.
IF you get this information before talking to anyone you can have a better conversation

Careful with easements. It has been my experience in northern Illinois that easements are NOT typically written into the deed, but are separate filings. Because of this they typically aren't shown on the property survey either. There is a little clause in the standard sales contract that makes the buyer party to all preexisting easements, whether disclosed or not. On the residential property I bought the cable company had a 10' easement along two sides, and on a commercial parcel it was the gas company that had a 10' strip along the back. In both cases they were within the required setback, so not buildable anyway, but on the commercial parcel, scotched any plan to purchase another adjacent parcel and expand the building across the former lot line. So, beware.

Dennis

 

[jscpm]

The builder is the most important part of the equation. The builder will know architects they like to work with. Your first priority is to find a builder who has the right personality, skill set and desire to do your expansion.

The foundation is very important. Get it dug, compacted and let it settle for 6 months and compact again. People who pour foundations on unseasoned excavations end up with cracked foundations.

 

[john.k]

The crooked council keeps chiselling easements off the sides of my land and pays me virtually nothing for them......for instance ,a 15ft wide drainage easement 250ft long.....I got $1200 compensation.........if I want to build on this easement ,the application fee alone is $1600...........the old guy next door was always at me to sell him a slice of my yard to square up his triangular block ...........planning costs would be prohibitive,but I came up with a cunning workaround.......realign the fence,and he could claim "Adverse possession",which I wouldnt dispute...........Anyhoo,we agree on a price,and the fence is repositioned ,he claims and after a while he owns the slice 10ft wide.............Then he applies for a building permit......and finds the 10ft slice neatly includes one of the drainage easements.