Additions Can Be Cost-Friendly and Energy-Efficient

From on October 8th, 2008 in General Remodel

LoftcraftersAccording to Doug Waters, Operations Manager for The Loftcrafters, Inc., a loft-type addition is the most economical way to add space to any home, large or small. “Even in these tough economic times,” he says, “we can make it affordable!”

Doug says additions can even make your existing HVAC system more energy efficient. This is because Loftcrafters insulates the new floor and installs energy-efficient, dual-paned windows with low-E coating.

While some companies perform more expensive “roof raisers” that are required for a traditional, second-floor addition, Loftcrafters only works within existing, high ceilings. Typical costs run from $15,000 to $30,000; however, Doug says the additions add 2-3 times what they cost in property value. “Our price includes plans, permits, and construction.”

Here are some of the ways that Loftcrafters’ customers have used their new additions:

Media Room by Loftcrafters

  • “The most popular use is a media room. Flat screen TVs are the rage right now.
  • “Some customers get very creative and use the new space as an office/bedroom combo. They’ll do built-in cabinets and a drop-down bed (Murphy Bed) that is hidden in the wall.
  • “Other customers will add a bedroom/bathroom combo to create a 2nd master suite.”

To request an addition from Orange County-based Loftcrafters or a contractor near you, contact CalFinder remodeling contractors for free estimates.

2 Responses to “Additions Can Be Cost-Friendly and Energy-Efficient”

Homeowners that increase the square footage of their house would need to keep in mind that they may need to install a new heat furnace and/or air conditioning because the old one was designed for a smaller house. An HVAC system designed for a 1,700 sq.ft. house would overwork and never properly heat/cool a renovated 2,200 sq.ft. house. However, most new HVAC systems are much more efficient that the older one that you may need to replace. We have remodeled our house in stages during the past 20+ years and wrote about some of these solutions in our book The Happy Remodelers. When we increased the square footage of our home we had to replace the old furnace, but the new one uses less energy that the older one.
Ignacio Arribas
Author, The Happy Remodelers
http://www.happyremodelers.com

[...] is to calculate about $200 per square foot for the addition. Try to decide how much money you have to spend and how much room you want to add on. You may need to adjust your plans for a large addition in [...]

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