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How long does it take to do an addition, anyway?

Fori
13 years ago

I know there are a zillion variables. But to add on a room, once construction starts, are we talking weeks, months, years (like my kitchen hehe) before it's ready for DIY finish work?

If it helps narrow things, it would be stuck onto a single story house with a crawl space type foundation. No plumbing. It could even be on a slab...

I just have no idea how fast these things can go together. Any general rules of thumb? Thanks!

Comments (19)

  • badgergrrl
    13 years ago

    Are you doing it yourself? Or hiring out?

    I know people who have had additions completed quite rapidly (weeks), especially as hard up as some contractors are for work right now.

    On the other hand, my parents have been working on their addition since I was in junior high (I am thirtysomething now), but, you probably didn't want to hear that.... ;)

  • Fori
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Wait a minute--I can do it myself? :)

    Actually I have to tear out a DIY addition before putting in one properly. I would not do this myself. I don't know anything about actual construction. I'd probably want to do all the interior finish work myself, though.

  • handymac
    13 years ago

    You will need some kind of drawing for the permit. That varies with locality.

    You would be better served to add a like support base---that way the foundation would be able to be installed for minimal settling. Nothing like a room addition separating from the main house because of a settling foundation or slab.

    Foundation work should be done in a week or less. That is if the builder/contractor plans and knows his sub contractors(excavation/concrete form work/concrete pouring/etc.

    The rest depends on how many workers are on the crew. Installing a single room floor joist/subfloor is easily just a days work for 4 experienced workers.

    Walls and roof framing in another day, unless the roof has to be integrated with the main roof.

    Sheathing walls and roof in another day----the wall sheathing is some times done before raising a wall. That means two days for framing/sheathing.

    Roofing is a day, but should be done as soon as the roof is sheathed.

    Dry in, installing windows/doors less than a day. Electrical is a day, but can be days later than the finish rough in.

    Sheetrock, two days max with experienced folks.

    If the starts align---2 weeks or less to a finished room ready for you to paint, add flooring, and trim.

    If the normal rain/scheduling delays happen, extend that time to three weeks to a month.

    Or----if you hire a contractor who uses factory built walls/roof structure, foundation in a week, the subfloor/walls/roof can be done in a day, electrical and dry in the next day, sheet rock in 2, and you are painting in under 2 weeks.

    Stick built is faster start to finish from Go. Factory built structures might take 2-5 months to get to the site.

  • Fori
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks so much! Exactly what I wanted. :)

  • Stacey Collins
    13 years ago

    I agree with pretty much everything handymac said except for sheetrock being 2 days. How can they get a really good finish in only 2 coats? Maybe he means just hanging the rock, not finishing it. Our sheetrock took a week. But man, is it smooth and perfect!

    I'd say to plan on a month, because there are always delays (like the electrician gets sick, which holds up the sheetrockers...etc). Then if it only takes 2 weeks, you'll be super psyched!

  • Fori
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I can handle two weeks. I can handle a month!

    (Does everything seem easy after doing a kitchen?)

  • badgergrrl
    13 years ago

    One of the posters on the kitchen forum just told us it has been 30 months, and her GC is letting them stay at his beach house because it has taken him so long.....

  • lesterd
    13 years ago

    We remodeled what already existed and it took 4 months. I would not hold my breath thinking I'd be done in 1 month. No way.

    While it may take 1-2-3 days to do a particular task, it can also take 1-2-3 days to get the particular trade to show up. And then you can have delays getting inspectors in. If you don't have all your supplies ON HAND, you wait for them to come in.

    One month - ha!

  • Fori
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hehe. Kitchens!

  • katsmah
    13 years ago

    I had a 14 x 24 ft family room and powder room addition put on my house in 2001. They had to demo a huge patio, and the addition is built over a crawl space. The contractor did everything except for the flooring, we did that ourselves. Total time excluding the flooring was under 3 months. The addition was a lot less stress than the kitchen remodel I had done last year. It also took less time.

  • Janieful
    11 years ago

    We are currently doing a bedroom/bath addition with a full basement, and the contractor says it should take about 4 months. We are already three weeks into it and the basement is complete. Now we are waiting for the GCs to come and start the actual construction on the first floor. I guess if you aren't including the finish work, the addition could be done in a month, but I would count more on two months.

  • Fori
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    :)

    I have not started yet.

    I had the illegal nasty addition removed. I even had an architect draw up some plans. That turned out to be a waste of some money.

    Now that I've been here a while, I'm getting comfortable, thinking "why the heck do I need a bigger house?". I probably don't.

    I think I just want a bigger garage now.

    Hmmm a basement! We can't build up here over (I think it was) 17 feet. I wonder if there is anyone within 300 miles that knows diddly about basement installations. No no no...must focus on replacing the driveway...

  • axepilot
    7 years ago

    I know this is a very old post. But I had to laugh at some of the comments talking about months to do an addition. The original post didn't even give a size. Unless I missed it. I'm a woman. My husband and I do reno's all of the time. We did a 12x14 bedroom with a vaulted ceiling 15 years ago. For foundation, framing , sheathing and roof it took about a week. Sheet rock took another week or so. We're putting another 12x12 room on this coming July. We're taking a deck off and adding a room. The key is demolition. I'll have that done while he's working. Then my son and I ( he's 24 and off of work for the summer ) we'll dig 9 holes. 48" deep for the sonotubes. I plan on having those in before my husband takes his vacation and starts building. All material will be here and ready to go. We hate hanging sheet rock so we're going with a knotty pine ceiling and walls. It should take about a week to have the room done. Not including the interior but the structure should be done. Of course we have done it before and have electricians and general contractors in our family.

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    7 years ago

    We had a bathroom remodeled (small) and it took every bit of 6 MONTHS, with me doing all the demo. Just don't ask, it still makes my blood boil( after 5 years). Just guess what I tell anybody who asks about said "contractor"

  • Fori
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    You must not be in the same municipality as I am. It takes months just to get the paperwork done.

  • aptosca
    7 years ago

    Ha! I don't even count the time getting permits.

  • Celia Lin
    7 years ago

    So, I'm addition curious.... If it takes months, do you have months to pay?

  • Geri DiCosmo
    6 years ago

    I should have been more informed and asked what kind of work day the builder puts in, 15x18 addition is only roughed in walls after nearly 4 weeks. Can't expect much more when work is only done 4 hours per day. Unbelievably frustrated