I can tell you what we're doing in Central Pennsylvania. We are removing one side of our home which is a single story and rebuilding it as a two-story. We're also replacing the whole house roof and siding and adding two windows. This is a three-room addition, with a family room on the first floor and a master bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. Our total cost will be around $90,000.

One thing that frustrated me was getting the estimates. It was SO hard to compare apples to apples because every company had different ideas about how to do things, what needed to be done and what they'd include. We went with the company that had the best word of mouth and where the contractor cared enough about details like our electric panel and our heating/cooling systems to look at them before making the estimate.

Thanks for the info, rlthomas7. How many square feet is your addition?

If we could do this project in CA for $90,000, we might go for it. I'm trying to figure out where we could add a staircase to get to the new second floor. I am afraid we might have to lose the small bedroom next to the entry hall to create a staircase.

Total square footage is almost 800 sf; 395 up and 395 down. If you're really thinking of trying it, I'd ask around for some contractor recommendations from your friends. I asked my Facebook friends and found several good leads. And if you want more information about anything we're doing, just ask. I had a hard time finding people who had "survived" an addition and could share tips!

We added a 500sq ft second story addition in 2006 for $50,000-60,000, where the contractor stopped after the drywall was in (we did the painting, trim & doors, and installed the floors -I am a woodworker). Even in a small town in Nebraska it was a good deal. (The contractor was new in the town and needed the job.)

As far as advice for rlthomas7: You can survive, but plan on wishing you were dead while it is going on....

Ha! Did I mention that we have a two-year old and that I stay home with him two days a week? Dealing with him through this process has been the biggest challenge. At least I can take him to daycare for his naps...

We lived through an addition on our last house back in 2003, but that was just converting a poorly done enclosed patio into a living room. It was on the first floor and at the opposite end of our house from the bedrooms. Still, all the drywell dust and noise was not pleasant. This time, we would literally have work going on above our heads.

We have a 21 month old daughter. She is in daycare from 9-6 while my husband and I work, but all the mess and changes will add upheaval to her life. I am not looking forward to the process, but I would so like to have a functional master suite.

No kids through ours. But we did have a drought... unitl the day the roof was torn off. Got 3 inches of rain that night. With gale force winds of up to 63 mph. Tarping wasn't an option with those winds. We had warter pouring through the gaps over our hardwood floors on the bottom level.

This is how we saved the floors, we used a wet/dry vac to suck up the water as it pooled into the bottom:

I guess when we talk about the cost of adding on, it also applied to the non-monetary payment of time/effort/survival....

KAYSD!! This is the longest of long shots, but are you still there? It sounds like you were looking to do EXACTLY what we're currently looking to do with a house we just bought. Heck, you probably are in the roughly the same area. Our new house is in San Diego and we're looking to add approx 500 sq ft master bedroom suite. Did you ever move fwd with the project?