Split the Addition Budget Between New Rooms and the House You Already Have
A pretty addition elevation is not a budget. The new rooms have a cost. The 1990s air handler, the undersized panel, and the roof plane you have to cut into have another cost. We split those columns before anyone falls in love with a floor plan.
CRM Construction & Renovation builds home additions and second-story work across North Atlanta. Owners in Roswell and Marietta often price the new square footage and treat the old house as free. It is not free.
List the work the existing house will demand
HVAC capacity, electrical headroom, foundation at the tie-in, roof drainage, and whether the old kitchen still has to function during construction. If the addition triggers a kitchen move, that is not "finish later." It is on the same calendar. Photograph the panel, the air handler, and the connection wall.
Two columns, one contingency
Column A is new structure, windows, and finishes in the addition. Column B is everything the original house needs so the addition does not create a wet wall or a dark hallway. A single lump number hides Column B until drywall. Our process page is how we sequence both, not a surprise change order in month four.
If you also want a basement finish or outdoor living package, those are Column C. Do not stuff them into the addition number to make the first quote look small.
Permit and structural work belong in Column B when they are triggered
A second-story on an older ranch in East Cobb can require more existing-house work than the new floor itself. That is still an addition project. It is not a new-construction price. See also new construction if you are actually choosing between adding on and starting over.
What we need on the first visit
The goal for the new rooms, known problems in the existing house, and photos of the tie-in. Owners across our service areas, including Alpharetta and Sandy Springs, can contact us when they want both columns on paper. Read about our team and how general contracting holds the budget to the house you already occupy.
Ready to separate new space from work the house already needs?
Send the goal for the addition, known issues in the existing house, and photos of the connection point. We will split the budget before drawings race ahead.