Additions
Additions and second stories
A wing for the family weekends, or a second floor for the view of the water.
An addition has to look as though the cottage always had it. We draw rooflines, windows and trim to match, and plan the foundation and framing for the months when the ground allows it.
What's included
Survey and drawings
Foundation, framing and roof tie-in
Windows and siding matched to the house
Heating and cooling for the new rooms
Interior finishes
Permit applications
Cost
What changes the cost
No figure here: the house sets the number, and the estimate shows where it came from.
Foundation and soil
A crawl space, a slab or a full foundation each cost differently, and the soil decides which is practical.
How much of the roof changes
A second story means opening the roof, which changes everything below it.
Matching the house
Windows, siding and trim that match the old ones cost more than plain new ones.
Heating and cooling
The existing system may not carry the new rooms.
Shoreland limits
Close to the water, rules on setbacks and covered area can change what you may add.
How it goes
An addition, season by season
- 01June to September
Step 1: Drawings over the summer
We draw it with you while you're at the lake.
- 02August to November
Step 2: Permits and orders
Applications go in; windows and framing packages are ordered.
- 03October to January
Step 3: Foundation and frame
Footings, framing and roof while the ground can be worked.
- 04December to April
Step 4: Closed in, then finished
Mechanicals, insulation and interiors in a heated shell.
Questions
About adding to a lake house
Will the addition match the old house?
That is the point of drawing it first. We show you the rooflines and window sizes on paper before anything is ordered.
Can you build on a frozen site?
Foundations are poured and framing goes up in winter with the right protection and the right schedule; we plan it in the drawings, not in the field.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. We prepare and submit the applications, and the estimate lists them.
Build windows
Ask for a build window
Tell us about the house and when you're there, and we'll say which window it fits.