Deciding to build an addition for your home is one of the most exciting ways to enhance and elevate your living space. It’s also one of the most involved types of renovation.
Is it worth it? Which homeowners typically choose to build additions?
Perhaps your dream addition is an all-seasons pool cabana…or an independent guest house…or a whole wing for your lake home where extended family can stay. Whether it’s a larger garage you need or a devoted home gym (equipped with climbing wall and all), additions increase functional space for whatever is most important to you.
Think about that for a moment. What IS most important to you?
The possibilities are endless, and the satisfaction of seeing your addition come to life is unmatched.
Before you dream of that perfect addition, learn who gets the most out of additions and why. Could an addition end up being the pride and joy of your home? Read to find out!!
A market look at home additions
The cost of home additions has seen more variation over the last 25 years than most kinds of renovations thanks to a “perfect storm” of economic conditions.
During the pandemic, for example, material costs rose while labor availability was suddenly short. But homeowners also shifted their thinking at the same time about what could be done at home, if the right spaces could be built…more on that in a moment.
According to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value annual report, the overall cost of a high-end home addition has increased by around 50% since the 1990s. Considering how consumer goods have gone up MUCH more than 50% since then, you might wonder why additions don’t cost THREE times as much now as they used to! You can thank the housing market crash of 2008 and the recent housing shortage for that…
The roller coaster of bubbles and bursts in housing have meant that homeowners learned what to dream up for home additions and how to make them a BETTER investment than buying or building new homes. As a result, renovation firms have been given room to show real design creativity with all the new lifestyle enhancements that homeowners today are interested in.
Why not customize the perfect home gym, or enjoy an all-seasons entertainment patio? Why not customize the exterior wall of the kitchen to open beautifully into the back yard? If the return on enjoyment is there, the investment is worth it.
Here are the key kinds of additions that make the most sense, and for whom…
What kinds of home additions are people getting?
The homeowners that prefer building additions instead of moving are typically affluent families. The number of households who choose to build additions is growing, too, because the cost of new homes has climbed so much that even the most affluent homeowners see the possibility of an addition as, “why not?” If they can create their dream home with ALL the amenities they would love to have, it makes sense to stay in place and cater to every imaginable personalization.
A recent study by Houzz found that over a third (37%) of homeowners choose to add on to their homes today instead of buying or building new ones. The greatest drive to undergo an addition is the desire for absolute customization, which won’t EVER happen by simply moving. The specific features and finishes in today’s additions are increasingly personalized for individual homeowners’ lifestyle preferences.
For example…
1. More space for the family
Maybe you have kids at home, or maybe you did years ago. As the kids get older, or your grandkids come for extended visits, their need for personal space increases.
Families are opting for additions instead of moving more than ever before. That way, the new living space can be built around their lifestyle with multipurpose rooms that serve as study areas, playrooms, workout space, and more.
Instead of moving to a new school district or uprooting the kids, families are faced with the possibility of turning great homes into their dream homes. The question today has become, “why not?”
2. The entertainer’s paradise…
Just like the case of our award-winning pool cabana, there are families who love to entertain and pine for a space built for their hosting style.
A spacious home isn’t enough for frequent gatherings. An addition gives homeowners the power to customize the kitchen space, bar, guest rooms, and lounging areas to support the family every time people come over.
An entertainer’s addition can be customized in every imaginable way. In our pool cabana, half a dozen outdoor-graded flatscreen TVs were mounted in an inviting all-seasons watching area…right next to the indoor-outdoor kitchen set up with multiple types of grills, including an Evo griddle. Then, around the pool, several devoted areas now provide guests with intimate spaces to mingle.
What kind of entertaining do you like to do? What amenities could support that? Can you picture the perfect bar or the perfect indoor-outdoor space? The perfect entertainment addition can TRANSFORM the way you host. Ultimately, this makes every event all the more memorable and meaningful…
3. The extended guest’s retreat
Next, imagine this case: the next house belongs either to a successful entrepreneur or a retiree who’s excited to spend more time with loved ones. Either case might lend itself to a life with more frequent visitors, especially those for extended stays.
A guest house is the addition that can fit either of these lifestyles. Maybe the entrepreneur’s guest suite can even double as a private office! The quiet, serene environment is beneficial for both cases because of the level of privacy it ensures.
Homeowners who build independent guest houses or devoted guest wings enhance the time and comfort of people staying there. They also protect the comfort of the family living in the main home, whose day-to-day won’t be hampered by sharing spaces with guests.
4. The hobby haven
Next, meet the artist who’s always desired a home studio, or give a knowing nod to the fitness enthusiast who would love nothing more than a private weight room with ALL the right equipment.
Loving your home starts with putting the lifestyle you want to live into words. Do you have a hobby you’re passionate about? Is cooking a certain way important to you? Could you be happier with private access to a space made for your daily routines?
The artist homeowner, for instance, might dream up a sunroom addition with the perfect natural light and AMPLE space for art supplies, while the fitness buff could easily start with a list of the equipment for the perfect home gym.
An addition that supports your lifestyle is more than a convenience. It shapes how successful you are in that pursuit, whatever it is.
How to Plan a Home Addition
If you would even consider an addition, start with a foundation of what purpose will bring the most “return on enjoyment.” This translates to the satisfaction you get from the space on a daily basis.
Even if you think you have your dream addition figured out already, read through these steps to identify your wants, needs, and desires for a space that will truly maximize your joy and pride…
- Clearly define what you want from your addition. Set expectation now for the function of the space, then describe how the addition—done right—will make you feel. What emotions define this dream space? How will you feel when other people see the space?
- Determine your investment capacity. Just like setting a kitchen remodel budget, start with identifying your investment capacity. This is different than shopping for a sticker price budget, because additions, by default, are customized and don’t follow cookie-cutter pricing.
- Design for function and aesthetics. If you’re investing in your happiness, satisfaction, and lifestyle with something as impactful as a home addition, it should do more than serve a functional purpose. It should be a space you love to be in. The design should reflect your personal style and ALSO complement your main home.
- Choose an accredited renovator you trust. The professional you choose has to understand your vision in order to bring it to life. Find someone whose skill and knowledge you can see, and who can instantly provide you with insights on how your addition can bring the greatest return on enjoyment.
Choosing to build an addition is a huge step as a homeowner. Done right, it enhances the way you live. It can provide daily pleasure, satisfaction, and joy. Whether it’s for regularly entertaining guests, providing a private retreat, or investing in the lifestyle and hobbies you love, additions are inherently tailored to your lifestyle. That makes them the renovations with the biggest emotional return of all.
Treat yourself to a little preview right now: imagine what your own dream addition would be for. Who knows? Maybe yours will be the next award-winning project we do. You can reach out right now to start the conversation.
About the author
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for nearly three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. Also in 2024, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
It really is, Janet!! We believe that, if homeowners look at additions as a way to customize their homes into the perfect environment **for the lives they want to live,** that taps their imagination for the additions that truly change lives.
We couldn’t agree more, Lisa! The investment for most additions does require us to think deliberately about what we want to get out of it…and that return on enjoyment is absolutely what a custom addition can deliver in exciting and imaginative ways. Thank you for sharing!!
Leslie, it’s so interesting to see your introspections! Perhaps it isn’t the “norm” for what most families think of first, but that’s the beauty of additions…they are, inherently, customized to the lifestyle to support or enhance our innermost desires. Thank you for sharing!!
Such a good look at the variety of additions that make sense! It IS such a great way to personalize a home to ideally suit the lifestyle of the occupants!
I love the term emotional return. There is definitely a big pay off in doing an addition with the intention of improving your life and having your home be a true dream.
I loved reading this post, Robin, and dreaming for a few minutes about my own perfect addition, if I owned a home. Here’s what I came up with…. my perfect addition would be a * safe shelter* addition.
This would be an addition where I could go in case of an outbreak of another pandemic, a war, a tornado warning, a hurricane with rising flood waters, etc. I would feel cocooned and protected. It would be small, but outfitted with every amenity so that I could stay in it, comfortably, for as long as needed.
That’s what would be perfect for me, but I know that’s probably not the norm for what most people want. However, I can see this becoming more and more of a request over the coming years.