Are you facing trouble due to lack of space and planning to add a second story to your house? If so, continue reading this article as we’ll be discussing in detail the foundation or primary requirements of the second story that will help you in a successful addition.
Adding a second story pertains to the construction of an additional floor above the already existing ground floor. In most cases, homeowners build the second story at the time of initial construction. However, some decide to add it later, on their requirements. Generally, the homeowners choose to build the second story when they feel that they are unable to manage properly in the existing space due to the increase in the number of individuals residing in the house. This addition not only provides you more space but also adds value to your house. It is an efficient way of adding more space to your house in the given land size. You don’t need to worry about buying a bigger plot because you can easily fulfill all your requirements by building a second story.
Strong Foundation
Firstly, we need to know the importance of a strong foundation. The foundation holds the entire burden of your house; hence a strong foundation is necessary to prevent your house from collapsing. Furthermore, a strong foundation is vital in protecting your house from natural disasters such as an earthquake. Socxxx, if you plan to add a second story, you need to build a smooth and strong foundation that can bear all the load of your house, thus keeping you and your family safe.
If you observe that your house has a weak base, you need to change your decision of adding a second story immediately. A weaker foundation has a high potential risk of falling anytime. You may consult reliable home contractors to check the feasibility before starting such home construction projects. This will help in the smooth running of the project since you are pre-aware of all the matters that include cost before starting the project.
- It offers solidity.
- It holds the building.
- It protects against natural calamities.
Foundation Requirements for Adding a Second Story
After discussing the importance of a strong foundation in detail, we will move on to our primary topic, which is the foundation requirements for adding a second story.
– Getting Approvals from Relevant Government Authorities
Before you proceed with the construction, the first and most important requirement is getting approval from the local government authorities. The government authority may accept or reject your application depending upon the local construction policies devised by the government.
The authorities may ask you to supervise the project to ensure that the work is carried on as per the prescribed protocols. You may not be allowed to construct a second story if authorities find that your existing structure has a weaker foundation. The government may take serious measures such as demolishing your house in case you attempt to violate government policies and protocols. Therefore, it is better to proceed after getting all required approvals from government authorities to avoid unnecessary trouble.
– Find A Reliable Contractor
Finding a reliable and capable home contractor is extremely important for running a successful construction project. A reliable contractor fulfills his commitment and strives hard to accomplish the promised targets. Whereas an unreliable contractor won’t be able to live up to your expectations, he will miss the deadlines and may try to cheat you by using poor quality and cheap materials.
If you want high-quality work and smooth completion of the project, you need to do a thorough research of the market before choosing any contractor. You also need to check the past successful project of contractors and then choose the one with a good reputation in the market.
– Formulate an Appropriate Design
After getting the required approvals, you need to work with your contractor and formulate the design. Design is the most important requirement for a home addition project as it will determine the overall look of your house. While preparing the design, you also need to keep in mind the design of the ground floor so that the new design fits well with it. It must be noted that it is an expensive project. Therefore, you need to work well with your project engineer to formulate a solid design consisting of pillars that supports your roofs.
– Conduct a Soil Examination
Soil Examination is also an essential requirement before adding a second story as it provides you important information regarding the foundation of your house. This test gives you information regarding the feasibility of building a second story. If the soil test indicates that the soil condition is not suitable to bear the additional load of a second story, you may have to abandon the project. This test is usually carried out before beginning the work to ensure that you don’t spend any amount that goes in vain at the end. You may inject the soil with concrete to provide it more strength to bear the load with ease. This process of injecting the soil is known as grouting. To carry out grouting you will need to hire professionals.
– Additional Requirements
This includes requirements such as plumbing, flooring, and electricity that are equally important and require your attention. You also need to evaluate the budget before starting this project. Since this is a major home addition project, you need to spare some extra amount because the cost can exceed.
Is it Worth Adding a Second Story?
You may be wondering whether spending such a high amount on this addition is worth it. This will help you accommodate your family by providing you extra space. It also enhances the overall appearance of your house and increases its value.
Conclusion
Adding a second level to your house is not an unprecedented move, and it will not affect the quality of your structure. This type of project just demands complying with pre-established protocols. Such a decision needs to be made only after extensive personal research.
