Green Additions

Project: Building a Green Addition

So you’re thinking about building an addition and you are wondering where to start. Even a small addition takes careful planning, so don’t rush into it. People build additions because their home doesn’t have enough space to accommodate their needs and lifestyle. Remember to think Green each step of the way when you are making your design decisions.

Step One: Asking the Right Questions

Before you start any work, drop by your building department to find out if an addition is permitted on your lot. There is nothing more frustrating than spending time designing your dream home and then having the building department deny your application.
After you have checked with the building department, it’s time to think about design.

Next, list your design considerations:

How will this addition tie into our existing home?
What changes will we need to make to the existing structure?
(If you are adding a second story); is the foundation strong enough for the additional loads?
What energy saving techniques can I incorporate into my project?
Can you capture southern sun in winter?
Can you improve the energy performance of the existing house at the same time?

Your Team

Many homeowners have the skills to do their own additions. If this is you, congratulations! You’ve just cut your project cost.. If you are unsure about undertaking the project, consult with a builder or architect early in the process to understand exactly what you are getting into. Don’t underestimate the time that construction takes and the toll living in a construction site will take on you and your family. While doing the work yourself to save money is tempting, nothing beats having an experienced team come in and get it finished in a quarter of the time.
Most of us need the expertise of an architect and a contactor to get the project done. Choose your team carefully. Find people who understand what you want to do and will listen to you. What you want is an addition that meets your needs not someone else’s idea of what you should have.

Once you have decided who you want to work with you can get down to the design phase. Your architect can help you design a great addition and help you throughout the entire process. It is important to approach your architect with a plan, but still be open to their suggestions. If you are planning on hiring a contractor, be sure to get three bids. Less than three makes it difficult to compare, and more than three gets too complicated. For remodeling projects, a design/build team is a great way to control costs. Your team can be costing the project at each stage of design so it meets your budget when the design is complete.

To Start

When starting a project, purchase a binder in which to keep and your ideas and goals. When you find something you like, take a picture of it and keep it in your binder. Go through every home improvement magazine you can find and insert pictures from the magazines that look like what you want. Start to organize your binder into different sections such as lighting, flooring, windows etc.

Use the following list to help get you thinking about your project, not every item is applicable, but the more planning you can do upfront, the smoother your project will go:

Users

• Think about who will be using the space
• Is it the whole family, or just one person?

Functions
• Make a list of everything that you ideally want
• Make a list of things that you have to have (not the same as what you want!)
• Your budget plays a big role here, be careful not to get too carried away
• If you cannot reconcile your budget and what you want, consider breaking the project into phases

Feel

• What style is the rest of your house?
• Do you like the current style, or is this the time to give the whole house a facelift?
• If you do like the current architecture the resale value of your home will be greater if you match it with the addition.

Access and Flow

• An addition shouldn’t be an eyesore. A good addition adds value to a home, not detracts from it.
• When accessing the addition from the inside, take care to consider flow and private vs. public space. For example, rarely should a bedroom be accessed from the living room or kitchen.

Lighting and Electrical

• Take note of what you love and hate about your existing electrical layout. An addition is a clean slate to work from, take time to plan out exactly what you need by how you will use the space at what time of day.
• Keep your energy uses in line and don’t go overboard with lighting.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning

• The most likely solution would be to tie into your existing system.
• If your budget allows it, upgrade your furnace or AC unit to an energy-star rated system
• Try to incorporate passive solar techniques (south facing windows) into your addition to lower your energy needs

Anticipated Changes

• While careful planning is very important, understand that you can’t anticipate every detail of a project.
• With any addition, there are many unknowns. Contractors can only guess at what is happening behind the walls in the existing building, the truth only becomes apparent when the demolition starts.
• Changes cost you money, try to minimize any change orders once the work has started

Step Two: Setting Goals

Write Down Your Goals
• What is primary use of the space?
• What is the budget?
• How much space do we need?
• Will we be able to live in the house while we are renovating?
• Is it the right time of year to be building?
• How long will the project take?

Sustainability Goals

• Save energy
• Use fewer resources
• Enjoy healthier indoor air

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