Dormer Additions
Dormer Additions are ideal for Expanding
Living Space and Letting in Natural Light
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Dormer additions are one of the most
economical home addition projects you can consider when looking to gain more
living space in your home. They are particularly useful in Cape Cod or Gambrel
style homes as they can provide additional natural light and more ceiling
headroom to the upper level rooms. A bump-out dormer addition is also a great
idea for an attic conversion project. Dormer additions are also excellent for
small single story homes as they can create kitchen nooks and window seat areas,
while letting in natural light. |
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One of the main advantages of
dormer additions is that they are less expensive to build than any other
type of home addition. Unlike a room addition, there is typically no
excavation or foundation work required. In addition, there are no setback or
easement concerns when building a dormer addition. As a result the building
permit process is simpler and the construction costs are lower. In addition,
much of the dormer addition can be framed into the existing roof line prior
to punching through to the inside of the home. |
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This fact can help mitigate the
inconvenience to the family during the construction of the dormer addition.
Dormer Addition Design
Considerations
There are two dormer addition styles
that you can choose from. First, there is the shed dormer. A shed dormer has a
roof line that sits parallel to the existing roof that it ties into. It is
relatively easy to construct and has the lowest installation cost. Shed dormers
are typically constructed on the back or side of a home. They are less
frequently used on the front of a home. |
The second dormer addition style has a gable roof style. A gable roof style
dormer addition has a roof line that sits perpendicular to the roof line that it
ties into. A gable roof style dormer has a traditional roof look with two
sloping sides that tie into their own ridge. A gable style dormer addition is
more attractive than a shed dormer and thus is more frequently used on the front
of a home.
A shed dormer is typically lower cost
to construct than a gable roof dormer addition as its roof structure is
simpler to build.
Dormer additions can also add
character to a home if designed and built correctly. By including soffits that
are consistent with the rest of the home and the use of specialty windows, the
dormer addition can transform an otherwise boring roof line into an eye catching
home.
Also, when designing the dormer
addition make sure its roof line sits below the level of the ridge line of the
main roof. In addition, dormer additions should be designed to accent a home
and its roofline. Consequently dormer additions should be kept relatively small
compared to the size of the room. Instead of building one large dormer addition
you may want to consider two smaller dormer additions.
Finding a Dormer Addition
Contractor
Installing a dormer addition is
fairly complicated and thus it is not meant for the weekend do-it-yourself
homeowner. Consequently it is important to find a qualified and professional
home addition contractor when planning a dormer addition. Hiring the wrong
contractor could lead to an eyesore globed onto the roof of your home if not
careful.
To find a qualified and professional home remodeling contractor you may
want to consider one of the national home building contractor referral
companies. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
These companies have large national
databases of pre-screened and qualified home addition contractors. There is no
cost to the homeowner for working with these contractor referral companies. You
simply fill out a free online form for your specific home addition needs and
they will forward your information on to 3 or 4 local contractors in your area.
The contractors will then get in touch with you to set up a meeting and to
review your dormer addition plans.
Obtaining Dormer Addition
Contractor Quotes
When obtaining dormer addition
contractor quotes
from contractors it is important to make sure that they provide you with a
complete home addition cost breakdown list of every phase of the project. The
more detail in the home addition cost breakdown list, or bid sheet, the more
likely an accurate home addition cost proposal.
To help in obtaining accurate and
consistent home addition contractor quotes, see my
Home Addition Bid Sheets.
They provide a “request for quote” section that you can provide to prospective
building contractors. They also each include a comprehensive home addition cost
breakdown table, in Microsoft Excel format, that allows the contractor to
include his projected home addition costs for every phase of the project.
When interviewing potential home
addition contractors make sure to check their references. Usually a good litmus
test for evaluating a home addition building contractor is to see how long their
reference list is. The longer the list is, the higher the likelihood that he has
a solid reputation. A long reference list also helps to get a feel for how long
he has been in business and his level of pride in his work.
Regardless of the length of the
reference list, it is important to contact at least 3 or 4 of the references.
Contact a couple of more recent projects completed by the contractor and a
couple 2-5 years out in the past. You may also want to visit, or drive by the
references to see their work first hand. This way you can see how the contractor
has been trending with his work, as well as to see how his work has held the
test of time.
So if you are looking to add a little
more living space to your home and/or desire more natural light, then a dormer
addition may be the right choice for you. By planning ahead and hiring the right
home addition contractor you can ensure a smoother dormer addition project.
For more help on building a home addition, see HomeAdditionPlus.com's
Home
Addition Bid Sheets.
Our
Home
Addition Bid Sheets
provide you with the knowledge and information on how to plan a home addition project,
and what to look for when hiring contractors. They
also include detailed cost breakdown tables and spreadsheets for estimating
your own new home addition building costs.
How to Finance your Home Remodeling Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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