A Second Story Addition Contractor You Can Trust Nationwide
Adding a floor to a house you already live in is one of the biggest decisions a homeowner makes. The roof comes off, the weather is a real risk, and the family still needs somewhere to sleep. Lodgewick ADU Builders has been handling this kind of work since 2010 as part of the Kingswell family of home-service companies, and we plan every second story addition around one idea: you should know the price, the schedule, and the risks before anyone touches your roof. Start at our home page to see everything we build.
A second story addition adds living area on top of your existing home instead of spreading across your yard. It is the right answer when your lot is small, when setbacks block a ground-level expansion, or when you simply do not want to give up the garden. Russ Delmar leads our team, and every project runs under The Kingswell Guarantee: a written price before work begins, a defined arrival window, a clean job site, and a written guarantee on the finished build. Call (254) 602-5618 and a live person answers, 24/7.
Key Takeaways
- Every second story addition gets a written, line-item price before any work starts. No price changes at the door.
- We check your foundation and framing first, because the structure below decides what you can build above.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise is printed in the contract. If the work is not right, we come back and fix it.
- Calls are answered by a live person around the clock. No voicemail loops.
What a Second Story Addition Involves
A second story addition means building a full new level above part or all of your current home. That includes new structural framing, a floor system, exterior walls, a new roof, stairs, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, insulation, drywall, and finish work. Homeowners hire a second story addition contractor rather than a general handyman because the work touches the structure that holds the whole house up, and mistakes there are expensive and sometimes unsafe.
Full Second Floor or Partial Addition
A full second floor covers the entire footprint of the house and gives you the most new space per dollar. A partial addition covers only one section, such as the garage wing or the rear of the home. Partial builds cost less in total and keep more of the existing roof, but the tie-in between the old and new roof lines takes careful detailing to stay watertight.
Pop-Top Versus Building Over
A pop-top lifts the existing roof and adds height to a single-story house, usually for one or two extra rooms. A full build-over adds a complete new level with its own floor plan. We explain which fits your home, your budget, and your local height limits, and the written estimate shows the cost of each option when both are possible.
Can Your Foundation Support a Second Story?
This is the first question we answer, and it is the one that saves homeowners the most money. A second story can add tens of thousands of pounds to the house. Whether your footings, slab, and first-floor walls can carry that load depends on how the house was built, how old it is, and what the soil under it is doing.
What We Inspect Before Quoting
We look at the foundation type, footing depth and width, wall framing, header sizes over openings, and the condition of the existing roof structure. In older homes we also check for undersized lumber, past termite or moisture damage, and earlier remodels that may have removed bearing walls. A structural engineer reviews the findings and signs off on what the existing frame can handle.
When Reinforcement Is Needed
Some houses carry a second story as they are. Many need added footings, steel posts, sistered studs, or shear wall upgrades first. None of that is a surprise on our jobs. It goes into the written scope before you sign, so the number you approve is the number you pay. If the house cannot support a new level at a sensible cost, we say so, and we point you toward a detached build such as ADU construction instead.
Planning, Design, and Permits
Second story additions are among the most heavily reviewed residential projects. Building departments want structural calculations, energy compliance reports, and often a neighbor-impact review for height and privacy. We manage that paperwork as part of the written scope so you are not chasing an architect, an engineer, and a permit expediter separately.
Design That Fits the House
A new level should look like it was always part of the home. We match roof pitch, window style, siding, and trim so the addition does not read as a box stacked on top. Window placement gets extra attention, both for light and for the privacy of the neighbors next door, which also makes the permit review smoother.
Timeline for Plans and Approval
Design and permitting usually take two to five months, depending on the local building department and how complex the project is. Construction itself typically runs four to eight months. We give you a written schedule with milestone dates, and we call ahead if anything shifts.
Living in the House During Construction
This is the practical question most families ask. The honest answer is that it depends on the scope. When the old roof comes off, the house is exposed until the new floor deck and temporary roofing are in place. We schedule that phase in a dry weather window, and we cover the opening the same day it is made.
Staying Put or Moving Out
Many families stay in the house for a partial addition, especially when the stairs and framing go in from the outside or from a section the family does not use. For a full build-over, some homeowners choose to rent a place for the loudest and dustiest weeks. We tell you straight which weeks are livable and which are not, so you can decide with real information.
Protecting Your Belongings
We seal off work zones with dust barriers, protect floors and stairways, and clean the site every day. Your kitchen and bathroom stay usable as long as possible, and any shutoffs for water or power are scheduled and announced in advance.
What Goes Into a Second Story Addition
Structure and Framing
The new floor system sits on the existing walls, and often on new steel or engineered beams that carry the load down to the foundation. Wall framing, roof trusses or rafters, and sheathing follow. We use engineered lumber where spans call for it and follow the stamped plan exactly. Every framing inspection is scheduled and passed before we close anything up.
Stairs and Access
Stairs are the piece homeowners underestimate. A code-compliant staircase needs a certain run, headroom, and landing, and it takes real floor space from the level below. We lay out the stair early so it does not wreck a kitchen or a hallway you love.
Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC
New bathrooms stack best over existing wet walls, which keeps plumbing costs down. Your electrical panel may need an upgrade to carry the added load, and heating and cooling often needs a second zone or a new system for the upper floor. We check capacity at the first visit and price what is needed in writing.
Second Story Addition Versus Other Options
A second floor is not always the best move. We compare it honestly against the alternatives for your lot and goals.
Ground-Level Room Addition
If your yard has space and the setbacks allow it, a ground-level room often costs less per square foot because it avoids roof removal and heavy structural reinforcement. See our room addition contractor page for how those projects work.
Sunroom or Light-Filled Extension
When the goal is bright, comfortable space rather than bedrooms, a sunroom can deliver more value for less money. Our sunroom builders page covers that path.
Detached ADU
If you want rental income or a private space for a relative, a separate unit may beat a second floor because your family keeps full use of the main house during the build. Compare it against ADU construction before you decide.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- Cracks in walls or at door and window corners. These can point to foundation movement. Adding weight to a moving foundation makes the problem worse, so we assess it before any design work begins.
- Your house is single story on a small lot and you are out of room. Building up is often the only way to add space when setbacks block you from building out.
- A previous contractor quoted without looking at the foundation. A price that ignores the structure below is not a real price. We show you every line item, including reinforcement, before you sign.
- Your roof is near the end of its life. If the roof has to come off anyway, a second story addition can be the smartest time to build, because you replace it once instead of twice.
- Your electrical panel is full or old. An added floor needs more power. Planning the upgrade into the build is far cheaper than discovering it halfway through.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Phone consultation. Call (254) 602-5618 and a live person answers. We talk through the space you want, your budget range, and the basics of your home. If it makes sense to move forward, we schedule a site visit.
- 2
Structural assessment. We inspect the foundation, framing, roof, and utilities, and bring in an engineer to confirm what the house can carry. You see the findings in plain language.
- 3
Written estimate and scope. You get a line-item written price covering reinforcement, framing, roofing, systems, finishes, permits, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise. No vague allowances. No price changes at the door.
- 4
Design, permits, and scheduling. We produce the plan set, submit for approval, and order long-lead materials. You get a schedule with defined arrival windows, and we hit them or call ahead with a new time.
- 5
Construction and final walkthrough. Our uniformed crew builds to the plan, keeps the site clean daily, and walks you through the finished floor before we call it done. The written guarantee is in your hands at completion.
How Much Does a Second Story Addition Cost?
Second story additions are priced per square foot of new living space, and honest national ranges help you plan before you sign anything. A small partial addition of one or two rooms often lands between $150,000 and $250,000. A full second floor on an average single-story home commonly runs $250,000 to $450,000 or more, depending on size, finishes, and how much reinforcement the existing structure needs. The written price you get from Lodgewick ADU Builders shows every line item, so there is no mystery about where the money goes.
What moves the number: foundation condition, roof complexity, the number of new bathrooms and kitchens, stair layout, and the level of finish. The way to avoid overpaying is to get a fixed written price with no allowances for vague categories. The way to avoid underpaying and getting burned is to check that a low bid includes engineering, permits, roof tie-in, and a real warranty. Our free estimate includes the full written scope, the schedule, and the guarantee in writing.
Where We Work
Lodgewick ADU Builders serves homeowners across the United States through local crews operating under The Kingswell Guarantee. Every location is independently owned and operated, which means your second story addition is handled by a team that knows the local codes and answers to you directly. The written price, the arrival window, the clean job site, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise are the same everywhere we work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Second Story Addition Contractors
A second story addition contractor plans and builds a new level on top of your existing home. That covers structural assessment, engineering, permits, framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and finish work. Lodgewick ADU Builders has handled additions and accessory units since 2010 and manages the whole project under one written contract.
A small partial addition often runs $150,000 to $250,000, and a full second floor commonly runs $250,000 to $450,000 or more. Foundation condition, size, and finishes move the price. You get an exact written price before any work begins, with every line item shown. Call (254) 602-5618 for a free estimate.
Sometimes it can as it is, and often it needs reinforcement such as added footings, steel posts, or stronger wall framing. We inspect the foundation and framing first, and a structural engineer confirms what is needed. Any reinforcement goes into the written price before you sign.
Design and permitting usually take two to five months. Construction typically runs four to eight months once permits are approved. Your written schedule lists the arrival windows and milestone dates before work starts, and we call you first if anything changes.
Many families do for partial additions. For a full build-over, the weeks when the roof is off and the floor system goes in can be loud and dusty, and some homeowners choose to stay elsewhere then. We tell you which weeks are livable before you decide, and we cover the opening the same day it is made.
Every Lodgewick ADU Builders project includes the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the work is not right within a year of completion, we come back and make it right at no charge. It covers our workmanship and the materials we installed, and it is printed in the contract before construction begins.
Schedule Your Second Story Addition Today
A written price, a real schedule, and a guarantee in writing before the first board is cut. That is how we have built since 2010, and that is what you get on every project. Call (254) 602-5618 now and a live person answers, 24/7. Tell us about your home and your goals, and we will schedule a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
Written by Russ Delmar, Owner at Lodgewick ADU Builders, serving homeowners nationwide since 2010.