Services
Adding to the house without it looking added
A good addition looks like it was always there: the roof pitch, the window proportions and the siding carry on from the house, and the inside flows from room to room instead of ending at a door.
In Bend an addition is also a structural and climate decision. Snow load, the foundation depth, how the new roof sheds onto the old one and where the sun falls in January all go into the drawings before the price does. Not included: landscaping, furniture and fixtures you supply yourself.
What phase one includes
A site study: setbacks, easements, sun and the existing foundation
Drawings for the new rooms and where they join the old ones
Structural engineering coordinated with the architect of record where one is needed
Roof, siding and window selections matched to the house
A schedule built around the dry months for foundation and framing
Cost
What changes the cost
No figures here, because the house sets them. These are the parts that move the number.
Foundation and site
Sloped lots, rock and long utility runs change what goes in the ground before the first wall rises.
How the new roof meets the old
A simple tie-in is a small line. A new ridge or a valley in snow country is a larger one, and it drives how the work is staged.
Mechanical capacity
A new wing may need its own heating zone, a larger panel or a bigger water heater. We find that out in phase one.
The finish match
Matching old siding, trim and windows can cost more than new, and we price the options side by side.
Phase one
How the design phase goes
- 01
Step 1: Site and structure study
We measure the house and the lot and check setbacks before sketching.
- 02
Step 2: Massing options
Two or three ways to add the space, each with how it looks from the street.
- 03
Step 3: Drawings and engineering
The chosen option is drawn in full, with structure coordinated.
- 04
Step 4: Build price and decision
A written price that includes the foundation, framing, envelope and finishes.
Permits
Permits and approvals
Inside Bend's city limits, building permits go through the City of Bend; outside them, through Deschutes County. An addition needs a building permit, and one that changes the footprint also needs a setback check with the City of Bend or Deschutes County. Some neighborhoods add design review. We prepare the drawings both offices ask for in phase one, and pull the permits for the work we contract.
Examples
Examples of the work
Sample photos.
Questions
Questions about this work
Do I need an architect and an engineer?
Our design team draws the project. Where the permit office requires an engineer's stamp, we coordinate it and tell you what it costs at the time.
Can we build a second story on our house?
Sometimes. The existing walls and footings have to carry it. Phase one finds out before you pay for anything beyond the study.
When does an addition get built?
Foundations and framing go in the dry months. Interior finishing can continue through winter once the envelope is closed.
Will the addition match the house?
That is the point of the drawings. We show you siding, trim and window options against photographs of your own house.
Draw it first.
Book a first conversation about the house. We talk, then we look.