Going up
Second-story additions
More bedrooms without more yard, if the house underneath can carry them.
Going up keeps your yard and your trees. It also means the roof comes off a house you may still be living in. We check the foundation and the walls first, plan the dry-in around Atlanta's afternoon thunderstorms, and sequence the work so the old rooms stay protected.
What's in it
Structural review of foundation, walls and floor framing
A new floor system and the stairs to reach it
Temporary roofing and a dry-in plan for the open days
Wiring, plumbing, ducts and insulation for the new level
New roof, windows, siding and finishes to match
What it doesn't include
Left out unless the contract says otherwise
Moving out
Many families leave for part of the build. We plan the dates with you, but rent and storage are yours.
New landscaping
Scaffold and a dumpster mean the yard needs repair. We restore what we damage.
Surprises below
If the foundation needs work to carry a second floor, the engineer says so before we price the build.
What changes the cost
What moves the number
The house you have decides most of it.
Foundation and walls
A sound slab or footing and straight walls keep the structure simple. Old brick veneer or a weak wall adds steel and time.
The stair
Where the stair lands downstairs may take a room's worth of the plan, and moving a kitchen to find the space costs money.
Roof shape
A straight new roof is the cost low end. Dormers, hips and valleys add framing and flashing.
Systems
A second level needs its own zone of heating and cooling, and plumbing stacks that run up through the old house.
How it goes
The weeks the roof is open
- 01
Step 1: Structural check
The engineer visits, opens a few spots and writes what the walls and footings can carry.
- 02
Step 2: Strip and protect
We remove the old roof in sections and cover each section the same day, with a tarp plan for the weather.
- 03
Step 3: New floor and walls
A floor system goes on, then walls, then a new roof, and the house is closed in again.
- 04
Step 4: Inside the new level
Systems, insulation, drywall, then stairs and finishes. The old rooms get repaired where we cut through.
Permits and rules
Height, review and inspections
A second story needs a permit and engineered drawings, and a height limit or a historic-district review can shape the design. We find out which apply before you pay for construction drawings.
Who does what
We: engineer, drawings, permit and inspections
You: sign the application and the structural letter
The city or county: reviews and inspects framing, insulation and final
Examples
Sample work
Showing 3 of 3
Sample photos.
Questions
Second stories
Can my house carry a second story?
Maybe. An engineer checks the footings and walls, and tells you what the house needs before you commit to drawings.
How long is the roof off?
It depends on the size, but we remove it in sections and cover each one the same day. We give you the schedule with the weather plan before we start.
Do we have to move out?
Many families do for part of it. We lay out the weeks with you, so you can decide with the schedule in front of you.
Where does the stair go?
That decides how much of the old plan changes. We show two or three options on paper before you choose.
Can your house go up?
Book a site visit and we'll tell you what the structure needs before you spend a dollar on drawings.