Expert: Paul S. Brown, AIA - 7/3/2007

Question
I want to make my recently purchased home a lot more luxurious. The first-floor master is far from being that. In order for that to happen I must knock down a few walls because this house is designed somewhat strange. Entering the house there's a dbl door entry, the foyer is about 8x10ft, sm closet to the right in the corner behind the front door, 2 bdrms divided by a full bthrm on down the right side of this foyer.  Of these 2 bdrms, the rear bdrm is the master-suite, when you enter, the walk-in closet is to your left and bathroom to your right, before you enter the bdrm. To make this suite a master, I would have to combine the 2 bdrms, create a guest bathroom & foyer closet. I've had plans drawn for this solution. Don't like the idea of giving up a bdrm.

I want to add a second story to my 1600sf ranch w/w/o basement.  This space will be the m-bdrm. m-bath, walk-in closet for 2, sitting area, small balcony over the 2-story foyer. This will require adding a staircase in the existing foyer where the foyer closet and front bdrm closet is now and doing the ultimate, "raising the roof". I would like to know where do I begin and who do I begin with?
Does raising the roof mean being able to re-use the roofing material, or will I be buying a whole new roof?

Will aligning the plumbing with existing plumbing help cut cost?

Are you able to give me a ballpark figure on what kind of cost I might be facing when adding a second story?

Answer
Hi Vanessa:
It sounds like an ambitious project, and will require some careful planning.  My advice for a project like this is always to hire an Architect, and really do a complete design.  An Architect might be able to help you see other solutions that are less costly to construct, or other amenities that might enhance your enjoyment of your re-configured home, without adding significant cost.
Raising the roof most likely means ripping off the old one, constructing a new second floor, and then constructing a new roof above.  It depends on the type of existing construction, to know if you could actually jack-up the existing roof structure and re-use it; this is unlikely.
Yes, aligning upper floor future plumbing,with lower level existing plumbing, will help keep costs down.
As a general rule of thumb, without knowing any further details about the project or location, it would be wise to budget about $200 per square foot for the addition. You can also call a local builder, and ask them what typical renovation costs are in your area. So, if you are building 1000 s.f. of new area on the second floor, budget about $200,000 for the project.  There are many factors that can effect this budget, and you should consult with your local professional architect on this question as the design progresses; that person will be able to give a more accurate estimate.  Or, you can approach with your designer with a budget, and just instruct them to design the best solution they can, within the costs that you can afford.
Good luck; I hope it turns out OK for you.
PB