How Much Does A Home Addition Cost In Alabama?

Upgraded Home Team
by Upgraded Home Team

Many homeowners in Alabama find the option of adding on to their home a better investment than buying or building a new home. The cost of an addition to an existing home is usually much less than building or buying a new home. The average home addition in Alabama costs $46,664.

The average home addition cost in Alabama is $24,240 for a 240 square foot addition. You can expect to pay $101 per square foot for a home addition in Alabama, and a 10×10 room addition averages $10,171. It costs $109,887 for a second-story addition and $27,500 for the average kitchen addition in Alabama.

Home Addition Costs in AlabamaPer Square Foot Cost
Minimum Cost$78.59
Maximum$124.83
Average$101.71

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Home Addition Cost Considerations

Before you start planning any home addition, understanding the costs associated with a home addition project is important. The type of addition you plan has a direct effect on the overall cost of the entire project. In Alabama, the most popular home additions in order are:

  • Bathrooms
  • Kitchens
  • Living or Family Rooms
  • In-Law Suites
  • Bedrooms
  • Home Theaters
  • Front Porch additions
  • Garages

The different needs of these types of additions can affect the overall cost. Other variables also add to the overall cost, such as:

  • Your location
  • Local building codes and requirements
  • The style and finish of the construction
  • Labor and material costs in your area
  • Homeowner Association requirements

Many homeowners can add to the value of their home with a carefully planned home addition. The additional value further helps offset the cost of the home addition. There is always the danger of hurting the resale value of your home. Overbuilding for your neighborhood or going radical with your design can decrease the resale value of your home in some instances.

Per Square Foot Cost of Home Additions in Alabama

Homeowners tend to look for a quick estimate of the cost to perform an addition to their home. There are so many variables involved in any home addition that a simple estimate is almost impossible. The range of costs for any home addition project in Alabama can vary considerably depending on the type of home addition, the quality of finish, and building requirements.

Average costs of a Home Addition in Alabama

Quality and Type of AdditionAverage Cost
Lower Quality or Smaller Builds$7,800
Average Addition Cost$20,200
High-End, Kitchen, and In-Law Apt.$68,565

The Formula – Calculating Home Addition Costs in Alabama

Doing estimations for home additions in any state requires a good knowledge of local building costs. In addition, local building codes, homeowner association rules, and local markets for materials can vary widely even across a state. When estimating a project, you must remember that these are very rough calculations.

To get a true cost estimate, you must consult with your architect, builder, or contractor. In general, you can make a rough calculation of project costs using the average high and low costs across your state. In Alabama, the averages are $78.59 to $124.83 per square foot.

Home Addition Costs by Square Foot

Square Feet in AdditionLow Average CostHigh Average Cost
200$15,718.00$24,966.00
250$19,647.50$31,207.50
300$23,577.00$37,449.00
400$31,436.00$49,932.00
500$39,295.00$62,415.00
600$47,154.00$74,898.00
800$62,872.00$99,864.00
1000$78,590.00$124,830.00

Average Size Room Addition Costs

The average cost to add a new room to your existing home depends largely on the room’s function. Your requirements for the quality of the finish and the fixtures you specify also affect the final costs. A simple bedroom or family extension involves less cost than a kitchen or bathroom addition.

Our calculations for the average cost of a room addition to your existing home are for the basic space. This estimate doesn’t include any plumbing or fixtures and assumes average costs for finishes and floor coverings. These estimates use an average per square foot cost of $101.71.

Room Addition Costs

Room SizeAverage Cost
10×10$10,171.00
10×20$20,342.00
12×12$14,646.24
16×16$26,037.76
20×20$40,684.00

Functional Home Addition Costs

The function of the space you add to your existing home is a key component of the cost of the space. Every type of functional space comes with different costs and requirements. Many of these costs reflect additional plumbing and electrical service, the purchase of appliances and fixtures, and extra HVAC equipment.

Room Function Cost Calculator

Room TypeLow Average CostHigh Average Cost
Bedroom$11,316.96$17,975.52
Master Bedroom Suite$65,185.69$69,565.26
Bathroom$19,804.68$33,973.73
Sunroom$8,940.40$21,570.62
Family Room$37,685.48$60,038.24
Kitchen$27,500.21$31,457.16
Second Story$109,887.68$253,454.83

NOTE: Anyone contemplating a home addition project should be aware of the rapid inflation in building material costs. Over the past 18 months, the cost of lumber has risen as much as 180%. Most professionals expect this inflation to continue into the foreseeable future.

The Basic Bedroom Addition

Adding sleeping space to an existing home is one of those projects that many families contemplate as they grow. In Alabama, the cost to add bedroom space on the same level as the existing home is between $78.59 and $124.83 per square foot. The average 12 x 12 foot bedroom addition costs between $11,316 and $17,975.

These estimates use costs associated with the average finish that meets local building codes in Alabama. Any additional features or upgrades can significantly increase the per square foot cost. These additional features can include:

  • Premium trim and millwork
  • Higher quality floor coverings
  • Additional costs to match the existing homes exterior finishes
  • Extra windows or doors beyond the minimum requirements
  • The addition of closets and custom closet fittings
  • Extra lighting or electrical requirements

Master Suite Additions

The addition of a new master suite is an attractive option, especially for older homes. Many older homes didn’t include a master suite with an attached bathroom. Creating a new private space with a new bathroom can change the character of an existing home completely.

Adding a new master suite typically means adding more square footage than the average bedroom addition. Larger closets, sitting areas, and an ensuite bath all require more space and incur more costs.

The overall cost often rises when homeowners opt to add additional amenities such as a spa-type bath or even a small kitchenette. In Alabama, the average size of a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom is approximately 500 square feet. The average cost for these additions is between $65,185 and $69,565. The addition of special amenities or higher quality fixtures and finishes can substantially increase these costs.

Bathrooms – To Add or Remodel

Is it better to remodel an existing bathroom or add a new bathroom to your existing home? Adding or remodeling a bathroom is a question faced by many homeowners in Alabama. In general, a bathroom remodel is less expensive than adding a new bathroom to an existing home.

Remodeling a bathroom usually doesn’t involve large plumbing expenses. Adding a bathroom requires new plumbing and drains for the addition, which can be expensive. Bathroom remodels usually focus on new fixtures and updated cabinetry.

In Alabama, the cost to add an additional bathroom to an existing home is between $19,804 and $33.973. One advantage of adding a bathroom addition to an existing home is the almost immediate return on the home’s value. Many homeowners realize a 50 to 60 percent return on the investment in the bathroom addition to the value of their home.

Adding a Sunroom

Increasing your living and entertainment space is a frequent reason cited for doing a home addition. A sunroom is a popular way to accomplish this goal. A sunroom can add great all-season space to your home.

The cost for adding a sunroom to an existing home in Alabama runs between $8,940 and $21,570. The lower-end sunrooms are often pre-engineered additions made of aluminum or steel frames. Custom-built enclosures tend to be more expensive and more involved.

If you intend to use the sunroom year-round, additional HVAC is required. In southern environments, summer temperatures necessitate additional air conditioning capacity, which can drive up the cost of a sunroom addition.

Adding Family Space to an Existing Home

As families grow, the need for more family gathering space becomes an attractive home addition project. The trend toward more open interior spaces prompts many people to add family gathering space that includes another bathroom or an addition to the kitchen.

Arranging the new family space to access the backyard pool and patio areas is also a popular requirement. The cost of a new family room space on an existing home in Alabama ranges from $37,685 to $60,038.

New Kitchen Space

Trends in open living are often thwarted by the design of older homes. Many families want the advantages of a combined kitchen and entertainment space that is not possible in their current home. The addition of a new kitchen is a popular option in these cases.

Adding a new kitchen often involved transforming the old kitchen space to new uses. These kinds of additions can transform an existing home dramatically and increase the value of the home.

Unfortunately, kitchen additions are some of the most expensive home addition projects you can undertake. Even the most basic kitchen addition in Alabama can cost between $27,500 and $21,457. Upgrades to appliances, countertops, and cabinets can increase these costs.

Going up Instead of Out

You may have a situation that prevents you from adding on to your existing home on the same grade level. Small residential lots, local building code requirements, or homeowners association rules may be obstacles to a traditional home addition.

Going up to a second story can be accomplished in some circumstances. A second story addition is a completely different project than a traditional grade-level addition. Many more requirements add additional costs to such a project. These costs include:

  • Demolishing the current roof structure
  • Strengthening the framing to support the new second floor
  • Building a new roof over the addition
  • Remodeling the lower floor to include stairs and access to the new second floor

In Alabama, the typical costs to add a second floor to an existing single-story home is between $109,887 and $253,454. You must often secure the services of a licensed architect or engineer to meet building code standards.

Other Home Extension Costs in Alabama

Other types of home additions in Alabama follow typical national average costs. This table shows some of the other types of home additions and the typically associated costs you can expect in Alabama

Type of SpaceAverage Cost
Garage$25,800 – $76,140
In-Law Suite$140,400 – $243,000
Front Porch$5,220 – $36,000
Bump-out$9,000 – $54,000
Mudroom$13,500 – $45,000
Cantilever$18,000 – $54,000
Balcony$5,400 – $18,000
Dormer$3,600 – $45,000
Greenhouse$900 – $10,800
Entryway$1,260 – $2,160
Basement$43,200 – $82,800

The Return on Your Investment – What to Expect

Home additions add liveability to your home with the increased new space. However, home additions represent a significant investment in your existing home. Hopefully, a home addition project will reflect an increase in the value of your home that helps recover some of the cost. Nationally, the return on the investment in a home addition is reflected by these percentages.

The Dangers of Making Additions to Your Home

A home addition project is not without its dangers. Building up or out can hurt the resale value of your home if you don’t follow some simple rules for planning your project.

  • Be aware of your neighborhood, and don’t overbuild your home. Check with a realtor for comparable properties. Having the biggest home in the neighborhood is not an advantage.
  • Don’t radically change the style of your home. Standing out because you don’t fit into the neighborhood doesn’t necessarily increase the resale value of your home.
  • Work with any homeowners association to ensure that the result of your home addition doesn’t incur costs that aren’t recoverable.

Do You Need an Addition or Remodel Contractor?

Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.

Preparing for a Successful Home Addition Project

Part of ensuring that your home addition project is a success is planning. Working with an architect or contractor from the initial stages of the plan is a vital element. Once you have your plan and the contractor has all the details, you should have a concrete estimate of the total project cost. Adding space to your existing home can be advantageous for many reasons.

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