At Executive Remodeling, one of the services we specialize in for Twin Cities homeowners is Home Additions. Since 2005, we’ve done a substantial amount of work in this area at all times of the year. The big difference here is that with additions, we’re going outside the original “shell” of your home and building something from the foundation up.
These are actually the only home remodeling projects we do where we bring in architects and engineers due to the complexities and local coding restrictions involved.
Note: See some of our recent Home Additions projects in our More Project Photos gallery.
When we’re working inside, for example, on a Whole-House Remodeling project, the weather really isn’t much of a concern. The same thing goes with Kitchen Remodeling or Basement Remodeling. But once we have to start setting up a foundation outside, get the framing up, etc., Mother Nature plays a bigger role in our day-to-day work.
Bottom Line: If we had to, we could do a home addition nearly year-round. However, these projects are well-planned and prepared for in advance, and scheduling has to do with both your schedule at the time and ours. We keep our yearly calendar easy to manage so each project gets more than enough TLC, regardless of what kind of home transformations we’re doing.
That said, let’s briefly go through some of the seasonal variables to consider here in the Twin Cities. Our team is VERY familiar with this area. Our founders grew up here, and our CEO has lived and worked here his entire professional career – learn more on the Meet Our Team page.
Here in the Twin Cities, seasonal changes aren’t so subtle. You notice it. And everyone around here knows the best time for outdoor work is during the Spring and Autumn. First and foremost, because you avoid the predictable summer rush.
Our summers are comfortable and generally pretty warm, with a decent amount of humidity. When autumn arrives, the leaves begin changing right on cue, and the temperature drops, and then our long winters begin and can stick around until March.
But what’s of supreme importance for most of the homeowners we work with is when the project starts and finishes.
Only when sitting down with our team, do they begin to get an idea for a real home addition timeline. Each season has its ups and downs for building a new space in the Twin Cities. Most folks aim for Spring and Autumn so that the new addition is ready for use by the time school starts, holidays arrive, the summer comes, etc.
This time of year can be challenging due to the fact that digging foundations and pouring concrete in frozen ground is more difficult and expensive. If we get the foundation in prior to these months and your home is weatherproofed, we’re able to finish interior remodeling work.
With our long, frigid winters, outdoor work can be rough and more expensive. There are also certain times of the winter season when we simply can’t get much done. That said, sunrooms are often started around this time, so they’re ready to be enjoyed by spring and summer.
As we start heading into spring and towards summer, we enter the home-building season. This is when most folks want to get their home addition projects started. That being said, it can be more challenging to get your project in this slot.
Another issue is that everything is more expensive this time of year. For example, certain materials will be in high demand, and lead times can get longer.
Once the frost is out of the ground, though, foundations can be dug, and framing can get started. This gives us time to complete the home addition by Fall so it can be used and enjoyed during the winter months.
Now we’re talking summer building, which has its ups and downs depending on how hot of a year it is. While it’s no fun to do attic work in the depths of summer, roofing is often done during these hotter months because certain roofing materials require hotter temperatures to seal.
Again, as this is the most popular time for building additions, it can be challenging to get scheduled for this time of year…hence why folks tend to lean towards the Spring and Autumn months.
We honestly like this time of year because it’s finally starting to get cooler. Sunshine hangs on for a while, and you just don’t work up as big of a sweat.
However, by mid-November, many homeowners want their home addition and remodeling projects wrapped up. It’s nice to have everything done before the holiday season!
Let’s say you want a new kitchen addition to dramatically expand your cooking and entertaining space. In brief, what would the process look like with our design-build firm based out of Saint Louis Park?
The three pillars are below, but you can learn more by heading to our How We Work page.
First, you’ll sit down with our team and look at the area of your home we’re going to be working on. We’ll all get to know one another a bit through introductions and formalities and then dive into what you’re looking to do – goals, needs, desires, potential issues, obvious issues, code considerations, scheduling, etc.
Once we have all the information, measurements, and things that we need, we’ll take some time to put together a clear and professional estimate. This will tell you how much your vision for the home addition will cost.
Moving into the design phase, you’ll work with our designers, construction team, and project manager to make selections and schedule the project. It’s all rather complex. For example, your new kitchen space will need all-new custom cabinetry. This requires you to speak with our cabinet maker, make selections, and get them started.
When we extrapolate out into countertops, lighting & electrical, sinks & plumbing, flooring, colors, and final touches, etc., you can see why scheduling home addition projects is serious business. There are so many moving parts and considerations, the weather being but one of them.
By the time we begin excavating and laying the foundation, everything, including the trades, has been scheduled beforehand. And we’re known for getting projects done, if not EXACTLY on time or early, extremely close to the initial scheduled completion date. It’s one of our calling cards.
Throughout construction, your project manager will be accessible and attentive. They’ll address issues quickly, ensure you’re in the loop every step of the way, manage the trades, and much more. You’ll know when each phase of your project is set to begin and end, so scheduling your life around the action will be smooth.
Here’s what one of our customers had to say, and you can read more by visiting our Reviews page.
Big thanks to Executive Remodeling for our beautiful Kitchen addition/remodel. After another contractor fell through, we were pleasantly surprised by the communication, professionalism, and attention to detail of the Executive team. Our home was built in 1913, and our addition feels seamless – we were impressed by the team’s knowledge of older homes and exceptional detail work. They were straightforward about costs and project timing and were attentive to all of our questions and decisions. We’re so happy with our new space and would highly recommend Executive Remodeling to anyone.
Home additions are a special kind of home remodeling project. They bring their own set of challenges depending on the size and scope of your project, not to mention your specific location here in the Twin Cities. When you’re ready to speak to professionals and get concrete answers to your questions, we encourage you to reach out and contact our office.
We’re happy to answer initial questions, address the concerns you might have right now, and help you get your project off the ground. Give us a call, or use our website’s easy Contact Us form.