Add a bedroom and bathroom to house

Let’s face it: Standing in line to use the only toilet in your own house is never fun. So when your family outgrows your space or you’re just craving more room to stretch your legs, it may mean it’s time to shell out to build a home addition. But what are the true costs of home additions?

Whatever type of space you want to build, check out this list, which outlines the range of prices you’ll pay to add to build out a bathroom, bedroom, or other home additions, plus related expenses you should expect along the way.

The costs

While the price tag on home additions varies from state to state, one good rule of thumb is to expect to pay around $100 per square foot, says Scott Browder , a real estate broker in North and South Carolina. The cost will also vary based on the kind of room you want to build, so here are some ballpark figures that include pouring a concrete foundation with a crawlspace. These are median prices across the United States.

• Cost to add a bathroom: $42,233 for a 6-by-8-foot full bathroom with a tub/shower, toilet, and sink, according to Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value Report. Although small in terms of square footage, bathrooms have a huge price tag, because they require plumbing and expensive fixtures that ratchet up the price.
• Cost to add a bedroom, office, etc.: $40,915 is the average reported cost from Home Advisor for additions that could be used as a bedroom for a child, office, den, or anything in between.
• Cost to add a family room: $86,615 to add a 16-by-25-foot room with drywall and a prefinished hardwood floor.
• Cost to add a master suite: $115,810 to add a 24-by-16-foot master bedroom that includes a walk-in closet and bathroom en suite.
• Cost to add a second story: $171,056 for a family room on the first floor, and on the second floor, a bedroom with a walk-in closet, and a 5-by-8-foot bathroom.

Outdoor additions

Additions that don’t require much plumbing, insulation, or electrical work will be cheaper. Here’s what you can expect to pay for the following:

• Cost to add a deck: Wood ($10,471) and composite ($16,798). Both 16-by-20-foot decks include a built-in bench, stairs, railing, and a planter. The difference in price strictly comes down to material.
• Cost to add an attached garage: $24,658 for an average-sized two-car garage made out of basic materials, with a concrete floor. The use of the existing wall cuts down on price.
• Cost to add a shed or barn: $3,020 when restricting the materials to simple exposed wood rather than a drywall finish, and limiting the size to a manageable 12-by-12-foot area.

Additional costs to home additions

Keep in mind that the costs of home additions noted above include only labor and materials. You will pay extra for the following:

• Architect: $60 to $125 per hour. Enlist professional help to work up the kind of room you need that will best fit the flow of your existing home.
• General contractor: 5% to 10% of a budget. A contractor will oversee the job and coordinate subcontractors like plumbers and electricians.
• Building permits: $900 on average. Don’t forget to add the costs of permits and inspections into your overall calculations.

We know it’s a lot of dough, but depending on your market, it may be cheaper than moving to a larger home, points out Brian Davis, a real estate investor and co-founder at SparkRental.

Plus consider this bonus: Not only will building a home addition give you room to roam, you will also recoup some of your costs if you ever decide to sell your home. Granted, you won’t get back everything you put in—a new bathroom addition will bring you a 56.2% return on investment—but it’s nice knowing you’ll get something back later on other than the sheer enjoyment of a restroom of your own, right? Check out our guide to renovations and their return on investment to complete the picture.