Book a two hour consultation with an architect to talk about what your needs are and why you think the current structure falls short of meeting them. With the right person this can save you tens of thousands of dollars and help you to get a project that actually addresses your needs. If you do it with a couple of candidates it can also help you to find the architect you want to design your project.

Yes, collect all of the inspiration pictures you can.

Thanks for the advice. We'll reach out to the architect and set up an appointment.

Have your designer, architect and contractor meet together. They each have a different task to accomplish and its best when they are all on the same page and understand your needs.

Thanks, Exclusive Homes. I have an appt with one architect, but assumed I should meet with at least 2 for each role before scheduling a joint meeting. I also thought I should pick an architect first and then figure out the other 2 roles. That way, I can ask the architect for referrals to the other 2 other role. I assume they will know who's "good" and who's harder to work with if they frequently work in my area.

Yes, meeting with minimum 2 is a good practice. Check out this article if you swap home builder for contractor the same will apply. Good luck with your project.

Your approach is a good one. Establishing the program and exploring opportunities and limitations wth a designer is the critical first step.

JMC101: yes, I've heard folks say to live with it one year. That sounds practical for most people, but we already know the kitchen and "dining area" are just too small. We host our extended family for every holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.) and we just can't do it here. DH cooks as if 40 people are coming (so there are lots of leftovers) and he needs a larger kitchen, which would include double ovens, more counter space, etc. Plus, we cannot fit all our guests inside the house (unless we shove them into bedrooms) as this house has only a kitchen and a family room/dining area space (one long extended room which could seat maybe 15-20 if we take out furniture). We have 6 acres, though, so there's plenty of space outside to expand walls.

I suggest being up front about your budget range. That way no one's time is wasted if your needs and wants far exceed your realistic budget restraints.

Think teardown.

roarah: The problem is that we don't have a set budget. We made a tidy profit off our former home, so we could decide to invest the full $200K. I don't think we need that fancy of a kitchen, but who knows how much labor/permits will cost us in this very expensive metro area. Perhaps just pushing the walls out will cost $175K and only leave us with $25K for basic appliances/fixtures/flooring/counters. We'll see what the architect says is the estimated range for our high COL metro area.

Sophie: I don't think that a teardown is justified, unless you're trying to tell me that pushing kitchen walls out and adding a bedroom will cost over $500K so it's better to start from scratch and tear everything out. I've been told the cost of building a new builder's grade house in our area is minimum $250/sq ft (if we're lucky) given the high cost here.

The entire house has been renovated twice. The guts are new: all the copper piping and electrical wiring (upgraded to a 400 amp panel) are less than 5 years old, the bathrooms are new and have fancy high end stuff (compared to the builder's grade house we sold--these are Hansgrohe fixtures, Toto bidet toilets, etc.), and the bedrooms are spacious and lovely. I don't think it makes sense to tear everything down and spend $500K minimum (which would net a smaller 2,000 sq ft house with lower end finishes).

I live in a high cola. Price of new builds are hundreds less per sqft than additions. Mine was over 550 per square ft with decent not over the top finishes. Kitchens and baths are the most expensive to add...

It is all local and contingent upon your house only a pro can give you a valid idea as to how much it will cost. I met with gc's prior to the architect to make sure it was a feasible structural and budget possibility first than had designs drawn afterward knowing it was in our budget. My neighbor had the plans drawn first and were lead to believe by the architect it would be in the 300 to 400 sq ft range only to find out by gc's it was closer to 600 so they wasted thousands on their drawings...

smiles33:

No one has their fingers on the pulse of construction costs better than the guys on the front lines; that's the builders and general contractors. Instead of getting bids, go backwards. Get the GC to tell your architect kinda what to draw after you're shared your budget with him.

In a high COL area, your best bet, if the municipality will approve it, would be to subdivide those 6 acres into 18 nice sized large city lots, and let that pay for the new house. And then some. Because renovating those major players will cost far more than you think. Way more than 200K that's for sure. That's barely your master addition. Or, your kitchen. Not both. 500K? Very possibly. That is why you should explore teardown as an option.

Sophie: Thanks for suggesting what may be the most "practical" solution, but we're unwilling to subdivide the land. Yes, I recognize that subdividing it would yield the most cash. However, the beauty of living here is the fact that we have 6 acres adjacent to a regional park. It truly feels like a peaceful oasis, a far different vibe from our previous homes in the heart of suburbia.

We can tap into equity and other investments to do this right, as we hope it will be our forever home. I will make some calls to some contractors to schedule a look-see. I met today with a highly recommended designer who told us that it's really busy now as the economy has roared back. She thinks it may take 6-8 months for stage one, which involves working with an architect to draw up all the plans and getting permits. I hadn't realized construction would not be starting until a year from now (or more?). She is going to connect us with architects and GCs.

Thanks all!

I had a small project and from starting with meeting with gc's for estimates, to than having plans drawn and contracts drawn, permits pulled, demo and build, finishes added, inspections completed and yard and driveway restored it took eleven months. It is a slow process often...