Adding a second storey

[AMR]

Hi all,

Has anyone on the North Shore added a second storey to their single level home? How did it go? What sort of costs were involved?

Couldn't find any other threads on this...only passing comments.

[[email protected]]

We looked at it 2 years ago. My brother in law who is a top engineer told me it was a bad idea, too expensive. I then spoke to 3 people who had done it and they all regretted it so I dropped the idea.
Apparently with current regs the cost to make the lower level compliant to take the top level is prohibitively expensive.

[rockran]

What about an extension to an existing house and the extension being 2 levels. Would this make financial sense ?

[Green Fish]

Makes better sense than a second level on the existing dwelling.

Most modern single-level dwellings are constructed to a standard close to the engineering minimum. So they won't bear the load of a second level. No problem on a lifestyle block, but in North Shore City, you will end up building a second house on top of the first, using expensive foundations and steel "I" beams.

[Monid]

What about lifting an existing house up and placing a second level beneath it? Wouldn't this get around some of the engineering problems?

Cheers
David

[revdev]

What about lifting an existing house up and placing a second level beneath it? Wouldn't this get around some of the engineering problems?

A family friend did exactly this in Taupo. Result was the top floor then had a view of the lake and the property practically tripled in value. Nice work.

G

[Monid]

My parents did it when I was a kid, took their old 3 bedroom house and built a new concrete block house beneath it, then put it back on top, resulting in a much larger and nicer house, for what at the time didn't seem to be too much money. I was just wondering if compliance costs had now killed this sort of thing.

Cheers
David

[alhoon]

Hi Amr,

Every property is different so weather it’s worth doing is up to each property.
Best way to get you answer is to get a copy of your plan and take it to a draughtsman or architect and they can give you a more accurate figure.

Allan

[Green Fish]

It's a great idea - which I should have thought of, given that our neighbours did in the 1960s.

It'll depend on the house. For example, I don't think it can be done with a brick veneer house.

[Viking]

Works really good. Get a house movin guy to check the house and tell you. Houses can be lifted by crane as well.

[Strummer]

my sister did it to her place a couple of years ago. added a master bedroom and en suite on top. required some foundation strengthening. all up: $110k.