A useful addition budget starts with a decision: what new space must the house provide, and what work will that require in this particular building? A price per square foot cannot answer whether the existing structure can support the plan, where utilities will connect, or what the local permit office will require. Use the steps below to get comparable proposals before choosing a contractor.
Start with a one-page scope, not a price target
Write down the room's intended use, approximate size, and whether it needs a bathroom, kitchen, laundry, or separate entrance. Mark the wall where you expect it to join the house. List the finishes you care about and the ones you could simplify. Then give the same brief to every designer or contractor you consult.
Before asking for a firm construction price, gather what you already have: a survey, any plans for the existing house, known permit records, and photos of the proposed tie-in. If a document is missing, ask who will obtain it and whether that work is included in the proposal. A site visit can reveal questions; it cannot replace a structural evaluation where one is needed.
Decision point: If your real problem is a poor layout rather than insufficient area, price a full renovation alongside the addition. If you need a new bedroom or living area that cannot fit inside the present footprint, continue with the addition study.
Check the constraints that can change the design
Property and zoning. Ask the permitting office for your address about setbacks, lot coverage, easements, and any local review that applies before assuming the addition will fit where you drew it. Broward's Building Code Division handles permitting in the Broward Municipal Services District; municipalities have their own processes. Confirm the authority for your address instead of using a neighbor's permit estimate.
Flood information. Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. A map is a starting point, not an elevation determination for your design. Ask the designer and local building department whether a survey, elevation information, or flood-related requirements affect the proposed floor level and foundation. Resolve that question before pricing the foundation as a simple slab.
Wind and the connection to the house. Broward is within the Florida Building Code's High Velocity Hurricane Zone. The structural designer must account for the applicable wind requirements, openings, and the connection from the new roof through the walls into the foundation. Ask each bidder whether their price includes engineering, approved opening products, and the work at the roof and wall tie-in. A quote that omits those items is not comparable to one that includes them.
Existing systems. A bathroom or kitchen addition needs more than fixtures: locate the drainage route, water supply, electrical capacity, and air-conditioning connection. Ask what has been checked and what is still an allowance or assumption. If a wall will be removed, ask whether temporary support and the final beam are included.
Compare bids by scope, not by the last number
Give each bidder the same plans and scope revision. Put the proposals side by side and mark each of these items as included, excluded, or unresolved:
- Design, engineering, survey, permit applications, plan review, and fees.
- Site preparation, demolition, disposal, foundation, structure, roof tie-in, and weather protection during construction.
- Windows and doors, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, insulation, drywall, and finishes.
- Utility upgrades, work needed in the existing rooms, landscaping or paving repair, and final inspections.
- Allowances for selections, with the amount and the product or quality level each allowance buys.
- The schedule assumptions, payment milestones, warranty terms, and the written change-order process.
If one price is lower, ask the bidder to identify the exact scope difference in writing. A missing panel upgrade or roof tie-in may be more important than a lower finish allowance. Do not treat an allowance as a fixed price; compare what each allowance actually covers. Keep a separate contingency for discoveries in the existing house, and ask how a discovery is documented and approved before extra work begins.
Choose the next step for your stage
Still deciding whether to add on? Pay for the feasibility questions first: location on the lot, possible tie-in, structural constraints, utilities, and permit authority. That work can prevent you from commissioning a design that cannot be priced or approved as imagined.
Already have plans? Ask for proposals against the same plan set and selection list. Request a list of exclusions and unresolved assumptions with every bid. Ask which changes would require revised plans or a new permit review.
Ready to select a contractor? Verify the contractor's license through Florida DBPR's license search, request current insurance documentation, and agree on who applies for permits and schedules inspections. Confirm the license and business name on the proposal match the records you check.
An addition is worth pursuing when it solves a space problem the existing floor plan cannot solve and the property can support the work. If you are comparing those options for a Broward home, bring your address, survey if available, and a one-page scope to the first conversation. Ask for the design and site questions to be identified before anyone promises a construction figure. Our additions team can help scope that first step; you can review our completed work before deciding whom to call.