Adding on to a home is a real joy, especially considering how hard it can be to fit a modern lifestyle into some of Madison, Wisconsin’s smaller houses. We’ve been there, too! It can be easy to get caught up in aesthetics, but when planning an addition, there are practical factors to think about as well. Zoning requirements should be checked before getting carried away with dreaming up a plan, not to mention setbacks and percentage of previous space…
At Aspen Garden and Landscape, we work with a lot of homeowners in the process of adding on to their houses. Here are the top five things we’ve learned about home additions, from a landscaper’s perspective:
1- First and foremost, think about your budget and talk to a landscaper early. Oftentimes, a landscape contractor is called last, but it should be your first step. A good landscape contractor ought to be able to anticipate challenges with things like water management, retention, and grading. Understanding these issues early can save a lot of time and a lot of money- and it will help flesh out the total cost of the project.
2- Conduit and pipes. Once a new driveway has been poured, the house is complete. The exterior steps are finished and maybe a concrete walkway has been poured. But did you think about a conduit or pipe underneath the walkways? These can be very helpful for water management, but are costly to add after the fact. A landscape contractor will bring these considerations up before any concrete has been poured, potentially saving you a boatload in spending.
3- Don’t forget about gutters. If you are adding a new roof line, it’s critical to consider where the downspouts will be installed. Often, they end up as an afterthought and deposit water in an area that causes icy walkways or other water issues like unwanted flooding. Being strategic will save a lot of trouble, especially in Madison, Wisconsin’s cold, wet climate.
4- Even more important to contemplate is the overall grading. Many, many homes in Madison are built on sloping lots. While the incline may not seem drastic, when an addition is placed without first evaluating the grading, we landscape contractors are faced with a long list of issues. We've seen many additions that interfere with the natural flow of water and create a dam in melt conditions or during heavy rains- the water has nowhere to go other than into window wells or another easy route to the basement. Often this is the case with window wells installed recently, too. Some of the preformed plastic models have a design that drops down as it extends outward from the house. If the distance between the soil grade and siding isn’t enough, the addition may end up pushing the end of the window well below grade. We were on a site visit a few years ago with an egress window on one side of the home that was flooding the basement. On the other side of the house, a poorly-planned addition was causing similar flooding. Understanding elevations is critical!
5- Consider building retaining walls before the addition! Difficult access means huge cost increases in landscape projects. One way to save money landscaping is to build any necessary backyard retaining walls before putting in an addition. More room to work and more room to dump materials means the project can be done more quickly and efficiently. Again, completing the walls first requires a solid understanding of the planned grades in order to ensure every aspect will dovetail together nicely, so be sure to inquire about this factor with the installation designer. Furthermore, many new additions necessitate a new driveway. On a narrow lot, this may be the only access point to the backyard. Be sure to have a solid handle on the grading and complete the retaining wall before the driveway is poured!
If you’re planning an addition and want help thinking things through, fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation. We believe in being a resource for our community and do what we can to keep these consultations affordable and bring value to them.