Second Floor House Construction

Some newer homes have manufactured i beam shaped joists.

Second floor house construction.

Your options are basically building up by adding a second story or building out by putting in an addition. Under this system the third floor officially becomes the second floor because of the two ground floors although people would generally call the upper ground level the second floor and the new second level to still be called the third floor out of convenience. It is often the quickest and most cost effective way to add a second story to your home. A floor s framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals.

The third tactic for your house addition is to expand an upper level out across an existing one story section such as a flat roof garage or porch. In addition to larger lumber several items are needed to give the home more support when framing for the second floor. The two materials that most builders use. In the filipino language both floor and storey are called palapag.

With a second story you have to build it with larger lumber to support the second floor. This additional weight won t necessarily be within the parameters of your original build. Typically the second story floor joists will not only run the same direction as the first floor joists they will also be directly over them. Hiring a remodeling contractor to build a second floor addition can run 100 300 a square foot for the typical addition 2 3 bedrooms and a bath plus a flight of stairs but can go as high as 400 500 per square foot depending on complexity quality of materials and local labor rates.

You definitely need more space in your one story home but you love the location and don t want to move. Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s. Framers construct the second story floor system to match the layout of the main floor system. Whether you re installing a hardwood floor on the first or second floor of a building you need a solid subfloor that won t sag and that will hold nails.

Ceiling joists are usually 2 by 6s or sometimes 2 by 4s if it is an older home. A modular second story addition is designed and built off site and brought fully built to your existing home. Even if you have the tools and materials you can t just put together a second floor without preparing additional support. You ll need to look for ways to while the integrity of the second floor is a risk remember that additional construction all puts additional weight on the pole barn footers too.