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Can You Put an Addition on a Split Level Home? (Explained)

A split-level home is a multi-layered construction with a series of stairs connecting the interior structure and living rooms. There is no common ground here, and all of the living rooms are on various floors of the home.

These homes’ structures are a bit complicated because they have numerous layers. Now, let’s talk about whether or not we can add an extension to our split-level home, as well as some key information about the house’s structure.

Can you put an addition on a split-level home?

A split-level home can have an addition. When it comes to adding on to your split-level house, you have a number of alternatives. Make sure to prioritize and choose your options based on the requirements. Before finalizing the addition plan to a split-level house, consult with an expert.

Split-level houses were originally invented in the 1950s, following World War II. Residents in American suburbs in the United States of America were the first to use it.

It gained enormous popularity in a short period of time because homeowners could simply build a large house in a small space due to the split-level structure’s adaptability.

Besides, with several levels, these residences appeared far more sophisticated than any other home structure in the 1970s.

Despite the fact that they are not widely used in our century, split-level home constructions are making a steady comeback in recent days. 

If you go to any suburban region in the United States, you will almost certainly encounter four to ten split-level homes.

Furthermore, in mountainous areas, this construction style is particularly common. Even though this modified version of a ranch-style house may appear to be very appealing to you, its construction is not that simple. 

When you have to remodel it for an extension, the level of difficulty increases. Because of the location of the stairs and the roof’s orientation, making the necessary alterations and additions to your split-level home might be tricky.

As a result, it is highly advised that the additions be made around certain locations while leaving them unmodified. Another crucial thing to remember is to make the alterations as casual as possible.

Whether it’s a room, a kitchen, a garage, or any other form of living area, try to retain the same shade of color on the walls so it seems like it was constructed organically with the home.

Can you add a master suite to a split-level house?

A master suite may undoubtedly be added to a split-level home. ‘Master suite’ is a word that many of us are familiar with.

But, for those who do not know, a master suite is a large bedroom with an attached bathroom, maybe a small balcony, and enough space to store several pieces of equipment.

Therefore, it is the biggest room in the house, and it is generally where the house owner and their spouse reside.

However, in order to add a master suite to a split-level home, numerous significant alterations should be made first.

For example, you may need to rip down multiple walls to make room for the master suite, which includes conveniences such as a personal bathroom and a cozy balcony.

Another significant component of the master suite is a place for wall-in closets. So, while extending your split-level house, make sure to build it as per your needs and priority to accommodate the items you’ll need in your master room.

3 reasons why you can put an addition to a split-level house

As you already know that you can add to a split-level home, but why so? What gives you the benefits? Let’s get to know them.

Making it more spacious:

A split-level home addition is a terrific way to increase the size of your home. It allows you to accommodate more items in a smaller quantity of space.

Even though today’s nuclear families have fewer people, an extension to a split-level home might allow for the creation of many multifunctional living rooms for entertainment.

It adds more value to your property:

Based on the land area and size, each property has a unique property value. The bigger the size, the higher the price.

If someone wants to sell it in the near future, the split-level house’s additional features and extra rooms will increase the property’s value. Thus, this is also one of the reasons why one can put several additions to their split-level houses.

You can put it up for rent for extra income:

Since life has grown so expensive in recent years, we all seek extra sources of income to satisfy our daily financial needs and establish a solid financial foundation.

If you rent out some of the rooms in your split-level property, the additions may be a great source of revenue. As a result, the increased revenue would be quite useful for supplementing the family’s income.

What does the master suite addition to split-level cost?

A master suite addition in a split-level home may be fairly expensive, as it necessitates some big changes first, followed by major or minor additions.

As a result, the cost of adding a master suite to a split-level property will typically vary from $25,000 to $65,000.

In the event of extra features, the price may be higher and might reach $100,000. Despite these statistics, the price may vary significantly based on the style of master suite design, extra bathroom design, storage size, and other factors.

Since the rooms in split-level houses are often smaller, the owners may need to make some significant adjustments, such as adding a bathroom, balcony, closet space, or any combination of these features. In that instance, the final cost may be more than anticipated.

What addition can you make to split-level houses?

There are several options for additions that you can make to a split-level house. Some of them are as follows:

Addition of kitchen space:

As split-level homes have very congested rooms, your kitchen space may not be large enough for you to work and move about freely.

As a result, you may decide to expand the current kitchen space or build a whole new kitchen extension in your split-level home.

Addition of a garage:

The garage space is fairly large and is a standard feature of all split-level homes. As a result, if you have many automobiles and need space to park two of them side by side, you may need to extend your garage area.

As a result, check with an expert on how to add this extra room to your garage area, as there are various possibilities.

Addition of a sunroom:

Split-level dwellings are frequently deprived of sufficient sunlight and lack a good ventilation system. As a result, adding a sunroom to your split-level home might be exactly what you need to create a well-ventilated space.

If you enjoy gardening, you may grow your plants in the extra sunroom, where they will thrive and receive the proper quantity of air and sunlight.

Addition of a master suite and other living spaces:

Adding a master suite to your split-level home is one of the best things you can do. Besides, a master suite addition will provide you with a separate bathroom and walk-in closet, as well as many multifunctional spaces around the room.

How to add a room to a split-level house?

Here is a step-by-step guide to adding a room to a split-level house.

Select the location where you want to add the room:

The first and most important step in adding a room to a split-level house is to decide where you want the room to go. Choose the rear side, a side-by-side section, or a top-level expansion of your split-level house for this.

Calculate the overall budget:

Next, calculate the whole budget for the essential supplies, such as tools, cement, furnishings, appliances, lights, employment expenses, plumbing, flooring, and so on, after you’ve chosen the location.

Consult with an architect about making the layout of the room:

Then, since the construction of split-level houses differs significantly from that of traditional houses, consult an architect to design the room’s layout and check whether the site you’ve chosen for an extension is suitable or not.

Supervise yourself or hire a contractor:

It might be exhausting to supervise all of your work by yourself. Thus, after the plan is completed, you have the option of either supervising every task personally or hiring a contractor to perform them for you.

Even if you employ a contractor, make sure that everything is proceeding according to plan and everything is going in a well-organized manner.

Finish it off with interior decorations:

It’s time to decorate your additional room in the split-level house after the structure is completed. Concentrate on the paint color, lighting, and furniture arrangement. Use your favorite wall hangings and appliances to personalize it.

Final Thoughts

You can undoubtedly add an addition to your split-level house. As many of us are not experts in this field, it is essential to get professional assistance for redesigning your split-level house with the finest design. Also, remember to consider environmental limits when designing the renovation.