Expert Advice on Home Improvement TV Host of Emmy®-Nominated Today's Homeowner® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Today’s Addition Update

Home Improvement, Today's Addition 2007 Published 08/09/2007 by Ben Erickson

This special two-part edition of Today’s Homeowner will take you step-by-step through the process of adding an addition onto your home. Our master bedroom addition attaches to the back of the existing house and adds almost 500 square feet of much needed floor space. It features a raised ceiling in the center of the room as well as a breakfast bar for those lazy Saturday mornings. The room’s five windows—along with double glass doors that open onto the deck—will supply plenty of light during the day, and recessed light fixtures in the ceiling give the room a warm glow at night.

It’s been over a month now since we started on the project, and as you can see, we’ve made considerable progress. Here’s what we’ve managed to accomplish so far:

• Move existing central air conditioner
• Cut brick wall and remove bricks
• Dig footings and install steel reinforcement
• Pour concrete for footings
• Lay concrete blocks for foundation
• Truck in fill dirt and compact
• Rough in plumbing for sink
• Put down 6 mil black plastic vapor barrier for slab
• Install 6”x6” reinforcing wire mesh for slab
• Pour slab and install anchor bolts for walls
• Frame and raise walls using a treated bottom plate bolted to slab
• Sheath walls and cover with house wrap
• Cut and install rafters
• Framing for ceiling, including collar ties to support raised ceiling
• Attach hurricane straps to walls and rafters
• Install roof sheathing and asphalt shingles using vented ridge
• Frame in eaves for vinyl soffit and fascia
• Rough in wiring for plugs and recessed light fixtures

Keep checking back to follow all the details of Today’s Addition: A Restful Retreat. An on-site webcam will be live in just a few days.