We have a 20 year old two story house in Guelph, ON and are considering to put a 355 sq ft one floor addition out the back. The addition will contain a family room with gas fireplace, a 2 piece bath, and a laundry/mud room. Our house has F.A.G. heat & AC. We've spoken to 3 contractors who all have their own opinions on what is the most appropriate underpinning. One recommends using pillers that will extend below the frost line. Another suggests a frost wall and a crawl space, the third recomends a full basement. Costs allowing, we like the idea of a full basement, but recognized that dirt removal may be an issue and great expense, as there is not much room between houses to get equipment into the back yard. We are confused. What should we be asking the contractors to help us make this decision? Would it change your recommendation if our addition grows to 2 stories adding up to about 550 sq ft, adding a second floor bath and bedroom?
Answer:
All you need is four feet between buildings. I don't see a whole lot of problem removing dirt from the backyard once you have the equipment in there to dig it up. A conveyer belt will take out an awful lot and if you compare the cost of its rental to what you're paying to have the addition put on, it is indeed a small fraction. If you feel that a second level is what you want in the future, now is the time to make a final decision on that. I'd also want a full basement.
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