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Kitchen Remodeling – Adding a Room or Not?

Renovators Place Columnist
Oct 08, 2009

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As you plan a kitchen remodeling, the discussion often leads to talk of expanding the space. Wouldn't it be nice to have an extra 10 feet for a breakfast room? How can we fit a walk-in pantry into the kitchen design? Here's how to decide whether expanding your kitchen is the best solution?

Benefits of a Room Addition

The most obvious benefit to a room addition is the extra space. Your once cramped kitchen will be transformed into a spacious room with large aisles to walk through and perhaps a kitchen island for family meals. Depending on how much space you add, you can carve out a:

Breakfast room
Family room
Reading area
Homework nook
Laundry room

Other Room Addition Perks

Another perk to doing a room addition at the same time as a kitchen remodel is that you finish all the construction at one time. If you remodel the kitchen, then do a room addition in a few years, you risk having to redo some of the work. For example, you may have to:

Reconfigure the kitchen later to tie it into the room addition.
Reconfigure recently painted door trim when you open spaces for a room addition.
Redo electrical wiring and heating ducts to tie them into the addition.

When It Pays to Wait on a Room Addition

There are cost issues to consider when adding a room, however. Anytime you dig a foundation, pour concrete and build new walls, the costs will increase. Room additions often cost $30,000 or more. If your existing kitchen has enough space and the layout can be changed to add a kitchen island or make the kitchen design more efficient, then perhaps a room addition is not warranted.

Other Room Addition Factors

There also are logistical issues to consider. You typically need zoning approval from your municipality and, in some cases, a variance to allow the structure. This process can take a few weeks to several months depending on the scope of the project. Room additions also take longer than a typical kitchen remodeling. Make sure your work and family situations will blend with such a schedule.

There are many benefits of doing a room addition while remodeling your kitchen. Consider all the factors and then make your decision based on your goals, lifestyle and budget.

About the Author
Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer who has been writing home improvement columns for 15 years.