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Adding a Dormer: Design/layout

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mc handyman

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I just picked up a property (purchased) for less than the land value in its self. Very excited to start dumping my time and money into it... I think?

It is a small 900 sqft 1.5 story home with two bedrooms and what I hope to make 1.5 baths. I want some quick insight as to what your guys opinion is on putting a dormer on each side of the gable roof. I have never personally framed in a dormer but I have been reading up on it and it looks pretty straight forward. I will have an architect draw up plans for them.

But, just looking at it I am wondering how it will look from the exterior. In putting a dormer on this gable wouldn't it require removing the soffit and fascia in the area? (assuming 6') Would you still call that a dormer?

What are some design and procedure advice you can offer me as to how I should go about this?

Here is a link to the property where you can see the front view:
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Minnesota/Saint_Cloud/sold/20955418-211-12th-Ave-N-Saint-Cloud-MN-56303
 
#2 ·
It's a small house, if you going to install a dormer on each side, you might as well raise the roof on each side, this way it will be an investment, the amount of $$ spent on raising the roof vs. two dormers will worth more, you will gain more, and you will appreciate the money spent... Doing dormers on each side, you will not gain much for the amount of money you will spent and amount of work you will do is almost the same.
Good framing crew can bang this out for you in two days, demo and frame and have everything enclosed and you can do the finish work, which is very limited, some insulation, sheetrock,etc... same you would have to do with dormers.

Good luck
 
#3 ·
large dormers on either side may balance the look, not sure about raising it to a full 2-story-it's narrow. Wonder if if would be feasible to use 'long' trusses turned perpendicular, would have to ensure the foundation is suitable for a full 2 story's in either ease of expansion, adding dormers may not require that but I'm not sure. Local jurisdiction trumps all-you may need more or less engineering, have you looked into that aspect yet?
 
#6 ·
In Michigan you need an architect for property over 3500 sq ft. A liscensed builder can do anything they want (with approval from the building dept.)
I would by a good program like Soft Plan or Cheif Architecht, they go for $2500 or so easy to learn and you can use it over and over on more and more projects. They give complete roofs etc at the stroke of a key, also complete plans to turn into the building dept.
I have bought over 25 or so houses and I always did new vinyl windows, kitchen, paint, and floors {carpet} for under 10 k and moved on. If you overbuild in a neighborhood you'll not see the value per sq ft, of the new improvement vs the value of the old sellable properties that you will have to compete against when you go to sell the house. You might want to calculate the overall value of the neighboring properties by the sq ft to see if what you plan will pan out.
steve scholl
 
#7 · (Edited)
It would require a full shed dormer on each side to maintain any kind of balance. The energy and expense required to do so would leave you scratching your head and wondering what the heck you were thinking.

Clean it up (someone already mentioned windows, kitchen/bath freshening, paint and floors). Resell it and turn the profits into something that is a step up already.

Is it a personal home or resale for you?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Timo said:
It would require a full shed dormer on each side to maintain any kind of balance. The energy and expense required to do so would leave you scratching your head and wondering what the heck you were thinking.

Clean it up (someone already mentioned windows, kitchen/bath freshening, paint and floors). Resell it and turn the profits into something that is a step up already.

Is it a personal home or resale for you?
Click to expand...
It is my hopes to fix it up over the next year and make it a personal home for a few years until we can liquidate a couple other investments to move on up.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
I am getting a pretty heavy consensus on just leaving it be and not even put the dormers in. In my mind I was hoping to squeeze on 6' dormer in to allow space and headroom for a full bath upstairs and putting a half bath down stairs on the main level.

Maybe it would simply be more beneficial to drop in a couple skylights and stick to just on full bath downstairs... although I really feel that will be a deal breaker when it comes time to re-sale.

So overall, what do you guys think? With the limited information you have right now would you install at east one dormer? or- would you simply make it a sleeping quarters and have the bath on the main?

As far as the comps in the area we are already out of the pool. This home is 900sqft where the majority of homes in the neighborhood are in between 1000-1500 sqft. There are only a few that have been updated to modern finishes including the exteriors. I will say that right now the budget I have set with all material costs is just under $20,000 which puts the cost per sqft at around $35 when factoring in the purchase price and quiet costs. Whereas most homes in the area have been selling anywhere from $65-85 per sqft.
 
#10 ·
Dormers are done in 1-1/2-story designs, but yours is a two-story. A dormer would not add much unless you absolutely need headroom right against those second floor wall long sides, somewhere.

Pay a few bucks to a good architect or house designer, to see what can be done otherwise. If you have enough room on the lot as regards setbacks at the sides, you might consider a shed bumpout instead.
 
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