From: "Zing" 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house misc.invest.real-estate
Subject: Re: possible construction cost savings?
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 21:16:36 GMT


"Robert Kim"  wrote in message
news:Pine.SOL.4.58.0407240942290.11938@herald.cc.purdue.edu...
> Hi, all.  I have a friend who owns a house in the San Francisco area and
> she is building a second floor to her house.  She knows this is not the
> best way to upgrade cost-wise but she really likes the location and the
> house so prefers to add a second floor rather than buy a new house with a
> second floor.  Anyway, my question:
>
Regarding a second floor addition (or any addition for that matter), make
sure your friend has a keen eye for design and style, or hire a good
architect. This is particularly important for high end homes. I've seen many
properties for sale with additions that didn't "look right" - they monkeyed
with the original architectural integrity of the home. Often, these homes
seem to languish on the market when for sale, while other, more harmonious
designed comparables sell like hot cakes. As you know, curb appeal is
everything. Some CAD/CAM designer on the other side of the country, or even
the designer at a building contractor may not have that ability.

Zing