Preparing for a Home Addition in Orlando: What Happens Before Construction Starts

The period between deciding to do an addition and the day construction begins is busy. Decisions need to be made. Your home needs to be prepared. Your family needs a plan for living through the project. This article covers what to expect during those months before the first shovel goes in the ground.

The Design and Decision Phase

During schematic design, you work with the design team to develop the floor plan and elevations. This involves several rounds of revision. You will change your mind about something. That is normal and expected. Changes during design cost almost nothing and prevent expensive changes during construction.

During design development, you select finishes. Flooring. Cabinetry. Countertops. Plumbing fixtures. Lighting fixtures. Tile. Paint colors. Hardware. There are hundreds of decisions, and a good design team structures them so you are not overwhelmed. Selections are batched logically. Samples are curated. Each choice gets priced as it is made.

Items with long lead times should be ordered during this phase. Custom cabinetry takes ten to sixteen weeks from final measurements. Specialty windows may be made to order. Imported tile has its own timeline. Ordering these items during design means they arrive when construction needs them. Waiting until the permit is issued to place orders adds weeks of idle time to the schedule.

Preparing Your Home

The construction zone needs to be cleared. Furniture, artwork, and belongings in the area where the addition will be built and the path workers will use to access it should be moved to another part of the home or placed in storage. Flooring in the path of construction traffic should be protected with ram board or similar covering.

If you are staying in the home during construction, designate a clean zone where your family can retreat from the noise and dust. This is usually the side of the house farthest from the construction. Plastic sheeting will be hung to contain dust, but some dust will get through. Expect it and plan for it.

If you are relocating during part of the project, arrange temporary housing before construction begins. The builder can tell you which phases you will need to be out for and for approximately how long. For a second story addition, relocation is usually needed during the roof off and framing phase. For a whole home remodel involving the kitchen, relocation may be needed for a longer period.

Preparing Your Family

Construction noise starts early. If you work from home, the sound of framing, sawing, and hammering during business hours may make concentrated work impossible. Plan to work from an alternate location during noisy phases.

Your daily routine will change. The path from the front door to the kitchen may go through a temporary plastic corridor. The bathroom you normally use may be unavailable for a period. The pets will be stressed by the noise and the strangers in the house. Thinking through these logistics before they happen makes them manageable rather than infuriating.

Communicate with your neighbors. Let them know construction is starting, how long it is expected to last, and who to contact if there is a problem on the job site. A brief heads up before the noise begins goes a long way toward maintaining good relationships.

What Your Builder Should Be Doing

While you are making decisions and preparing your home, your builder should be finalizing the permit package and submitting it to the building department. They should be ordering long lead items. They should be scheduling the trades and confirming the construction timeline. They should be providing you with a clear phasing plan that shows what happens when, so you can plan your life around the construction rather than reacting to it.

If your builder is not communicating clearly during this phase, that is unlikely to improve once construction starts. The pre construction phase sets the tone for the entire project.

For the complete timeline from start to finish, read our home addition process guide. For an overview of what type of addition fits your property, see our types of home additions guide.