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Home Additions in Gainesville, GA
A local guide to cost, timeline, permits and planning a room addition in Gainesville and Hall County.
Quick answer: EBD Construction LLC is a licensed and insured general contractor based in Gainesville, Georgia, that designs and builds home additions for homeowners in Gainesville, Hall County and nearby communities like Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Buford and the Lake Lanier area. Owner Eric Bubniak and the same three-person crew build bedroom and family room additions, primary suites, bump-outs, sunrooms and second stories, matched to your existing home. Eric pulls all permits himself. To get started, call 404-925-7481 for a free consultation.
Planning an addition or new home? See how EBD works as a residential general contractor in Gainesville and Hall County.
Who builds home additions in Gainesville, GA?
EBD Construction LLC is a Gainesville-based general contractor with more than 15 years of experience building and remodeling homes across Hall County. An addition is really a small new house attached to your current one: foundation, framing, roof, windows, siding, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and finishes all have to work together, and all of it has to tie into the house you already have. EBD builds that with the same crew, year after year. Three full-time builders have worked side by side for over a decade, and they also build new custom homes from the ground up.
What that means for you:
- One point of contact. You talk to Eric from the first visit to the final walkthrough.
- Permits handled for you. Eric pulls every permit himself and schedules every inspection.
- An addition that looks original. Rooflines, siding, trim, windows and floor heights are matched so the new space doesn't look tacked on.
- Everything under one roof. Foundation, framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical and finish carpentry are coordinated by the same team.
- Work that's guaranteed. All EBD work is guaranteed, and references from past customers are available on request.
What kinds of home additions are there?
Most additions in the Gainesville area fall into one of these types:
- Bump-out. A small extension, usually under 100 square feet, that pushes one wall out a few feet to enlarge a kitchen, bathroom or closet.
- Single room addition. A new bedroom, home office, den or playroom built on the side or back of the house.
- Family room or great room addition. A larger living space, often with a vaulted ceiling and big windows facing the backyard or the lake.
- Primary suite addition. A bedroom with its own bathroom and walk-in closet, often on the main floor so you can age in place (see the aging-in-place guide).
- Sunroom. A bright room with walls of windows, built as a true heated and cooled room or as a three-season space.
- Second-story addition. Building up over part or all of the house when the lot has no room to build out.
- Garage or in-law suite. A new attached garage, or a converted or added space for a parent or adult child to live in. See the garage conversion guide for turning an existing garage into living space.
If you aren't sure which one fits, that's what the free consultation is for. Eric will look at your house, your lot and how you want to use the space, and tell you what makes sense.
How much does a home addition cost in Gainesville, GA?
The cost of a home addition in Gainesville depends mostly on five things: the size of the addition, the foundation, how the roof ties in, whether it includes a bathroom or kitchen, and the finishes you choose. As a rule of thumb, many ground-level additions in the area land around $75 to $300 per square foot.
Here's a general guide to what additions typically cost in the Gainesville area. It isn't a quote; your price depends on your house, your lot and your choices.
| Addition type | What it usually involves | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Bump-out | One wall pushed out a few feet to enlarge a kitchen, bath or closet | $5,000 to $35,000 |
| Sunroom | Window-walled room on a new foundation, heated and cooled or three-season | $8,000 to $60,000 |
| Single room addition | Bedroom, office or den of about 200 to 400 sq ft with matching roof and siding | $15,000 to $90,000 |
| Primary suite addition | Bedroom, full bathroom and walk-in closet, with new plumbing and HVAC | $30,000 to $160,000 |
| Second-story addition | New floor over existing rooms, with structural reinforcement and a new roof | $40,000+ |
The fastest way to get a real number is a free on-site consultation. EBD works within your budget and will tell you up front where your money goes furthest.
Tip: A simple shape with a roof that ties cleanly into the existing roof is the biggest way to save on an addition. Bathrooms and kitchens cost the most per square foot because of plumbing, so a bedroom or family room gives you the most space for the money. Building on a crawl space or slab at the same floor height as the house also keeps costs down.
Is it cheaper to build an addition or move?
For a lot of Gainesville and Hall County homeowners, yes. Moving means agent commissions, closing costs, moving expenses and buying a bigger house at today's prices and interest rates. An addition lets you keep your lot, your neighbors, your schools and, if you're near Lake Lanier, your view. It also adds square footage that counts toward your home's value. A free consultation gives you a real addition price so you can compare the two side by side.
Is it cheaper to build up or out?
Building out is usually cheaper. A ground-level addition gets its own new foundation, and the rest of the house stays mostly untouched. Building up means checking and often reinforcing the existing foundation and walls, removing the roof, and adding a staircase, which takes up space on the floor below. A second story makes sense when the lot is small, setbacks leave no room to build outward, or you'd lose too much of the yard. Before building up, check whether you have an unfinished bonus room or attic: finishing it usually costs far less.
How long does a room addition take?
Most home additions in the Gainesville area take about 3 to 5 months for a single room addition and 4 to 8 months for a primary suite or second story, counting design and permitting. A small bump-out can often be done in 4 to 8 weeks. Construction itself is usually the shorter part; design, engineering and permits take time up front, and weather can affect foundation and roofing days.
A typical EBD addition follows these steps:
- Free consultation. Eric visits your home, listens to what you need and looks at the house and lot.
- Design and estimate. You get a floor plan, a written estimate and a timeline.
- Permits. Eric pulls every permit himself, with the City of Gainesville or Hall County depending on where you live.
- Site work and foundation. The area is cleared and the footings, slab or crawl space go in and are inspected.
- Framing and roof. Walls, floor and roof are framed and tied into the existing house, then sheathed, roofed and dried in.
- Rough-in. Plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling are run and inspected.
- Exterior and insulation. Windows, siding and trim are matched to the house; insulation and drywall go in.
- Opening into the house. The wall between the old house and the new room is opened, usually near the end so dust and disruption stay low.
- Finishes. Flooring, trim, paint, lighting, fixtures and any bathroom tile go in.
- Final walkthrough. Final inspection, then you walk the finished space with Eric and anything that isn't right gets fixed.
Do I need a permit for a home addition in Gainesville or Hall County?
Yes. Every room addition needs a building permit, with inspections at the foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and final stages. Homes inside Gainesville city limits are permitted through the City of Gainesville; homes in unincorporated Hall County go through Hall County. Flowery Branch, Oakwood and Buford each have their own process. During permitting, the plans are checked against setbacks (how close you can build to the property line) and other zoning rules. If your home is on septic and the addition adds a bedroom, the septic system usually has to be reviewed for capacity. If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, plan on getting their approval too. EBD Construction pulls all required permits itself as part of the project, so you don't have to. Our building permit guide covers permit costs, timelines and inspections across Gainesville and Hall County.
Can you match my existing house?
Yes, and it's one of the most important parts of a good addition. EBD matches the roof pitch, shingles, siding, trim, windows and floor height so the new space looks like it was always there. When an exact match isn't available, such as with older siding, the crew can re-side a full wall or the whole house so everything is consistent. EBD also handles siding, roofing and exterior paint, so the outside of the house can be updated in the same project.
Where does EBD Construction build additions?
EBD Construction is based in Gainesville, Georgia and has served Gainesville and all of Hall County for more than 15 years, including:
- Gainesville
- Flowery Branch
- Oakwood
- Buford
- Chestnut Mountain
- Murrayville
- Clermont
- Lula
- Gillsville
- Homes around Lake Lanier
Why hire a local Gainesville contractor for an addition?
- You know who's on your property. Same crew every day, for months, not whoever is available.
- They know local rules and soil. Hall County's red clay, sloped lots and permitting offices are familiar ground.
- A builder, not just a remodeler. EBD builds new custom homes, so foundations, framing and roofs are everyday work.
- Reviews you can check. EBD Construction has 5-star reviews on Thumbtack, and references from past customers are available on request.
- See the work first. Photos of real EBD projects are in the project gallery.
Home addition FAQs
Can I live in my house during an addition?
Usually, yes. Most of an addition is built outside your existing walls, and the opening into the house is cut near the end of the job. You'll have noise and crew on site during work hours, but most families stay home the whole time.
Does a home addition add value?
Added square footage, especially a bedroom or a primary suite with its own bathroom, generally raises a home's value and makes it appeal to more buyers. How much depends on your neighborhood and how well the addition matches the house, which is why matching the roofline and exterior matters.
Do I need an architect for an addition?
Not always. EBD designs additions and can coordinate any drawings or engineering the permit requires, such as for a second story or a large beam. If you already have an architect, EBD can build from their plans.
What foundation will my addition need?
Most additions match the existing house: a crawl space if your home is on a crawl space, a slab if it's on a slab, and sometimes a basement on sloped Hall County lots. Matching the foundation keeps the floors level between the old and new rooms.
Will my heating and air handle the new space?
Sometimes. A small room may tie into your current system, while a larger addition or primary suite often needs a new or upsized unit or a ductless mini-split. This is checked during planning and included in the estimate.
Is EBD Construction licensed and insured?
Yes. EBD Construction LLC is licensed and insured, all work is guaranteed, and references are available on request.
Does EBD Construction also remodel kitchens and bathrooms?
Yes. Along with additions, EBD remodels kitchens and bathrooms, opens up living spaces, builds decks and porches, and builds new homes. See the kitchen remodeling guide, the bathroom remodeling guide and the deck and porch guide.
Ready to add on to your Gainesville home?
Call Eric Bubniak at 404-925-7481 or fill out the form below for a free consultation. Tell us what kind of space you need and your timeline, and we'll set up a time to see the house.
Get your free consultation
Tell us a little about your project. Eric will call you within one business day to talk it through and set up a time to see the space.