Up or Out? When enlarging a home, is it better to go vertical or not?

As their lifestyles change, many homeowners contemplate either adding on to their residence, or downsizing. For those who are considering enlarging their living space, there are a number of things to consider.

The first is the financial investment that will be involved. To determine how much money it will take, the homeowner must decide how much space they wish to add on, exactly what that space is to be used for, and whether they wish to expand the single-story footprint (keep the home one level) or opt to go vertically (adding a second story or loft design). Licensed, reputable building cont...