If you love the idea of taking a small bungalow and turning into a spacious family home, adding on to your house may be a good option. That’s why many people are considering raising the roof and adding a second floor. So, is it really worth the hassle? I think so.
As you look at various home improvement blogs, you’ll find that there are a few different reasons for adding a second story to your home. Common reasons range from wanting a more spacious and open family room to needing more bedrooms. Whatever the reason may be, adding a second story can come with a surprising cost.
💰 Cost Overview
Average price range: $100–$300 per sq ft, depending on location, finishes, and complexity
Budget range (800–1,000 sq ft): Around $80K–$300K .
High-end finishes or complex jobs: Up to $500 per sq ft
Extremes:
Partial addition/bonus room: From $50K–$120K
Full second story (1,000–1,500 sq ft): Typically $260K–$650K+
Luxury builds: Can reach $600K+, depending on size and finishes
🏗️ What Affects the Cost
Size – More square footage = more materials and labor.
Scope & complexity – Full story vs. bonus room vs. dormer bump-out.
Site conditions – Foundation strength, roof removal, structural upgrades.
Labor & permitting – Labor often 30–50% of your total cost. Permit and engineering fees add up
Finishes included – Kitchens, plumbing, HVAC, staircases, and bathrooms bump up the price.
💡 Real-World Examples
Reddit insight: $150–$350 per sq ft is common, with single-story homes at the higher end
Case study: In Minneapolis, expect $200–$300+/sq ft — around $325K–$500K for a typical addition
Industry average: Nationally, projects cost $100K–$300K or more .
🧮 Ballpark Estimates
Addition Type Area (sq ft) Cost Range
Bonus room / dormer 500 $50K–$120K
Partial second story 800–1,000 $80K–$300K
Full second story 1,000–1,500 $260K–$650K+
High-end finish varies Up to $500/sq ft
✅ Tips to Save Money
Choose simpler designs over complex layouts.
Skip unnecessary finishes or high-end materials.
DIY what you can like painting or flooring.
Shop multiple bids to find the best value.
Consider partial additions over a full second floor.
Raising the roof is typically done when adding an extra story to a ranch-style house or building a two-story home on top of an existing single-story structure. The most common reason for adding another floor is that families are growing, so they need more space.
Costs
The average cost to add a second story depends on various factors:
Size – Adding another story to a large house will cost more than adding it to a small one because there are more walls and windows that need framing;
Materials – Wood framing costs less than steel framing;
Labor – Hiring an experienced contractor who works quickly saves money over hiring someone new who takes longer but does good work;
Foundation – If your existing foundation needs modification or reinforcement, then add about $3-$4 per square foot for this additional work
Raising a roof to add a second story is a big job, but it can be done. The first thing you need to do is get an estimate from a contractor or remodeling company to give you an idea of how much the project will cost, and how many days they’ll need to finish it.
Raising the Roof
The next step is removing the existing roof. If your house has a Mansard-style roof, it may be possible for you to add another story without having to remove any of the existing structure. If not, you’ll need to take down some portion of the old roof before adding a new one. This may entail removal of interior walls and ceilings as well as exterior ones.
If your home has an attic, it may already have supports built into place for future expansion upwards; if not, your contractor will have to install these supports before raising the roof. They’ll also create new dormer windows or other openings so that light and air can reach each new level as they build them up higher and higher until they reach the height that you want your second story to be at when finished.
Finishing Your Work
Once your contractor takes down all necessary parts of your house’s exterior walls and finishes installing new ones in their place
The cost to raise a roof to add a second story depends on the size of your home and how much you want to spend. Typically, it will cost between $12,000 and $18,000 to raise the roof. The material costs are about $500-$800 per square foot, so if you have an average-sized home (1,500 square feet), you can expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,500 for materials alone.
The labor costs vary widely based on whether or not you hire an architect or contractor who has experience with this sort of thing. If you hire someone locally who doesn’t have experience with raising roofs, they might charge $40-$60 per hour for labor only (not including materials). If you hire someone who does have experience with raising roofs, they might charge $100-$150 per hour for labor only (again not including materials). Obviously these costs will vary depending on where you live and which contractor is doing the work.
If you are able to do some of the work yourself (i.e., framing), then your overall costs should be lower than if all of the work is done by a contractor. Also keep in mind that there may be additional expenses associated with adding
A second-story addition can be a simple way to add square footage to your home. But before you get started, it’s worth considering the pros and cons of this project and how it will affect your home’s value.
Before you start any remodeling project, make sure you have an idea of what it will cost. While some homeowners prefer to do their own work, many find it more convenient and less stressful to hire a contractor. A general contractor can help with every aspect of your project — from demolition to building permits and inspections — making the entire process easier for you.
The cost of adding a second story depends on several factors:
the amount of space you want to add
local building codes
what kind of materials you use (for example, wood or steel framing)
🔍 Final Take
Expect $100–$300 per sq ft on average.
Partial builds (like bonus rooms) are the most affordable.
Full second-story additions typically range from $260K to $650K+ depending on size and finish level.