Home additions
Second storey additions
When the lot can't grow outward, the house grows upward. A second storey adds bedrooms, bathrooms and a primary suite without losing a square foot of yard.
The work
A second storey is the largest single change you can make to a bungalow, and the most technically demanding. The existing foundation and walls have to carry the new load, which means an engineer reviews the footings, the framing and the load path before anything is drawn.
The other half of the job is weather. Removing a roof in Ottawa requires a plan for rain and snow at every stage — temporary structure, tarping and a sequence that gets the new roof closed in fast. We schedule those weeks deliberately, not optimistically.
Done well, the result reads as though the house was always two storeys: matched rooflines, aligned windows, consistent siding or brick and a stair that feels original rather than inserted.
- Typical duration
- 20 – 32 weeks
- Permits
- Building permit, engineered drawings, plumbing and electrical
- Best suited to
- Bungalows and 1.5-storey homes on constrained lots
- Occupancy
- Most clients relocate for the framing and roofing phase
How we build it
What's included, and why it matters
01
Structural review first
Foundation capacity, wall framing and beam sizing are engineered before design is finalised, so the drawings reflect what the house can actually carry.
02
Weather-tight sequencing
Roof removal, framing and sheathing are planned as one continuous push, with temporary protection ready before the first shingle comes off.
03
A stair that belongs
The new stair is the hardest planning problem in most second storeys. We locate it early because it dictates the main-floor layout.
04
Mechanical capacity
Furnace, ductwork, electrical service and plumbing stacks are all reassessed — a second floor usually needs more than the original house was built with.
Answers
Second storey additions, answered
Start your project
Thinking about second storey additions?
We'll visit the property, tell you honestly what's possible, and give you a scope and a number you can plan around.
We typically respond within one business day.