Second floor addition to a cape/ranch, converting to a colonial (Boston: how much, new home)

[sr03]

Hi,

We are looking to purchase a new home just outside of Boston. But most of the houses we come across in our price range are cape/ranch. Any idea, what would be the cost of adding a second floor. I am thinking another 1000 sqft. assuming the structure supports it.

Thanks in advance.

[brightdoglover]

Isn't a cape considered a second-story? Some people add dormers and finish off the upstairs.
I did see a construction company that specialized in putting second floors on ranches. I think it was in Westborough or Shrewsbury or somewhere. You could try googling it.
If you bought a cape and just wanted to expand the second floor, any good contractor could do it.
Best wishes.

[CaseyB]

I believe most capes are considered 1 1/2 stories, because of the ceilings. You should be able to buy them with the 2nd floor unfinished and then hire your own contractor to complete the work.

[Cato the Elder]

As others have pointed out, adding a second story on a ranch will be significantly more expensive than on a cape. Most capes have a walk up attic so all you need to do is install dormers (a must if you want to maximize space with kneewalls now 5' instead of 4'). You might have to install additional support if it's balloon construction, but it's nothing like adding a second story on a ranch.

[sr03]

Thanks for your response. We have no experience with any kind of remodeling so here are the questions.

The capes we saw have the second floor completed. But the ceiling height is too low and feels cramped and smaller than it is. We would think a proper conversion to colonial would meet our criteria. Not so fond of dormers unless there is significant difference price point.

Anybody knows how much it might cost in this area. We are also hoping to add a family room and garage and convert the 1/2 story to a full story. Any experiences with contractors between I-95 and I-495

[gf2020]

$200,000