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Next door builder build large two story house with 2 balconies cut out and 5 huge windows on our side. It practically fill up their whole yard from front to back. We don't have plating that side space right now due to our driveway barely fit that side of the house.
We want to either move the garage to front or move that side of house wall (around 35 to 40 feet long) inwards about 3 feet and add 600 sq ft addition in the back. It is raised foundation with about 2 to 3 feet crawl space.
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We have 2 options (please pardon my ignorance if they are not good options)
One is move the right side house wall 3 feet inwards (not outwards) and add either 2nd story or 400 sq ft in the back. That will give 3 feet of planting space to have tall screening plants plus one additional room, small family room and half bath in the back.
Another option is convert large area of the house into garage and add 600 sq.ft in the back. That includes tackling current raised foundation for garage and moving two load bearing walls inside the house.
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Which one will be more cost effective? How much can I expect to pay for moving outside wall 3 feet inside (ball park)? The main load bearing walls for the roof and front and back wall (the rafter runs front to back)
We can do all the interior finish ourselves to save cost.
Moving exterior walls aint cheap.
All your options would cost at least $75,000 if done correctly by a licensed contractor who knows what he's doing and pulls permits and actually hires an architect or engineer to do the plans.
Your first option would likely be the cheapest.
We are not willing to spend more than 100,000 for overall (excluding interior finish by ourselves. It is either less than that or we move.
Thanks for the quick response. I was checking whether it will be feasible or not base on the budget.
We plan to put the tall privacy hedges along the fence area. I know it will also benefit them. But our house has new roof, newly renovated kitchen and bathroom. If we sell, closing fees alone can cost us more that 40k. Ours is only 2 bedroom 900 sq.ft now. So it seems to make more sense to build out and move wall to give space. Commute is great and neighborhood is good.
Do you have windows on that side? Could you do without them? Block them up so you don't look out that side?
Or, another idea, put mirror window glass in those side windows so they will not be able to see in (it looks like a mirror to them but looks the same to you). Then, put decorative cloth awnings on each window outside. This will obscure part of the upper view from your window so your lower windows will definitely not see anything on their 2nd floor, and not too much on their 1st floor.
Or, change some of the living room windows to stained glass. It might work on the kitchen, too, but would probably look funny in a bedroom. You can also buy window frosting that you paint on - I've done it, it's easy - and you don't see them and they don't see you.
Another really easy idea - put triple gathered sheers on those windows. You still get your light but no one can see in and no one can see out.
Just an idea - not much money to spend on these things.
Most of the tight fit houses here just put in obscure glass where the neighbors windows and balconies are. If you're thinking about spending $75k to improve privacy of a small house your likely better off tearing down and rebuilding something that makes better use of the land. The plans you have don't seem entirely rational from a cost perspective.
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