You're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, good time to buy, bad time to sell but have you considered renting out the two homes and buying an existing that will accomidate all of you?

For the remodel, you need a consultation from a design professional who can help with the architectural details as well as the engineering. You want to be sure the existing foundation will allow you to go up another story.

sierra we have considered renting however there are a number of issues the two biggest being often times people wont pay or they move and leave your home in a terrible mess and it cost a ton to fix what they have destroyed, or you have to take them to court to recoup the money. If we are assisting a ill parent and I work full time i don't see that if this arose we would have the time for it. Enough stress already not sure i want to add more to the situation.

actually the addition will have the second story only so it will be a new foundation, if that makes sense. But I was only looking for some recommendations or thoughts about the idea of how to add on, even if we consult a design professional I want to have some idea's as well. Just thought i would throw it out there and see what idea's others may have or what they thought of the idea i had. Thank you for your thoughts and input, i really appreciate it.

A neighbor had a ranch style home that was built on a steeply sloping lot. They added a two story addition at right angles, just as you propose, but because the lot was so steep, the top story was level with the original house. It looks great.

Since you are moving in with your parents b/c of health, would a second story make it harder for them to get around?

I agree, have an architect come out to look at the existing space. There could be ways to alter the existing space and therefore leading to a smaller addition. The architect will have options you haven't considered and could work well for your situation.

Also, if you are going to renovate, where are you all going to stay during the process? Would all of you be able to stay in your existing house and then move to the remodeled one?

You didn't ask but...

It sounds to me that this is the most stressful 'solution' to your problem. If you sold both properties how much money would you have to work with? I'd start from that angle and look at other choices.

We don't know all the circumstances, nor how long you all are likely to live there. I'd dread a year of very extensive remodeling/rebuilding (always takes longer and costs more than you expect). Consider the market value and use to your extended family of the end result of the construction.

kitchenredo actually the second floor was for the kids.

Chisue i'm not so much worried about the remodel we would subcontract it out and know alot of people and it would be done quickly. Although there is only me and my brother we have alot of family that does these things for a living. My uncle owns a heating and cooling business and my brother now that my uncle is getting older helps him run it, cousins roof etc... But I do think we may look at other places just to see what is out there with all the foreclosures and all may be able to get a nice place with more land as dad only has bout 3/4 acre. Something with some land that could be split up and my brother build on it later, as I think dad would like us all close. But dad only owe's about 40,000 on his house he has now and the payment is right, so that is definately a consideration why go back with a full mortgage and most probably a higher mortgage payment when this one is almost paid off. The thought of trying to sell two homes in this market and the time it may take is also a big factor. Lots of things to consider.

The sociological aspects would scare me more than the architecural, but not knowing your family, I'll leave you to sort that on your own.

I'd keep resale and future use in mind.

When life changes [and it does change, like it or not] you don't want to have essentially two separate homes with a connecting door.

The entire flooplan has to make sense. I'd want a 'senior suite' with ground level entry, no stairs, ADA bath. Kitchenette, sitting/TV room, and bedroom. It's not that the seniors will be confined there or anything, but they'll be grateful for a retreat from the hussle and bustle of a younger family. [I spent much of my childhood being shushed because 'you are bothering grandma'-- multi-generation living is rewarding, but not easy. Good design makes it easier.]

Which means you will need to re-imagine the existing space and consider the whole. It would be a mistake to expect the existing public rooms to accomodate twice as many people as they were intended for, but just as big a mistake to duplicate everything in order to have a kitchen to call your own, where you can fry a fish without worrying what impact it will have on the seniors.

I'd begin with graph paper and an accurate scale drawing of the existing space, both elevations and floorplans. It isn't hard to get a pretty clear idea of what the integrated whole will look like.

Or go all out, buy and learn a good home architect program-- I used Punch, I'm told Better Homes and Gardens is superior. If you aren't 'internally visual', the 3d rendering will help you see what you'll be getting in advance...

Is a reverse mortgage a possibility for your father? I'm often leary of these because people get into them thinking they are going to live forever, or forever in a specific house. Then there are declines in health and ability to get around and the money and effort buy so little time. The Senior needs more health and assisted living services and moves anyway.

oruboris believe me the sociological aspect does concern me more than the other. But I would not call my parents seniors they are both in their late 50's but my mom had a large stroke about 2 years or so after having heart valves replaced and repaired due to rheumatic fever as a child, and has had about 11 surgeries in the last 2-3 years mostly because part of her skull had to be removed for swelling with the initial stroke and when they put her skull back in it got infected and then she had to have a prosthesis placed. She is from a mental aspect very functional she reads and writes etc... My dad is disabled but has been so since I was a child. So both are fairly young still...dad needs help with mom because he is disabled and just not able to get up and down as much as she requires and still do everything else required to run a house. Also there are things she needs like being walked to see how much function she can get back that with everything else he does for her he is just not able. But he tells me that the loneliness is what is really getting him, because it is him and mom. We go by but we also have a house to run and I work full time and we live 30-40 minutes away. If it was next door no problem and mom has flower beds which neither are able to take care of anymore and she loves them, dad is not a house keeper and mom without help is completely bedfast, she requires at least a standby when getting up and down. So it is just to much for dad to handle and I just cant run two households and work full time. But you are correct in that they are not used to having 5 other people around even though our kids are older 14-21 and two are in college locally, and the middle one stays mostly at his dads. so obviously we don't go to bed at 8 or 9 pm like mom and dad does.
The house now has as you come in the door a dining room, then kitchen to right then laundry room. Kitchen, dining, and living room are open and you step into the living room from the dining. Off to the right is a master bedroom and master bath and to the left is a bedroom, and a computer room slash bedroom with another bath in the middle. What we would do essentially is make the addition for us it would come off the end where the computer room/bedroom and bath are and the entrance in that area would be through the computer room so that there could be doors shut to muffle noises why mom and dad are trying to sleep. On the addition we be a entrance probably french doors just like any other house would have more than one entrance and there would be a den, master bedroom and master bath and then two large bedrooms upstairs. It would put us with a home with basically 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. But always good to have the extra room even on down the road, I'm convinced you never get your kids raised.

actually sorry i forgot to mention the bedroom on the original part would be turned into a master bath and walk in closet. That is why I am saying 4 bedrooms. I hope that all makes sense.