First, people will need to see the entire house, not just 1/2 of it to make any suggestions. It's nearly impossible for people to give you a range of costs as costs vary tremendously from area to area. What they might do is tell you what would need to be considered.

To be honest, your description or use of terminology is a bit different than most would use. Do you mean 1/2 of the house is now a full 2 story and you would like to convert the other 1/2 to a full 2 stories?

Forget labels and make it look as good as you want it.

As far as price, ask someone local.

Thanks rrah. You might be able to tell from the picture I posted. The left side of the second floor is a traditional cape style, and the right side is a colonial style. I am trying to understand what would it cost to make the left side look like the right side. The need to do this is because the back side of the cape is the master bedroom that is getting cramped due to the slanted wall. Opening up would make a huge difference. Apologizea for not using proper terminology.

Can't tell anything from this photo. If you want a reasonable answer post a reasonable photo of the entire façade visible in one photo. Simple!

Added another photo, best I can do for now. Hopefully it shows what I am talking about.

You're talking about a very expensive remodel that will totally change the roof line and the interiors.

"...The left side of the second floor is a traditional cape style, and the right side is a colonial style. I am trying to understand what would it cost to make the left side look like the right side..."

So...if I understand you, you want the front of the house to be completely 2-stories...right?

If so, you will have to check the existing foundation to see if it will support a two-story load. You will have to check existing HVAC, electrical and plumbing to see what may have to be relocated for a 2-story addition. You will have to remove the existing roof over the one story portion, frame new walls, add windows, add new HVAC, electrical and plumbing (?). To unify the look of the house you may have to remove the roof on the second floor on the right side of the house. And then you have to figure out a new roofing scheme for the entire second floor.

How much will this cost? I haven't a clue. And no builder will either until you have a design and detailed plans for the needed scope of work.

What is the current value of your house in the real estate market? What are comparables listing for? What are houses in your neighborhood valued?

You run the risk of a high-cost remodel, which may well exceed the value of your house, and your neighborhood...time for some further evaluation.

Good luck on your project!

I would think it would be pretty costly. I would bring this idea to two local contractors for a ballpark idea.

Lately we have seen quite a few people posting about exterior changes to their home.

The time to come to terms with the exterior of your home is prior to buying/building it. Unless your home is so terrible that it is actually causing financial harm, landscaping, paint, shutters, railings, walkways, and possibly a nicer door are the only improvements that make any real sense.

Making massive exterior changes so your house looks better, is just throwing good money after bad. Spending that money on the interior of your home to make it more livable and enjoyable makes a lot more sense, if you can't achieve that level of interior comfort, then move...

Making massive exterior changes so your house looks better, is just throwing good money after bad. Spending that money on the interior of your home to make it more livable and enjoyable makes a lot more sense, if you can't achieve that level of interior comfort, then move...

Everyone has been taken in by HGTV. They believe that they too can have a brand new 2 story exterior put onto a ranch, along with a new kitchen, large master bath, landscaping, and adding 2 bedrooms with ensuites in the upstairs. And all of that for the bargain price of $95,000 for everything. And it can be finished in 6 weeks!

It makes sense but it is major construction. If you've got money growing on trees and/or are independently wealthy and don't care what this costs, go for it.

I used to own a tiny cape cod as my starter home, and I though it would be great to add some dormers on the second floor. The cost to add dormers was so expensive, I decided to build a new home instead. I'm not kidding. Obviously there was more to that decision that just the dormers, but still - what you're talking about is major construction, and from where I sit, the cost/benefit analysis likely isn't there for this house.

Don't buy this house with the intention of the changes you have described. It will be a financial disaster of the first order.

Find a house which doesn't need major remodeling.

It's that simple.

I bought a 1 1/2 story house in 1984. The upstairs was finished on one side only - a bedroom that had sloping ceilings on both the front and the back.

We chose to put a full dormer across the entire back of the house and finish the 2nd side of the upstairs, adding a bedroom and ensuite bath. No problem with the foundation holding it up - it was already holding up a 2nd floor, just without a dormer.

But this was a dormer across the back - not one on the front trying to make the house look like a true 2-story colonial. In early 1985 when we started our remodel, just adding the dormer cost $20,000. That was 33 years ago! I can't imagine what the cost would be today. And that was just for the dormer.

A realtor bought a 1 1/2 story house up the street from me last fall. He has turned it into a 2 story house, front and back. He paid $434,500 for the house and is now asking $814,000. He did a very cheap remodeling job. Look at the cheap vinyl windows, the horrid shutters (vinyl and too narrow). He tore out the lovely, established landscaping and put in something cheap and generic. Yes, the existing landscaping needed some pruning - older lady could no longer keep up with the yard - but that tree hid that very prominent chimney right in front.

I'm sure he expects to make a ton on this house, but he also spent a ton on the house, even if he did not remodel it to the standards of the neighborhood (in my LCOL area, this is a very desirable, high priced neighborhood).

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Perhaps this info and these pictures will help with your decision.

UGH, Anglo.

Looking at the back of the Cape Cod portion, you might be able to put a large shed dormer on somewhat economically. By somewhat economically I mean losing a lot of money but not so much when compared with realtor commission, moving, house hunting, getting a new loan, etc.

Nothing else really makes financial sense. A roof off remodel is the most ridiculously expensive and disruptive remodel in existence. More often than not, they turn into full house remodels because of Universal Remodeling Rule #7 - When the condition of "unroofed" meets "the need for roofed," it will rain. There is evidence that the Noachian Deluge happened because Noah took 41 days to finish the roof on the Arc.

So the real question isn't whether or not your foundation will support it, it is whether or not your bank account will. Even if you can afford it, moving will very probably be a smarter option.