Find a local contractor to work with, a design/build firm or an Architect.

Many questions that only someone local will be able to answer.

Thanks for responding. I totally get it... just looking for ideas. All I am finding on-line are colonial type 2nd stories. I am not 100% fond of the colonial look...

Don't forget you need a space for stairs. Some houses were not built to support a second story.

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Of course I’m giving no advice about what is possible for your specific home, and I’m no architect, but I do love a good before and after...this is what I‘ve found.

If it were me, I would be going for a modern farmhouse look.

Hallett has a good point. What factor is driving you to remodel vs buying a new house? Adding a second story many times results in gutting the first floor due to the electrical, plumbing, structural changes

But as far as ideas, you’re taking the roof of the house so you can make it in to any style two story house you like. What style do you like?

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Sasha dog and Katie B have some very nice options. It all depends on your budget and the scope of the project. Definitely hire an architect who can advise you and provide some sketches of the possibilities.

I don’t have a before, but we added 2 large bedrooms and a bathroom to our ranch in 2002.

I think this is not the place for answers . First you need to find out if your house can support a 2nd storey. Then you need an architect to design the space keeping in mind staircases take a lot of space from the main floor . I am in agreement probably easier and cheaper to find another house It seems to me you would have room to expand so not sure about the max sq footage for your lot. I have been reading here now that that square footage allowance is also interior footage which BTW makes no sense to me. Get someone to assess if the 2nd storey is even feasible start there.

Thanks, all, for commenting. I would love to move to solve the problem. However, it is too risky in today's environment. My dad has Parkinson's. He needs to get out of his large home ASAP. We live near Annapolis. There are not any homes in our area for sale that meet our needs and budget. It would cost far less to add addition here. We would need to sell our home and my dad's home to make a move possible. I think that would be crazy. But, it is all crazy!

We are working with a contractor now. I just wanted some different ideas... :)

Will keep you posted.

"He needs to get out of his large home ASAP."

But where will you go for the 8 -12 months while they gut your current home and put the second story on?

IMO it's far more risky to add a second story to your current home if you are talking about Covid-19 issues. At least with a move you have limited interaction with others. With contractors coming onto your site for the next year to tear apart and rebuild your home, you are inviting trouble.

https://www.simplyadditions.com/Package-Links/Second-Story-Addition-Costs.html

You’d do better to move into his home with him. Adding a very expensive second floor to a small modest home is not a first line strategy to creating an accessible space for an aging parent. That first line approach should be something single floor, wider corridors, and larger accessible baths.

Sell both homes and meet in the middle of creating some accessibility in a different home to you both if his larger home won’t end up working with a remodel. Whatever you choose will be cheaper than the 100K per year assisted living facility.

—Certified Aging in Place Specialist

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The Cook's Kitchen: I just re-read your comment. Yes, we would put our kiddos upstairs and convert their rooms into an apartment with a separate entrance. There is already a bathroom that just needs to be converted. We definitely want to make this long-term friendly for him, expecting a wheel chair down the road. We will look into the selling both homes idea... I see that as being more complicated, honestly, since buying a larger home would be contingent on the sale of 2 homes.... There are currently only 6 homes (that meet price and size) for sale in our desired area...

I see this as an opportunity to build the house you want. You can really do anything you want, because you’re essentially building a new house. Where will you all

live during construction?

We could live at my dad's temporarily. His house is inconvenient for work commute, etc.. but doable short term.

Have you looked into raising your house so the current house becomes the second story and you build a new 1st floor?