Hi Laurie!
LA> we live in a cape cod with the standard 2 bedrooms upstairs(there LA> is a bedroom downstairs) but would really like to add a third(master LA> type)bedroom upstairs, above the sunroom(10x30)....
We just had a master bedroom and bathroom added above the dining room addition last summer so here's my 2?. House originally a 1« story; prior owner added the dining room.
LA> 1)is this even possible:)?
Just about anything's possible. :) Big thing is the support for the new bedroom. If the sunroom is made of flimsy aluminum studs between
6' windows it may be better to rip out the sunroom and rebuild that whole section of the house. If it was made with 2x4's closer to how a regular room is built it will probably hold the additional weight. As someone else suggested, an structural engineer or architect familiar with additions is adviseable. (Here our contractor brought in an architect to eyeball the place.)Even if the sunroom is sturdy but not sturdy enough it may be possible to do the addition. We had a wrap-around deck added along the back of the house and an upstairs deck for the bedroom. Architect detemined the support (holes drilled into the ground, filled with cement, support beams on the cement). Contractor noted the placement of the upstairs deck supports visually cut through the dining room's window. Had the architect move those supports out 1 foot -- 8' deck became 10' wide! :)
BTW, how do you plan on entering the new bedroom? Here we have stairs which lead to the one room originally up here. They cut a hall through the storage area/attic. Alternate plan was to go through a storage closet. Fortunately didn't have to go that way.
Roof lines and support will be an important consideration -- definately need structural engineering advice on this!
LA> 2)what is the 1st step in beginning this,who would i call, ect?
Call and interview several contractors. Sketch what you'd like to have done -- doesn't have to be blueprint quality, just to give an idea of what you'd like.
You'll be "living" with the contractor and his crew for three or four months.
LA> 3)is it possible to only have the outer part done by the LA> professionals..(framing,flooring ,roof and windows)and then we do all LA> the,drywall,painting ect.
Sure - this will cut your final cost (sweat equity), though I would suggest the contractor does the drywalling too. They used 12' sections here. Look very heavy! Plus the drywaller makes applying and smoothing the mud at the seams look effortless. (Ha!) The ceiling here is "orange peel" ==> there are 'tricks' to know as to when to do the various steps (no fans as dries the mud unevenly in various sections of the room -- they even took out the light bulb in the center of the room because the heat from the bulb would dry that section too fast, plus got in the way).
LA> My husband generally does all the home fixing and maintinance LA> but as this is something he has never done b4,he would rather have LA> qualified people doing it.
Can't blame him! Good news is he has enough knowledge to keep an eye on things. One detail I didn't like was an electrical wire was run a little too close to one of the copper water pipes. Probably nothing would happen but I used a wire strap to secure it away from the pipe.
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