Studio City Room Additions Built on What We Find
Studio City room additions and second stories planned from a test pit at the old footing, with a flashed, ember-resistant seam, by Fernhill Builders.
Nobody can see how deep the existing footing goes until a test pit is dug beside it, and on a Studio City house that depth decides how an addition is carried. A shallow or unreinforced footing may need new pads beside it, and a second floor may need its own posts down to new foundations. We look in the attic and crawlspace too, since undersized framing or tired wiring there changes the plan as well.
What the pit and attic tell us
The pit shows the footing width, depth and condition, and whether it holds any steel. In the attic and crawlspace we check rafter and joist sizes, notched or cut members, the sill plate, and wiring a new circuit cannot safely tie into. Each finding goes to the engineer. A sound footing can take a ground floor room as drawn. A shallow one may need new footings alongside, and old wiring or supply lines are replaced where the new walls meet them. Finding these before the price is set keeps surprises out of the middle of the job.
Tying in once the frame is known
Where the addition meets the house, new footings are doweled into the old ones and the framing is bolted and strapped across the joint. The existing cladding is cut back so old and new barriers can be lapped together, upper over lower, and the roof is tied in with step flashing and a cricket where the slopes meet. Vents near the seam get fine metal mesh, and the new walls take a noncombustible finish that matches the rest of the house. The engineer's details for each connection go on the plans for LADBS review.
Room Additions in Studio City: common questions
The old cladding is cut back to expose the existing barrier, the new barrier is lapped in with upper layers over lower, and the finish gets a control joint or trim at the line. Step flashing and counterflashing close the roof junction, and nearby vents get metal mesh so embers find no opening.
It depends on what the test pit and the attic show. An engineer checks the footings and the walls below for the new weight, and may call for new footings, shear walls or hold-downs before a second floor is framed. LADBS reviews those calculations with the plans.
An addition extends the house and shares its entry, utilities and systems. An ADU has its own entrance and kitchen and is reviewed under the state rules for accessory units. Your lot, the setbacks and how the space will be used decide which fits, and one site visit gives us enough to scope both.
Room Additions in other cities
More work we do in Studio City
Plan your project in Studio City
Tell us about the house and the room additions work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.