hiring a contractor to build wall?

[ktgrok]

As we look at houses and at new build house plans, a LOT have all we need EXCEPT instead of an enclosed area with a door for DH to use as an office, there is an open loft or upstairs living area. I'm thinking, if that is the only issue, wouldn't it be fairly simple to have a contractor come in and put in a wall with a door? That should be pretty simple, right? And not super expensive? Below is an example - that upstairs living space could be an office for DH if it is had a wall and a door. 

[mommyoffive]

Yep that is easy.  A friend and dh did that together.  It took maybe a weekend to do.  Now having done it dh could totally do it on his own.  I have had other friends do that exact same thing with their upstairs lofts and the people charged 1k to do it. 

[Katy]

Yes, and you can probably just ask the builder to do it during construction. I bet it’s less than $500 in labor & materials.  We’ve DIY’d walls ourselves. Super quick with the right tools. 

[ktgrok]

Ok, thank you! One of the builders won't do it - they are right now only selling once houses are at dry wall phase. Other houses are already built. So if we need to do it ourselves, good to know it is as easy as I think. Worst part would be framing in the door, I'd think. Doors are a PIA, lol.

[Annie G]

57 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Ok, thank you! One of the builders won't do it - they are right now only selling once houses are at dry wall phase. Other houses are already built. So if we need to do it ourselves, good to know it is as easy as I think. Worst part would be framing in the door, I'd think. Doors are a PIA, lol.

Interior doors are super easy to frame in.  Sounds like a plan- go for it.

[Pawz4me]

Years ago we were in a house that had a large bonus room. We hired someone to put up a wall and a door to divide that room so that the space became a small den/playroom and a small office. I don't remember it being very costly. It did take a few days. First the framing, then putting up the drywall, then mudding it, then sanding and mudding again, etc. It was like a full day of work and then the contractor had to come back for a few hours a day for several more days before it was complete. I don't remember the door being a problem at all.

[ktgrok]

1 minute ago, Pawz4me said:

Years ago we were in a house that had a large bonus room. We hired someone to put up a wall and a door to divide that room so that the space became a small den/playroom and a small office. I don't remember it being very costly. It did take a few days. First the framing, then putting up the drywall, then mudding it, then sanding and mudding again, etc. It was like a full day of work and then the contractor had to come back for a few hours a day for several more days before it was complete. I don't remember the door being a problem at all.

Our current house is very haphazard, we joke Dr. Seuss built it - no straight lines, so hanging exterior doors has been a pain. But I think putting one in a wall you are building would be easier as you would know it was straight and level. 

[Drama Llama]

We have family members who are looking at new builds, so I have been drooling over house plans. 

I have been noticing those "upstairs living areas" on many of them.  When did they become a thing?  I can't ever remember seeing them before.  

[Pawz4me]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

Our current house is very haphazard, we joke Dr. Seuss built it - no straight lines, so hanging exterior doors has been a pain. But I think putting one in a wall you are building would be easier as you would know it was straight and level. 

I think in general exterior doors tend to be a lot more troublesome than interior doors. Or at least that's been our experience.

[ktgrok]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

We have family members who are looking at new builds, so I have been drooling over house plans. 

I have been noticing those "upstairs living areas" on many of them.  When did they become a thing?  I can't ever remember seeing them before.  

IF DH didn't work from home and need quiet, I'd love to have that be a kid play area. Keep the mess upstairs, etc. But with him working and on Zoom and conference calls from 9am to 9pm most days, he needs a quiet space away from kids. Thinking best idea is kids stay downstairs or in their rooms, and he gets upstairs, enclosed office. 

[ktgrok]

Just now, Pawz4me said:

I think in general exterior doors tend to be a lot more troublesome than interior doors. Or at least that's been our experience.

Totally possible. Especially since moisture causes wood to warp, and you have less wiggle room dealing with concrete block walls, etc. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited May 8, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

It shouldn't be too expensive, but you will need to address flooring (easy to cut out carpet, more complicated to get hard surface flooring fixed), plug in placement, air vents, smoke detectors (or fire suppression), and egress laws for your area. Enclosed rooms have different rules than open ones.  For asthetics.... wall texture will inevitably be a bit different and you will want to make sure to save some original paint (not just a color swatch) to make sure the walls match exactly. 

[BusyMom5]

Putting in a wall is a pretty simple project, but I would probably bunk 2 of the younger kids together and keep that a play area, and give DH one of the bedrooms for an office.  I think your older son will be moving out soon.  Let's say you close it in, he lives there 2  more years, then you wish you had that space open- not worth it to me- you will have the younger at home a lot longer, so I'd want the space to work best long-term.  I have a lot of kids and really like a dedicated play space for kids- I would absolutely bunk kids together to get the play area!  Later it will be a TV and games place, enjoyed by everyone.

One other thing I noticed- the master is HUGE!  Ours is about that size and I often set up a big table in one corner for various projects.  Would it work to put DHs office in there and use those wooden dividers?   Remember its temporary until ODS moves out in a few years.  

[ktgrok]

9 hours ago, Tap said:

It shouldn't be too expensive, but you will need to address flooring (easy to cut out carpet, more complicated to get hard surface flooring fixed), plug in placement, air vents, smoke detectors (or fire suppression), and egress laws for your area. Enclosed rooms have different rules than open ones.  For asthetics.... wall texture will inevitably be a bit different and you will want to make sure to save some original paint (not just a color swatch) to make sure the walls match exactly. 

Yeah, I already thought we would want to ask about keeping some paint. Hadn't thought about plugs, hmmm

8 hours ago, BusyMom5 said:

Putting in a wall is a pretty simple project, but I would probably bunk 2 of the younger kids together and keep that a play area, and give DH one of the bedrooms for an office.  I think your older son will be moving out soon.  Let's say you close it in, he lives there 2  more years, then you wish you had that space open- not worth it to me- you will have the younger at home a lot longer, so I'd want the space to work best long-term.  I have a lot of kids and really like a dedicated play space for kids- I would absolutely bunk kids together to get the play area!  Later it will be a TV and games place, enjoyed by everyone.

One other thing I noticed- the master is HUGE!  Ours is about that size and I often set up a big table in one corner for various projects.  Would it work to put DHs office in there and use those wooden dividers?   Remember its temporary until ODS moves out in a few years.  

Problem is the two younger are boy/girl, and although we have been doing a boy/girl sharing rooms for a while I'm at the point where I'd like to stop doing that. When DS 8 was born we put him in with DS 11 (back then she was 2yrs old) and thought it was temporary and we'd move or DS21 would move out. But here we are still, with now DD11 is going through puberty still sharing a room with her 8 yr old little brother, and at her age that really isn't the best situation. By the time we move, DS8 will be almost or already 9 yrs old, and if we have him sharing with his little sister, and if it lasts a few years we are back to a kid in puberty sharing a room with an opposite sex child. Not saying it is wrong or abusive or whatever, obviously since we are still doing it, but it is not what I want. 

Only other option is to bunk DD11 with DD3 (will be 4 by then) and that's not great either - I mean, it's doable...but the aggravation of having to act as go between with DD11 as a tween and then teen, being neat and tidy and having friends over, etc and then a preschooler in there too sounds like a big headache. 

Plus, having an open play area for the kids on the same floor as DH is working doesn't really work anyway - they are too loud. We are trying to keep them separate. Idea is to hopefully have a first floor area for homeschool supplies/art supplies and some toys. 

As for DH working in the bedroom - agree that it is huge and space wise would work. EXCEPT.....he often works late, and there is a lot of tension in our marriage right now because I am NOT a night owl but am forced to be one because I can't go to bed until he's done working. He mutters and talks to himself while working, gets excited and attacks the keyboard typing loudly, sighs in frustration, etc etc. And that's NOT including when he is recording video late at night. So most nights I'm up way later than I want to be because my bedroom is serving as his office. I REALLY do not want to do that for years longer. It's not good for me, health wise, or mental health wise, and not good for our marriage. Instead, we will either put a treadmill in our room, or my desk. I don't mutter, and I don't work when he's sleeping, so not an issue as far as interfering with anyone's sleep. 

Oh, and we figure having an extra room when DS21 moves out means we have space for my parents to move in if that becomes a need - it's why we want a downstairs bed/bath. If they don't ever need it then an extra room can be a sewing room, or exercise room, etc. Or an actual guest room for people to visit, lol. Never had that! 

Our ideal floor plan (well, reasonably priced ideal that we might still be able to get), is huge and has both an option to enclose that 6th room for an office AND a loft area. Plus a room downstairs for school stuff. But they are currently out of lots, so waiting to see what happens there. 

Edited March 18, 2021 by ktgrok

[maresand]

It really depends on your house state, I don't see anything that will stop you from making an additional door and wall, but in any case, I suggest you consult with your local construction company about that. They know the local laws pretty well and will provide a good range of options you can use to build a wall. Also, if you plan to set the eavestrough in this room, you should make the upper wall heavier to ensure that your eavestrough doesn't fall. If you are living in Oregon, I can suggest a professional construction company that usually helps me with anything

[KungFuPanda]

Dammit.  I fell for it too.

Edited July 6, 2022 by KungFuPanda

[fairfarmhand]

Old thread!!

[stephanier.1765]

I'm glad you asked this question because we are looking at houses right now. Some I've wanted to add a door and in some I wanted to add a wall with a door but I've been passing them over assuming the price would be too high to make it worth it.

[AmandaVT]

Reading through the thread thinking, didn't @ktgrok just move and repaint her cupboards? They can't move again after all that work!! 🤣