I hear you on the “vintage charm”—my 1920s place has floors that slope just enough to make every project a puzzle. When it comes to expanding, I lean toward bumping out if you’ve got the lot space. Less structural headache than adding a second story, especially with old framing. But sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got... or what the house lets you have.
Building Up Isn’t Always a Nightmare
I get the appeal of bumping out—less fuss with the old bones, and you don’t have to worry about your house suddenly deciding it wants to lean a little more than usual. But honestly, I’ve had some surprisingly smooth experiences adding a second story, even on houses from the 1920s and 30s. It really comes down to your foundation and how much you’re willing to reinforce.
One place I worked on, we thought for sure we’d have to pour a whole new slab or do crazy underpinning, but after a structural engineer took a look, it turned out the original footings were beefier than expected. Ended up being less invasive than tearing up half the backyard for a bump-out. Plus, you keep your yard space, which is gold if you’ve got kids or pets.
Not saying it’s always easier—sometimes those old houses throw curveballs no matter what you do. Just saying building up isn’t always as scary as it sounds if you’ve got the right team and a solid plan.
Bumping Out Still Has Its Perks
I hear you on keeping the yard—my dog would probably stage a protest if I took away her sunbathing patch. But have you ever tried to get a staircase squeezed into an old floor plan without losing your mind (or a closet)? Sometimes building up feels like playing Tetris with your own house. Plus, with bump-outs, I’ve found it’s easier to sneak in some energy upgrades—better insulation, new windows, maybe even a green roof if you’re feeling wild. Anyone else run into those “where do we put the stairs” headaches?
Bumping Out vs. Building Up: Which Way to Expand?
That “where do we put the stairs” struggle is so real. We’re in the middle of our first reno and honestly, I underestimated how much space stairs eat up. We toyed with the idea of building up, but every layout we sketched ended up sacrificing either a closet, a chunk of the living room, or (worst of all) the pantry. My partner was ready to just put a ladder in the corner and call it a day.
Bump-outs felt way less stressful, at least for us. There’s something kind of satisfying about just pushing out a wall and suddenly having room for a bigger kitchen or that sunroom you always wanted. Plus, you can actually see what you’re getting as it goes up, instead of trying to imagine a whole second floor. I know you lose some yard, but honestly, our backyard was mostly weeds and random garden gnomes anyway.
Energy upgrades are another big plus. We managed to squeeze in some high-efficiency windows and extra insulation while we were at it. The contractor even suggested radiant floor heating since we were already opening things up—never would’ve thought of that if we’d gone vertical.
I get why some folks want to build up—no one wants to lose their outdoor space if they’ve got a killer garden or, yeah, a dog who thinks she owns the lawn. But unless your lot is tiny or you’re dead set on keeping every inch of grass, bumping out just feels more straightforward. Less structural drama, fewer surprises with plumbing and electrical (at least in our case), and no weird staircases popping up where you least expect them.
Maybe I’m biased because I still have nightmares about measuring for those stairs... but if you can spare a bit of yard, bumping out just seems like the saner choice.
I know you lose some yard, but honestly, our backyard was mostly weeds and random garden gnomes anyway.
I totally get where you’re coming from—stairs are the silent space-hog nobody warns you about. I’ve seen bump-outs add serious value, especially when you’re not sacrificing a prime backyard. That said, in some markets, a second story can really boost resale because buyers want more bedrooms without losing outdoor space. Curious if you looked at how each option would impact your property value long-term? Sometimes the return on investment swings the decision one way or the other.
