By Burt Ramone

Running out of space in your current home? But you dont want to move? Perhaps its time to consider adding on. If you start planning now, you could have a new family room, bedroom or bath by summer.

Planning takes time and includes lots of mundane tasks such as getting permits and financing. But the benefits are immeasurable both in time and money saved.

For a home addition, it pays to plan ahead.

Individual plans will vary depending on the scope of the project. Steps overlap and sometimes changing in one aspect of your plan forces changes in others. But almost every plan will include at least these six steps.

1. Dream It
Make sure your concept for the addition blends with the existing houses materials and design. For example: Adding on a Cape Cod family room to a 50s ranch style home would look silly at best. But dont stop there. Look around your neighborhood: Has anyone else added on? Will your addition stand out in a negative way that is, too big for the lot, appearing overbuilt for the neighborhood?

Do a quick sketch of the addition youre planning even before consulting with a builder or designer.

2. Design It
If your plans require the removal or alteration of a supporting wall, contact a building engineer or architect to learn if your idea will affect the strength of the existing structure. Major structural changes may increase the time and cost of your project. A consultation may provide you with alternatives.

See if a small add-on of about two to four feet will be sufficient for your addition. This may allow you to cantilever the floor joists and eliminate the need for excavation and foundation. If possible, be careful not to extend beyond the roofline that would necessitate adding a new roof to your job.

3. Paying for It
Establish a budget for this project and determine where the money is coming from. A home equity loan? A re-fi? Winning the lottery? The money available will impact the scope of the project.

Count on spending only about 80 percent of your budget. Keep the additional 20 percent for unforeseen changes, problems and feuding.

Remember that anything not included in the original contract will cost extra. It's tempting to start making changes and expanding the original plan. Try to control yourself or you might be adding hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars that will shatter your budget and your time line.

4. Permits and Codes
If youve hired a local contractor or architect, he should be able to tell you if your idea will pass the building inspection. (If he cant, find someone else.) A professional should be able to handle the entire permit process, from drawing up plans, applying for the permit and scheduling inspections.

If youre doing it yourself, visit your planning department and research the codes that pertain to your project. If the agency requires certified plans, you may still have to consult with an architect or engineer who can provide them.

Dont attempt an addition without permits. Youll be asking for trouble.

5. DIY or Not
Decide early on the role you will play in the project. How much can you do yourself? Know you're limitations. Will the money you save be worth losing vacations and weekends? If you're going to hire a pro, give yourself extra time at the start to find the right one.

Because additions almost always require major modifications to the structure of your home, you will most likely need to consult a professional to draw up or approve your plans.

6. Timing
Establish a time frame for the project. Much of an addition is exterior work and will need to be accomplished according to the seasons. Your start date should be the date you actually beginning construction, so make sure your financing is in place before this date.

Your time frame needs to take into account who is doing the work. If this is a do-it-yourself project, your time will probably be more limited because of job and family. If the job takes eight full days to complete, and you can only work weekends, it will take you four weeks. Consider if the money saved by doing it yourself is worth the extra time.