How much does it cost to add a bedroom?

Adding a new bedroom to your home can make the entire space more comfortable for your family. Whether you do not have enough bedrooms for your current family, are planning on adding to your family, or simply want to add a guest room so that you can entertain more, adding space to your home provides many possibilities.

Bedrooms come in many shapes and sizes from small guest rooms to master suites. The average bedroom measuring 190 square feet will cost around $57,000 to add, including all finish work and extending heating and electricity into the space.

Conversion of existing space vs new addition

Most people think that additions mean a new structure added onto their existing home. This is not the only way you can add a bedroom to your space, though. You can also convert an existing area within the home, such as an attic, a garage, or a basement. Both methods are valid ways of getting the space you need, but they have different attributes and price points.

Converting a space may be cheaper in some instances because you do not need to create a crawl space or slab foundation ¹ or worry about exterior finish work. However, there are additional issues to consider. For example, an attic may require adding a staircase, involving changes to lower levels. Existing ceiling heights and sizing of interior spaces need to be considered as well. Many attics have lower ceilings while basements may have ducts or pipes that can lower the finished ceiling once concealed. These factors can impact the overall cost as well as how useful and comfortable the room is. Attic spaces can only be considered a usable room if the occupant can stand up comfortably. So, sloping walls may detract from the overall size of the room.

Adding a floor to an attic, waterproofing a basement, and finish work also need to be considered. However, the average cost of an attic conversion is roughly $47,000, about $10,000 cheaper than adding a new addition to the side of the home. A basement conversion costs around a third of the cost per square foot of a bedroom addition, making a 190-square-foot basement bedroom cost roughly $17,100, which is a significant savings over a new addition.

Location

A new bedroom can be added to the home in many different areas, and each has both positive and negative attributes to consider. Converting an existing space within the home, such as using an attic or basement, means ensuring that there are adequate exits like windows in the event of a fire and a proper entrance to the room.

Converting an unused, existing space, such as a den or living room into a bedroom, is the simplest method. You may need to consider privacy if the area does not already have a door. Also, think about closet space and if part of the existing space must be used for that purpose.

If you have the exterior space to add on to, it is easiest to add a bedroom that is adjacent to the home. It is important to think about which room the new bedroom will attach to. How will the two spaces connect and interact, and where is the nearest bathroom? If you create a master suite with a bathroom attached, then you also need to consider the current plumbing and how it will be routed to the new addition.

Other spaces to consider include adding a room above a garage, using a bump out to create more space on an existing room to gain enough area to create a bedroom, and building up off of an existing one-story home to create a second story or lofted bedroom.

In all instances, pay attention to the overall layout and footprint ² of the home and how the new bedroom will interact with existing spaces.

Type of bedroom

Bedrooms contain different amenities, and people use them for various purposes. For that reason, the bedroom you choose to build may impact the total costs:

Electricity and HVAC

Regardless of what type of bedroom you plan, you need to run electricity to the room and plan for heating. If you have forced hot air, this means running ducts to the room as well. However, it is also possible to simply install baseboard heaters in the room and run them with electricity.

Electricians typically charge between $65 and $85 per hour, and expect roughly 8 hours of work for a total of $520 to $680. Most bedrooms have at least one overhead light and multiple outlets. You may also want to plan on a dimmer switch or reading lamps above the bed. Extending the ductwork for an existing HVAC system can cost around $1,000 for 30 linear feet while an electric baseboard heater will cost about $150 to $200.

Flooring

In many additions, it is common to extend the flooring used in the rest of the home to the addition. However, some people choose carpet for bedrooms because it provides warmth and insulating factors, even if the rest of the house is done in another material.

Extending hardwood flooring to a bedroom would cost around $4,000, while carpeting the space would cost about $1,500.

Walls

Regardless of where your bedroom addition is located, it will likely have drywall ³ covering either the frame or, in the case of the basement, the concrete walls. Drywall costs around $400 to $700 on average to install. After this, you can paint ($600) the room or install wainscoting ($3,855).

Windows

Windows are incredibly important to the bedroom design. They let in light and fresh air and can also be considered a second way to exit the bedroom in the event of a fire or emergency. As such, windows installed in a bedroom must conform to local fire codes and be large enough to admit a grown adult. In some states, they must accommodate a firefighter in full gear. For these reasons, most homeowners choose to install double-hung windows in their bedroom. They are easy to clean and operate and large enough to act as an exit, meeting fire codes. Double-hung windows cost between $150 to $400 each.

Closet and storage

To be considered a bedroom, your addition needs some form of clothing storage. In some cases, such as in a guest room, an armoire or standing closet may suffice, but for permanent residents, it is best to build a closet.

Closets come in all shapes and sizes. Typically, master bedrooms have a walk-in, custom closet with organization added. Smaller bedrooms usually have a straight closet with a single shelf and hanging rod. Expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000 for the closet, depending on the size, doors, and customization options.

Furniture

It is common to have specific bedroom furniture or a bedroom set to complete the room. This includes the bed, two night tables, and one or two dressers or bureaus. In larger bedrooms, there may also be a desk or chairs in a sitting area.

The bed is the most important piece of furniture, however, and its dimensions directly influence the size of the bedroom. To leave enough space for movement in the room, the larger the bed, the bigger the room typically needs to be.

Mattress types

Depending on the type of bed and your needs, you also need to invest in a mattress: 

Labor

Many professionals are involved in the addition of a bedroom. Each has associated labor costs, which will be influenced by things like what type of finishing materials you use, how large the addition is, and where it is located. 

For most additions, expect to use an electrician ($65 to $85 per hour), a carpenter ($70 per hour), painters ($25 to $30 per hour) as well as a general contractor ($65 per hour). You may also need a roofer, siding installer, plumber, or flooring specialist, depending on the location of the bedroom. Of the $57,000 for a mid-sized bedroom addition, expect the labor portion to make up at least 50% of the cost, possibly more depending on the complexity of the design.

Enhancement and improvement costs

Moldings

In addition to wainscoting, you may wish to add moldings to the walls of the room. Moldings cost around $900 on average to install.

Ceiling fan

You may also want to consider adding a ceiling fan to the room, particularly if you do not extend ducts for air conditioning. Ceiling fans cost around $575 to install.

Radiant flooring

Another option for heating the bedroom is adding radiant flooring ⁴. This heats the objects in the room rather than the air. So, it is a more efficient form of heat. Radiant heating costs around $6,000 to install.

Interior decorator

You may want to consider hiring an interior designer to help plan the bedroom and its location. Designers can also help find furnishings. They cost between $50 and $200 per hour.

Mirrors

It is also common to add mirrors to the bedroom. They may come as part of a set with a dresser, or you may purchase one separately. Mirrors typically start at around $50.

Rugs

If you choose not to carpet the bedroom, you may want throw rugs to soften and warm the floor. Throw rugs start at around $100.

TV

Many people like to watch TV in the bedroom. Your electrician can set up the necessary cable jacks, and you can mount a TV on the wall for around $250.

Fireplace

Many master bedrooms also have fireplaces added for ambiance and warmth. Including a fireplace will add around $4,500 to $8,500 to the project.

Additional considerations and costs

• Additions can cause a lot of dust. Renting a storage locker and covering larger items can help keep things clean. You may also want to plan on being out of the house during some of the construction process.
• Many master bedroom suites contain a sitting area, usually near a window, the TV, or a fireplace. Adding one is simple, but you need to have at least 15 extra square feet in the room.
• Consider adding plants or greenery to your bedroom. Think about where the room is located to select the best plants for the amount of sunlight you get.
• It is possible to save 20-60% by installing the new bedroom on top of an existing area, such as a garage, rather than adding on.
• DIY closet organizers can save money. This includes open shelving units, rods, boxes, and bins.
• Consider the placement of the bed in the room as you plan. In some cultures, it is considered a bad idea to sleep with your feet toward a door. And some people do not like to be next to a window.
• If a room does not have a window, it cannot be considered a bedroom, although it is possible to sleep there.
• If your home is directly beside another, you may want to consider using skylights to get natural light into the room.
• If you live in a noisy area, consider sound-reducing panels on the walls or ceilings to keep the room quieter.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

¹ Slab foundation: A layer of concrete, poured over a prepared surface of soil or gravel, that supports a house or other building structure

² Footprint: The entire area of ground covered by a building, including the exterior walls and porch or patio areas

³ Drywall: Type of plasterboard, commonly used to build walls and ceilings, composed of gypsum that is layered between sheets of heavy paper

⁴ Radiant flooring: A heating system using tubes or electric wires installed underneath the flooring