Three-Story Addition in Progress | Landis

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Published:

June 3, 2025

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Explore 'Three-Story Addition in Progress', a featured story from Landis Architects and Builders showcasing innovative projects and industry insights.

View the progress of a three-story addition in this time-lapse video we made! The video represents 70 working days on the project – we started the second week of October.

Scroll down to see photos and read about details of the exterior work and see interior finish photos.

BEFORE: Back of the house.

We removed the original small kitchen bumpout and the basement areaway. We also dug down about five feet because the addition includes expanding the basement level.

This photo shows the poured footings for the foundation wall for the basement/two-story addition above.

After these plywood forms are set, we install rebar and pour concrete. The concrete truck and chute are to the right in this photo. It has to set for a week, then the forms are removed and it has to set for another week before we can fill the soil around the base.

After the concrete is poured , the foundation subcontractor uses a vibrating machine to help the concrete settle into the forms. You can see the ledge around the perimeter of the forms where workers can walk.

After the walls are done, the subcontractor pours and smooths the new basement floor. This photo shows the original door to the basement. The new floor is a few feet below that door level, so the new basement area will have a higher ceiling than the existing basement. We will eventually removed that door and create a wider opening between the new and existing basement.

We built new stairs to the basement addition. Instead of using forms to build these walls, we opted to use concrete block because forms require a lot of excavation and the new stairs are located near the property line.

Once the basement was poured, we could start on building the walls of the first floor addition. We built the walls with 2×6 wood, 16-inches on center. The wider framing allows us to add more insulation in the walls, which is more comfortable and saves on heating/cooling costs. The subfloor is 5/8-inch OSB.

First floor sheathed with openings for windows. You can see the band board at the top which is the start of the framing for the second floor.

Lather, rinse, repeat with the framing of the second floor of the addition.

We used pre-built trusses for the roof framing. The trusses were hoisted up by the pulley you see in the photo. Pre-built trusses use less material than those made on site, and it allows us to build the roof framing in less than a day. Site-built framing takes longer.

Tyvek, a weather barrier, is wrapped around the walls of the addition. Can you spot the Landis logo on the Tyvek? The slight bump-out on the right gives the addition some depth and breaks up the massing.

Installing windows and doors in the addition.

Building the new deck. The deck will be covered by a roof.

A crane delivers the new roofing.

Housewrap fully installed, starting the trim around the windows and awaiting one more window.

With the siding and trim installed, the exterior is almost complete. We think the light blue siding and the sand-colored trim is a beautiful combination.

Spray foam insulation in all the walls will help with energy-efficiency and keep heating/cooling bills low.

We usually install large tubs during framing because they’re easier to get into the house at that stage.

Installing drywall on the interior of the addition.

The wood flooring is installed. Next up – window and door trim.

Our crew is installing kitchen cabinetry in the addition.

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