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Second-story additions

Nevada B‑2 Residential & Small Commercial · #0091645

Adding a story to a Las Vegas house means it now carries a load it was not built for. The project starts from two questions: can the existing structure and foundation take it, and what route does the new weight take to the ground?

Start a conversation (702) 913‑7007
  1. 01 Under the slab

    It starts with
    the footings.

    A single-story house was footed for one story. Before any design, NXG establishes what the footings are and what the soil under them will bear. Where they fall short, new footings go in under the house.

  2. 02 Load path

    Follow the weight
    to the ground.

    The new floor and roof each need a route down: walls onto the existing footing, and an interior line through a new beam and posts onto new pads. A structural engineer draws that route, and the framing follows it.

  3. 03 The stair

    Place the stair
    first.

    A stair needs its run, headroom above it and a landing at each end, and it has to arrive somewhere useful downstairs. Fixing it first and fitting the new rooms around it gives a better plan.

  4. 04 The tie-in

    Where the new walls
    meet the old roof.

    That line is flashed before any plaster goes on. Plaster partners then match the new story to the house below, under NXG’s C-17 license.

    Start a conversation (702) 913‑7007
What It Involves

The weight has to
reach the ground.

What is already under the house

A single-story house on a slab was footed for a single story. Adding above it means establishing what the footings are, what the soil under them will bear, and whether the existing walls can carry a floor and a roof rather than just a roof.

Establishing that is a geotechnical and structural exercise before it is an architectural one. Sometimes the answer is straightforward. Sometimes it means underpinning or new footings inside the existing house, which is a different project and a different number.

The stair costs more room than people expect

A compliant stair needs a run, headroom above it and a landing at each end, and it has to come down somewhere useful on a floor plan that was drawn without it.

The stair is where many second-story designs get reworked. Placing the stair first and fitting the new rooms around it produces a better plan than the reverse.

Roof tie-in and the weather

Part of the existing roof comes off. Between that moment and the new structure being dry, the inside of your house is exposed, so the sequence, the temporary protection and the weather window are planned rather than hoped for.

Summer in the Las Vegas valley is the constraint on the finishing trades as much as the framing: concrete, exterior plaster, roofing and paint each need hot-weather precautions on a July afternoon, and the schedule allows for them.

Height, massing and the committee

A second story is the most visible change you can make to a house. In any community with architectural review it will be judged on height, roof line, massing and what it does to a neighbor’s view, and some associations refuse them outright.

NXG confirms that before design rather than after, because a refusal ends the project.

Scope

What this covers.

  • 01Existing footings and soil bearing capacity established
  • 02Load path designed from new roof to existing foundation
  • 03Underpinning or new interior footings where required
  • 04Stair placement resolved before the floor plan
  • 05Roof removal sequenced with temporary weather protection
  • 06Architectural review and height limits confirmed first
Common Questions

What owners ask
about adding a story.

Can my house take a second story?

The answer starts under the house. A single-story house on a slab was footed for a single story, so establishing what the footings are, what the soil under them will bear, and where the new weight travels on its way down is a geotechnical and structural exercise before it is an architectural one. Sometimes it means underpinning or new footings.

How much room does the stair take?

More than people expect. A compliant stair needs a run, headroom above it and a landing at each end, and it has to come down somewhere useful on a floor plan drawn without it. The stair is where many second-story designs get reworked, so placing it first and fitting the new rooms around it produces a better plan than the reverse.

What happens to my house while the roof is open?

Part of the existing roof comes off, and between that moment and the new structure being dry the inside of your house is exposed, so the sequence, the temporary protection and the weather window get planned rather than improvised. Summer in the Las Vegas valley is the other constraint: concrete, exterior plaster, roofing and paint each have a temperature window.

Will the association approve it?

A second story is the most visible change you can make to a house, so in any community with architectural review it will be judged on height, roof line, massing and what it does to a neighbor’s outlook. NXG confirms that before design rather than after, because a refusal ends the project.

At a Glance

The addition, in brief.

First question
Whether the existing foundation can carry it
Structure
Continuous load path to footings, engineered
Plan driver
Stair run, headroom and landings
Exposure
Roof open between demolition and dry-in, sequenced
Review
Height and massing; some associations refuse them
Licenses
NV B‑2 #0091645
NV C‑17 #0092664
NV C‑3 #0092662

Related

Luxury additions & ADUs
Custom build construction
Whole-home remodel

Talk to us

Tell us what you are building. We will tell you what it involves and where the money usually goes.

Start a conversation

Or call (702) 913‑7007 · info@nxgbuilds.com

Get In Touch

Tell us what
you’re building.

Send the details below or call. We reply within one business day.

Phone
(702) 913‑7007
Email
info@nxgbuilds.com
Office
3277 E Warm Springs Rd, Ste 200
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Hours
Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm
Saturday, 10:00am–3:00pm
Licenses
NV B‑2 #0091645
NV C‑17 #0092664
NV C‑3 #0092662

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