Room to grow inside the plat.

Additions in Weston begin with a survey rather than a sketch, because these lots were platted, not inherited. Homes in Savanna, The Ridges and Country Isles sit on tightly drawn parcels with side setbacks measured in single-digit feet and rear yards that end at a lake bank or a drainage easement. Estates in Windmill Ranch Estates and parts of Weston Hills have genuine room to move. The projects are the same either way: enclose the screened patio, push the family room back, build over the garage, or add a proper suite for a parent.

An addition draws the full review. The association sees elevations first, then the plan set goes to Weston's Building Code and Permitting Services Department, with the city's engineering and planning divisions involved when drainage, driveways or zoning setbacks come into play. Expect sealed structural drawings for footings and tie beams, HVHZ product approvals for every new opening, and a current survey showing easements most owners have never looked at. If a tree stands in the footprint, removal or relocation needs a city landscape permit, and that includes trees on association ground.

A builder's habits become permanent the day an addition is poured. We tie new footings to existing ones the way the engineer drew it, match stucco texture and roof tile so the seam stops announcing itself after a year, and keep the occupied half of the house sealed and livable while the new half goes up. The scope is fixed in writing before the first excavation, the site has a supervisor every working day, and the same team carries the job from feasibility to warranty.