If you are welcoming a new family member into your family or if you'd like to build a home office or guest room, you might be thinking about adding on to your home. Even though you might be excited about this upcoming home renovation, you might also be worried about the cost. Luckily, these tips can help you save money when doing so:

1. Work with Square Footage You Already Have

If you currently have square footage in your home that isn't finished, you might find that finishing out this area of the home will be cheaper than adding on. For example, if you have unheated space about your garage, if you have a spacious attic or basement or even if you have a garage that you don't really use, you could consider working with a contractor to see if one of these areas can work well for your project. Then, you will already have the basic structure in place, which can save you a lot of money. It can also help you get the project done more quickly.

2. Do Some of the Work Yourself

When adding on to your home, it's generally best to leave the big stuff -- such as putting down the foundation, putting up walls and putting in the electrical wiring and plumbing pipes -- up to a contractor. However, even with a big project like a home addition, there might be some things that you can do on your own, such as painting and finishing out the room once the basics have been put into place. This can allow you to become a part of the project and to save a lot of money while ensuring that the main stuff is done properly and safely.

3. Consider an Alternative Heating and Cooling Option

If you have to have duct work installed to tie in the add-on to your existing heating and cooling system, you might find that doing so is costly. Additionally, you might be worried about your existing unit not being big enough to support the additional square footage. You do have a few more budget-friendly options that you can consider, however, such as installing baseboard heat. Then, you won't have to worry about completely upgrading your entire heating and air conditioning system, but you can ensure that the area is still kept at a comfortable temperature.

As you can see, there are a few ways that you can save money when adding on to your home. If you follow these tips, you might be surprised by how much you can save when adding additional square footage to your house.