GENERAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK
Home addition:
connect the next steps.
Put the scope, sequence, purchases and money in one plan. Keep assumptions separate from confirmed requirements.
Confirm what the lot allows before designing
Setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, easements and any heritage or conservation controls decide how big an addition can be. Check them with the responsible authority, and keep unknown site conditions visible instead of assuming the space is available.
Plan the connection to the existing house
An addition usually means opening an exterior wall, tying into the roof and foundation, and extending heating, wiring and plumbing. These are structural and trade decisions for qualified people; record them as open scope questions until they are confirmed.
Expect approvals to lead the schedule
Additions commonly need a building permit and sometimes a separate planning or development approval. The approval checkpoint in your plan is a planning allowance, not an official processing time, and dates after it stay provisional until approval is issued.
Budget for the shell and the finish separately
Foundation, framing, roofing and envelope costs come early; finishes, fixtures and landscaping repair come late. Enter quotes as separate lines with deposit and balance dates so the cash needed before each stage is visible.
Protect the occupied home
Record how weather, dust, noise and access will be managed while the exterior wall is open. Agree temporary protection and the sequence for closing in with your contractor before work starts.
These are general workflow suggestions, not a construction method, design, code interpretation or local cost estimate. Template durations are illustrative and have not been reviewed for your property. Ask qualified professionals and the responsible authority to confirm what applies.