Assessed Value and Market Value in Tucson

Spotting Additions in Tucson Homes

November 17, 2008 | By Kelley Koehler | Filed Under Tucson Homes Explained

I do quite a bit of business that involves older homes here in Tucson, be it a 1950’s brick ranch in Central or a 1970’s remodel up in the Catalina Foothills. It seems that more often than not in these homes, there have been additions or enclosures to add to the livable square footage of the house. Frequently, they’re easy to spot because of an awkward room plan, but every once in a while you run into a home addition that was done so well that it’s not obvious the room wasn’t there originally.

Here’s what to look for:

Seams in the brick or block wall exterior, especially at the front of the house where a carport opening may once have been
A change in building materials: from brick to siding, for example.
A change in height between rooms, especially at the back or side of the house, where originally there may have been a step between carport and house, or between patio and house.
A lack of ducting, or only window A/C.
Changes in wall thickness at doorways. Double red brick houses have exterior walls that are as thick as the long side of a brick. If the doorway to a room is twice as thick as the other interior walls, you’re probably walking into an addition.
Sloping ceilings. Patio roofs are usually sloped – chances are, you’ll see a gentle slope on the inside finished ceiling if a patio has been converted into indoor space.
Changes in wall texture. If the rest of the house is more of a plaster-like texture and one area has a knock-down texture, then something happened.

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