“We were sure we wanted to add on, and the comparison showed us the second story would fit the lot better and spare more trees. They drew both before we chose.”
Majid H.Second story over a brick ranch
Additions and whole-house renovation
Build out, build up, or move. We draw all three.
Kulkarni Builders adds rooms and second stories to Charlotte houses, and renovates them from the studs out. Before you sign anything, you get the three options for your house compared in writing, in plain words.
Which are you weighing?
- A written comparison before any contract
- North Carolina licensed general contractor
- Drawn before priced
- We pull the permits
- One superintendent per job
- Charlotte and the towns around it
The decision, in words
Move, second story or bump-out?
Most families who call us have already talked themselves into one of these. Here is each one, side by side, with the points where it comes out ahead and where it doesn't.
| What you are weighing | Move | Second story | Bump-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | MoveSell, and buy a house that already has the room | Second storyA new floor built over the one you have | Bump-outOne or two rooms pushed out from the back or side of the house |
| How much lot it needs | MoveNot your question; the lot comes with the house | Second storyBetter: Stays inside the footprint you already have | Bump-outNeeds yard: setbacks, trees and easements set how far it can go |
| Living in the house | MoveTwo moves and a closing date | Second storyThe roof comes off, and many families move out for part of it | Bump-outBetter: Mostly outside until the wall is opened; most families stay |
| What the structure must carry | MoveBetter: Nothing to check; someone else built it | Second storyExisting walls and footings carry a second floor, so we open and check them first | Bump-outNew footings of its own, tied to the old |
| Surprises you can't see | MoveBetter: An inspection finds most of them before you buy | Second storyOld framing, wiring and ducts show when the roof opens | Bump-outLimited to the wall we open |
| Where the money goes | MoveAgent fees, closing costs, moving and a new mortgage | Second storyStructure, stairs, a new roof over the house, systems moved | Bump-outFoundation, framing, a roof section, finishes |
| Keeping the street you know | MoveNo | Second storyYes | Bump-outYes |
What we build
Five kinds of work, all for houses already standing
We don't build new houses and we don't do roof-only jobs. Everything here begins with a house that has people in it.
Bump-outs and room additions
A kitchen pushed out, a primary suite behind the garage, a den off the back. Footings, framing and a roof tied into yours.
See how it goesSecond-story additions
A floor over a one-story house, from the first look at the attic to the new stair.
See how it goesWhole-house renovation
Kitchen, baths, floors, wiring and walls, planned as one project with one schedule.
See how it goesOpen plans and beams
A wall comes out, a beam goes in, and the load goes somewhere that has been checked.
See how it goesPlans and permits
Drawings, engineering and the permit file, handled by the people who will build from them.
See how it goes
Family-run since 1984
The same family has been on the job site for forty years
Mahesh Kulkarni started the company in 1984 with a truck and a framing crew. His daughter Sakshi runs it now, and Mahesh still walks the houses.
Fifteen of us, in two building crews, with an estimator, a permit coordinator and an office. We stay small on purpose: the person who walks your house is the person who runs your job.
A named superintendent on every project
Our own carpenters, not a different crew each week
Change orders in writing before the work moves
Sample projects
What the options look like on a street like yours
Examples of the three kinds of work, with the scope in each caption. Yours begin with your own house.
Sample photos.
From clients
What people say after the plans are signed
“Our superintendent knew every wall in the house by week two. When the beam was a different size from the drawing, we heard about it before anything was cut.”
Ying L.Open-plan kitchen and living room
“They told us plainly that a move was worth a look. We stayed, and the bump-out went in without us leaving the house.”
Addison F.Rear bump-out
Sample reviews.
Questions
Before you call
Can you build a second story on my brick ranch?
Often, but not always. A one-story house from the 1950s through the 1970s may need new footings, steel or both before it can carry a floor. We open the attic and the crawlspace first and tell you what we find before we draw anything.
Do we have to move out?
For a bump-out, most families stay. For a second story, it depends on the stair, the roof and how long the house is open to the weather. We say which in the comparison, and we plan the work so you can choose.
Who pulls the permits?
We do. Building permits in Mecklenburg County come from the county's code enforcement office, and zoning questions go to the city or the town. Our permit coordinator files the drawings and answers the reviewers.
Do you charge for the first visit?
No. The first visit is a walk around the house: we measure, look in the attic and the crawlspace, and talk about what you want. It is not a quote. The design work that follows is a paid agreement, and the pricing page says what it covers.
My house was built before 1978. Does that change anything?
Yes. Paint from before 1978 may contain lead, and the EPA's renovation rule covers paid work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint inside or 20 outside, and always covers window replacement and demolition. Our certification is on the credentials page, and we tell you what the rule means for your house before work starts.
Where we work
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns around it
We keep the crews close to town so the superintendent can be on your site every day.
Mecklenburg County
- Charlotte
- Steele Creek
- University City
- Sedgefield
- Montford
- Wesley Heights
Gaston and Lincoln counties
- Dallas
- Stanley
- Bessemer City
- Lincolnton
Catawba County
- Denver
- Sherrills Ford
Stanly and Union counties
- Locust
- Oakboro
- Stanfield
- Unionville
We don't work in South Carolina or in the mountains, and we don't build new houses or take roof-only jobs.
Plan your project
Tell us what you're weighing
A few details about the house and the idea, so the first visit starts where you are.
Phone(704) 555-0104
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- By appointment
- SundayToday
- Closed