[djmcmath]

We cannot, as it turns out, afford to buy a 2-story place right now. Even with the depressed market, the second story seems to add a huge amount to the list price.

Which brings me back to the costing question: how much does it typically cost for these things? Assume a best case, where the structural engineer says the foundation is fine for building on, and the first floor is still sound, and the roof needs to be replaced anyway. Or a worst case, where I'd have to build a "second house around the first," with the shiny new footings and all that. What kind of gross numbers are we talking? Dave -- those guys who did the prefab thing, how painful was that? And what kind of names to companies like that have?

There will definitely be a structural engineer, perhaps involved as early as the PPI, but definitely before anything like construction happens. The Gaithersburg permitting office is going to want to talk to my engineer and architect before they issue a permit.

Thanks again for the opinions and experience, all.

Dan