Home Additions in Bethesda
An addition is the one project where zoning can stop you before design starts. We are a licensed contractor in Maryland (MHIC #111971) — we pull the permits through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, coordinate the licensed trades, and hand you a written line-item scope before demolition starts.
Start your Bethesda home additions with a written scope
Tell us the two things we need to call you back — a project manager rings you to book the free walkthrough. We work Chevy Chase, Potomac, Cabin John and every Bethesda ZIP: 20814, 20816, 20817.
- A written, line-item scope for your Bethesda project before anyone swings a hammer
- Permits pulled through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services under MHIC #111971
- One project manager from demolition to final walkthrough
Two fields and one question. A specialist calls you back to confirm a time.
The paperwork is the part most contractors gloss over.
An addition starts with zoning, not construction: setbacks, lot coverage and height limits get reviewed before a building permit is issued, and in some neighborhoods there is a stormwater or historic review on top. Then come the footing and foundation inspections, which have to pass before backfill. This is the longest-lead permit of any project we do, and it is why we start the paperwork while the design is still being drawn.
Your Bethesda permit goes through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services. We pull it under our license and we hold the inspection schedule — you do not chase inspectors and you do not sign the application.
Bethesda is not a city. It is unincorporated Montgomery County, so there is no Bethesda town hall to permit your project — every permit, plan review and inspection runs through Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, and the county's rules on lot coverage and setbacks are what decide how big an addition can be. Two things catch Bethesda homeowners specifically: parts of the neighbourhood sit inside designated historic districts, which adds a separate design review before the building permit, and Montgomery County requires electrical work to be permitted separately and performed by a licensed master electrician — so a kitchen or basement job is at least two permits, not one.
The house decides half the scope.
Much of Bethesda inside the Beltway is 1920s–1950s colonials and capes on modest lots, with a heavy layer of 1990s-onward tear-downs and rear additions between them. In the older stock we expect plaster over wood lath, original single-pane windows, and undersized electrical service. On a 1930s house a full kitchen almost always means a service upgrade and new counter GFCI circuits before anything cosmetic happens.
What's included- ✓Zoning, setback and lot-coverage review before design is finalized
- ✓Footings placed below the regional frost line
- ✓Footing and foundation inspections passed before backfill
- ✓Roofline, siding and HVAC tied into the existing house so it does not read as an add-on
A planning range, not a quote. Your written line-item price comes after a free on-site walkthrough. HVAC, electrical and plumbing are performed by licensed trade partners.
Financing is available — most homeowners spread a project this size over monthly payments rather than paying cash up front.
Free Bethesda walkthrough
A written, line-item scope for your home additions project. No design fee, no obligation.
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One contractor for the rest of the house
Our Bethesda crews cover Chevy Chase, Potomac, Cabin John, Kensington and every ZIP in the area — 20814, 20816, 20817.
Straight answers
Do you handle home additions in Bethesda, MD?
Yes. United Developers is a licensed contractor in Maryland (MHIC #111971) and works throughout Bethesda and Montgomery County, including 20814, 20816, 20817 and nearby Chevy Chase, Potomac, Cabin John.
Who pulls the permit for a Bethesda home additions project?
We do, under our license, through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services. An addition starts with zoning, not construction: setbacks, lot coverage and height limits get reviewed before a building permit is issued, and in some neighborhoods there is a stormwater or historic review on top. Then come the footing and foundation inspections, which have to pass before backfill. This is the longest-lead permit of any project we do, and it is why we start the paperwork while the design is still being drawn.
What should I expect in a Bethesda home?
Much of Bethesda inside the Beltway is 1920s–1950s colonials and capes on modest lots, with a heavy layer of 1990s-onward tear-downs and rear additions between them. In the older stock we expect plaster over wood lath, original single-pane windows, and undersized electrical service. On a 1930s house a full kitchen almost always means a service upgrade and new counter GFCI circuits before anything cosmetic happens.
What does home additions cost in Bethesda?
Most Bethesda projects land in the $180 – $340 / sq ft range. That is a planning range for Montgomery County, not a quote — your written price comes after a free on-site walkthrough.
Is the Bethesda walkthrough and estimate free?
Yes. The walkthrough and the written scope are free and yours to keep whether or not you hire us. There is no design fee and no consultation invoice.
How long does an addition actually take?
The build is rarely the long part — permitting and zoning review are. Expect the approval phase to run in parallel with final design, and expect us to give you a schedule that names the permit milestone rather than hiding it. We will tell you at the walkthrough if your lot has a setback or coverage problem, because that changes the whole conversation.