While the U.S. economic slump has restricted many people from buying new and larger houses, additions have sufficed for many homeowners who are looking for a larger house.

But beyond the process of building an addition, a project of that size requires homeowners to get permits from their municipalities and to submit drawings and plot plans to the appropriate agencies.

For Butler Township, the initial process includes the submission of a building permit application and two sets of construction drawings "with sufficient detail to determine compliance with state uniform construction codes," said Cindy Davis, the zoning official and building official for Butler Township.

Requirements in the city of Butler are similar, including the submission of a plot plan, survey and drawing of the plan, said John Evans, the zoning and code management officer for Butler.

Other items might be needed depending on the specific project.

While Davis said the forms are pretty "self-explanatory," she said they are important to the process because of state regulations such as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and the 2006 International Residential Code.

After the plans are reviewed and accepted, both Butler Township and Butler issue a plan review letter and building permit.

They also detail items that are not in compliance or things to look out for when building. In addition, homeowners are given a list of inspections that need to be completed and in the order of which they need to be done.

Generally, all projects are approved with minor changes because of regulations, Davis said.

"Size is only an issue when dealing with zone requirements and how close the addition would be to the property line," Davis said.

Fees for Butler Township are based on square footage and are 54.3 cents per square foot for new residential construction and home additions, while fees for Butler are based on the dollar amount of construction, starting at a base fee of $30 and adding $5 for every $1,000 of construction.

Additionally there are fees for things such as the building permit, electricity permit and plumbing permit, Evans said.

Both Davis and Evans said that while they generally work more with construction companies, they are willing to help homeowners who wish to do it themselves.

But Davis warns that all homeowners who have contractors completing the paperwork still should be aware of the process, making sure final approval and a certificate of occupancy have been given by the township before the homeowner pays the contractor.

"I've seen too many times where this doesn't happen and the contactor is long gone and paid when changes still need to be made," she said.

Davis estimates the township receives between 25 to 50 permit applications a year for residential home additions, while Evans estimates Butler receives "maybe a dozen per year."

Sharon Fabrizzi, a homeowner in Butler Township currently putting an addition onto her home, said the process has been "running pretty smoothly so far."

Saying she was unfamiliar even with the construction lingo, Fabrizzi and her husband, Michael, decided to first hire a contractor who ended up doing a lot of the paperwork for the family.

"It made it much easier because they understand the regulations and have gone through them before," she said.

"So they know how to make minor modifications according to the specifications."

While Fabrizzi and her husband had originally wanted to find a bigger home, after years of not finding what they wanted, she said a home addition was the next logical choice.

"We had been looking for a bigger home ever since we had kids, but we love our area and neighborhood, and so we decided just to add on to our current home," Fabrizzi said.

Deciding to add a 24-by-38-foot addition to include a family room, bedroom and bathroom, the Fabrizzi family is now in the midst of construction.

Nearly a month into the project, Fabrizzi has high hopes of having everything completed by the holidays, which she said could be possible if the good weather continues.

Fabrizzi said her family is pleased with how the construction is progressing and advises other homeowners to find a contractor they can trust.

"You really have to trust your contractor and feel comfortable with them," Fabrizzi said.

"You have to be able to talk about ideas and see where you are both coming from."