You can have a licensed contractor go with you to the house. He/she can give you a preliminary opinion on the feasiblitiy and cost range to add on to an existing structure. He/she would, ideally, also be familiar with the local building department and their regulations.
Adding on to an existing structure can be a very costly & time consuming way to get that extra bedroom. With as many homes on the market as there are, I think you would be better off finding a 4 bedroom home to start with and save yourself the grief of living in a construction zone.

Lil Lively
Your Castle Real Estate
950 Wadsworth Blvd, Suite 120
Lakewood, CO 80214
Cell: 303-746-8827 Fax:303-265-9318
Email: Lil@TopProducer.com http://www.LilLively.com

Hi Eric,

Your best bet is to find a good Realtor to work with. Leslie Heldenbrand, whose answer is below mine, is terrific and very responsive. You can reach her at 720-283-5978, http://www.LeslieHeldenbrand.com, lheldenbrand@msn.com. Because public records do not normally include basements in the total square footage, many times the websites you are searching may not include an existing basement bedroom in their total bedroom calculations. A local Realtor will be able to give you a much better idea of what is available. Additionally, as a buyer, their services are free -- the seller will pay their commission. Find yourself a solid Realtor, and you will find yourself in a very good position.

If I can help you with the financing on the property, please give me a call. Or fill out a free, no-obligation application on my website: https://homeloans.securesites.com/page1.html?custid=5416.

Take care, and good luck with your search!

Ben Edgson
Mortgage Broker
720.280.0441
ben@bythebrookemortgage.com

Eric,

There is plenty on the market that you should be able to find a 4 bedroom home. I am not saying that adding on is not an option, but it can get pretty costly and time consuming. What area are you looking in? I would love to send you homes that match what you are looking for. Unfortunatly, some internet sites are not always accurate and don't provide all of the information needed by the buyers.

Feel free to contact me anytime and I will send you properties or answer any questions you may have.

Leslie Heldenbrand
Broker Associate
720-283-5978 http://www.LeslieHeldenbrand.com
lheldenbrand@msn.com

Ask a local contractor to look it over and give you a bid. But why not find a 4 BR. If you have begun to realize the difficulties in just finding the right home, why not let an agent do it for you?