DIY or Professional Contractor for Your Home Additions?

When considering house additions, you may be wondering if this might be a DIY project or maybe you need to hire a contractor.

The biggest question to answer for yourself before doing any planning is who will be doing the work for your room additions.

So you can take on the project yourself, in which case you will need to have the skills, the tools, and the time to do such a renovation properly. You certainly don’t want to get going on it and then realize you are in way over your head.  

It’s difficult when you have paid thousands for materials you don’t know what to do with. And any mistakes you make are all yours to deal with, plus, you may not even realize your mistakes until you think you’re done with your home additions.

Know your limits and understand what you need help with. When there are things you know you can’t handle, it’s best to bring in a professional contractor.

You can save money by doing your garage addition yourself. Contractors will hire out the work and take a percentage for the use of subcontractors. You are paying for the recommendation to have good subcontractors complete your sunroom addition with a quality guarantee from the contractor.

But if you are not so inclined to handle such projects as home additions, go with the general contractor. It’s important that the job is done right, as the completed work can turn out much better than you might imagine, and the project can add value to your home.

How can you find the right professional contractor for your house additions? It depends.

Ask people who have had work done. They will be happy to tell you about their great contractors. And if the work was not good, they will certainly let you know.  

You can also look up professional services online through sites like HomeAdvisor.com, Houzz.com, SevaCall.com, and ImprovementCenter.com. These are all recommendation-based listings, and services offer grades that stem from user reviews.  

Whether you are going it alone or you want to hire contractors for your room additions, get ideas from several professionals. They can provide you with quotes so you know what to expect. And ask if your contractors are fully insured, licensed, and bonded so you avoid liability, tax, and quality issues.