Low Cost Good Contractors???

[tulsamommyof3]

Hi, we are looking to build another room onto our house. It will connect with our twins room and be flush with the side of the house and front of the house. We have a small problem. Our driveway goes all the way up to the twins room and it is NOT smooth. Therefore we will have to have it removed. The bedroom we are wanting to build will be estimate 15'long x 13' wide. I called one contractor and he said $125/square foot. And said around $30,000-$50,000!!!! THERE'S NO WAY I'M PAYING THAT MUCH!!! We could buy another house for that much! Anyway I was wondering if anyone on here might know of a good contractor that does small builds and isn't outrageously priced? Anything will help. We plan on having a baby soon which will be our last. So we are wanting to get started asap. Thank you all for any suggestions and your time.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Getting into "sleep deprivation" mode, are we?? 

That's a tough one.  Probably cheaper to sell and buy the house you need.  Most neighborhoods have a larger house if you just look around.  Or different neighborhood?  Mine is in tiny-house-ville, with a couple of larger neighborhoods less than 3 blocks in two directions.  Mostly keep the benefit of the old one while getting the bigger place...

[Conan71]

Hi, we are looking to build another room onto our house. It will connect with our twins room and be flush with the side of the house and front of the house. We have a small problem. Our driveway goes all the way up to the twins room and it is NOT smooth. Therefore we will have to have it removed. The bedroom we are wanting to build will be estimate 15'long x 13' wide. I called one contractor and he said $125/square foot. And said around $30,000-$50,000!!!! THERE'S NO WAY I'M PAYING THAT MUCH!!! We could buy another house for that much! Anyway I was wondering if anyone on here might know of a good contractor that does small builds and isn't outrageously priced? Anything will help. We plan on having a baby soon which will be our last. So we are wanting to get started asap. Thank you all for any suggestions and your time.

I considered doing the same thing when I found out I had a second child on the way, but it would have taken a long time to realize a return on that investment as well as finding a lender who wanted to accept the risk of a second mortgage for an addition which likely would have cost more per foot than surrounding properties were selling for, so we sold and bought another house instead.  Unless you plan on staying in that house for some time, it's going to be hard to recover your investment in the addition unless you bought the house for way under market value or some point in the past when the neighborhood price per square foot was lower.

I think you will be really hard-pressed to do an addition for less than $100 to $125/ft.  Even at $100/ft it's still about $20K.

Get on Zillow.com and see what the average price per square foot is in your neighborhood.  If it's higher than the cost to add on then add on.  Otherwise consider selling and finding an existing place with the space you need.

[DTowner]

It is risky trying to go on the cheap for a home remodel project.  A contractor that bids it really cheap is likely to give you what you paid for - a really cheap and shoddy end product - or bid it low and then come in with lots of change orders and other "surprises" - every old house has them - that push the total cost back up to $100-125 per sq. foot.

If you plan on staying a long time and the add on fits with the overall design/style of your house and lot, then pay to get it down right and you will enjoy it for years.  If you don't plan on staying a long time or your house/lot don't really accommodate the planned addition, then finding a new house that fits your needs is the better way to go.

[Gaspar]

Not sure you can actually use all of those terms together?. . . Low Cost Good Contractors

[HoneySuckle]

I had one that came in lower than we expected and talk about the end results and the "extras!"  That old, SOB really took advantage of us because we had never done remodelling before and had no idea what we were gettting into with him.

I would love to help you if I can though.  Why not get a few contractors to come out (if that's the only one you had so far), and a get a feel for their ideas and bids so you'll know if that's a decent price.  Plus ask for references, AND their insurance etc. 

We joined Angie's list based on a contractor who only does commercial stuff, and I wouldn't mind looking up general contractors and passing on the better recommended ones to you.  I already paid for this service, and won't be using it myself until Fall, so might as well pass on some info for others.

That goes to everyone on the board!  I am feeling generous

[HazMatCFO]

[Ronnie Lowe]

When I remodeled my bathrooms last fall I got bids from three local contractors.  I used Billy Cassetty Company because their bid was about $7,000 lower than competition and it had a greater scope of work. 

[HoneySuckle]

Were you pleased with Bill's work?

[heironymouspasparagus]

This kind of an investment might be worth a check on AngiesList, too.  Might not find a good one, but might find one NOT to use.  You got one of the hardest jobs related to home ownership right now.  Glad I don't have to do that!!

[dwnbonner]

I would be happy to give you a free estimate. We Provide
Quality work and Quality Prices. Call Karl at 918-200-6897.

[HoneySuckle]

I would be happy to give you a free estimate. We Provide
Quality work and Quality Prices. Call Karl at 918-200-6897.

I've used several contractors over the years and they all said they do quality work.  Only 1 of them (drywall) was quality.  Are you on Angie's list by chance Karl?