Home addition: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering home addition

Home additions are large, permit-heavy projects where customers judge you on the drawings, the foundation and the roof tie-in. Win the job by showing that the structure is engineered and that the connection to the house is planned.

What customers ask

  • Who designs the structure, and will the drawings be stamped?
  • How do you connect the new roof to the old one without leaks?
  • What foundation will you use, and how do you handle the soil?
  • How long will the addition take, and what happens if the permit is delayed?
  • Will the new room match the look of the house from the street?

How to win the job

  • On the first visit, check the lot for setbacks, drainage, access and the soil conditions, and photograph the existing foundation and roof edge where the addition will connect.
  • Put the engineer's or designer's name and scope in the proposal, and state which drawings the permit will be based on.
  • Show the roof tie-in on a section drawing with the flashing and the drainage path marked, so the customer sees the joint before the job starts.
  • Quote the foundation type with the soil assumption stated, and list what the soil test or site check will confirm.
  • Give the customer a phase schedule that marks each inspection, so the timeline reflects the permit process.
  • Quote the electrical, plumbing and HVAC work by licensed trade, with the rough-in inspections named.
  • Bring exterior material samples and an elevation sketch so the customer sees how the addition will read from the yard and the street.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of foundation pours, framing and the roof tie-in during construction, not only the finished exterior
  • Before and after exterior photos of additions, with the roof tie-in and the window placement visible
  • A photo of a roof-to-wall flashing detail, which shows the quality of the water control
  • A list of the engineers and designers you work with, with the scope of each

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • A maintenance note for the roof tie-in, the gutters and the drainage around the foundation
  • A check visit after the first winter and first heavy rain to look at the joint and the foundation edge
  • Advice on the next project, such as a deck or a bathroom in the new space, offered only when the customer asks

Licenses and permits

Home additions often require building permits, engineered drawings and licensed electrical and plumbing trades, and they are inspected at several stages. Confirm your contractor registration, trade licenses and insurance in your state and locality before you accept the job.

Questions

Should I self-perform the foundation?

Only if you hold the license for it and the design is stamped. Otherwise name the foundation contractor in the quote and show who is responsible for the excavation and pour.

How do I handle a utility line I did not expect?

Locate buried utilities before excavation and name the locate process in the proposal. If a line is found in an unexpected place, stop, document it and get written direction before you go on.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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