Additions, whole-house remodels, garage conversions, and ADUs all live or die on the person coordinating them. The difference between a good build and a nightmare is usually communication and sequencing, not craftsmanship. Describe the project and CCB-licensed Gresham builders respond with scope, timeline, and price.
Not hammers — coordination. Permits pulled in the right order, subs scheduled so the electrician is not waiting on the framer, inspections passed the first time, and one person accountable when something goes sideways. On a project with six trades, that management is worth its markup. On a single-trade job it usually is not, and a good GC will tell you so.
Bumping out a bedroom or converting an attached garage into living space is common in Gresham, where lots are generous but 1970s floor plans are tight. Both trigger setback review, foundation work, and envelope upgrades to current energy code. Garage conversions also mean solving where the cars and storage go, which is a design question worth answering before demolition.
A serious bid names the scope, the allowances, the change-order process, the payment schedule tied to milestones, and who supplies what. Vague line items are where disputes start. Ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' comp, and confirm the CCB number is active and matches the business name on the contract.
Bids rarely cover identical scope, so line them up item by item before comparing totals. One may include cabinets at a $12,000 allowance and another at $25,000. One may exclude permits entirely. Normalize the assumptions first, then judge price. The cheapest number is often just the one that left the most out.
Describe the project once and we match it with vetted local pros who actually do this work — you choose who to hire, or nobody at all.
Structural work, additions, and ADUs go through City of Gresham Development Services for plan review and inspections, while properties outside city limits toward Orient, Damascus, and Corbett permit with Multnomah County. Review timelines vary with workload. A GC who knows the counter and the reviewers keeps a project from stalling for weeks over a correction item.
Gresham parcels are generally deeper and wider than close-in Portland lots, which makes detached ADUs, shop buildings, and single-story additions more feasible than they would be inside the urban core. Setbacks, lot coverage, and tree requirements still govern. Have your builder confirm what your zoning allows before you fall in love with a footprint.
A 1,400 to 1,900 square foot home built between 1972 and 1992, with a compartmentalized floor plan, an original panel, and single-pane or early double-pane windows. These houses respond very well to opening up the main level and upgrading the envelope. Older farmhouses on the east edge are a different project with their own surprises.
Most GCs work on cost-plus with a 15 to 25 percent fee, or on a fixed price that carries an equivalent margin plus a contingency. Whole-home remodels in this market commonly run $150 to $300 per square foot depending on finish level and how much mechanical work is involved. Room additions frequently land between $300 and $500 per square foot because of foundation and roof tie-in costs. Reserve 10 to 20 percent beyond the contract for the discoveries that come with any 40-year-old house.
Our addition took four months and we always knew what was happening next week. The schedule slipped twice and both times he told us before we asked.
He normalized all three bids for us and pointed out that ours excluded permits. That one conversation saved several thousand dollars.
He turned our garage into a real room with a full permit set, and the payment schedule in the contract was tied to milestones. Nothing was ever due before the work behind it was finished.
If the job is one trade, hire directly and save the markup. Once three or more trades have to be sequenced around inspections, self-managing usually costs you more in delays than the GC fee would have. Be honest about your availability during weekdays.
Look up the CCB number on the state's contractor search and confirm the status is active, the business name matches, and there is bond and insurance on file. Also check whether complaints have been filed. It takes a few minutes and it is the single highest-value screening step.
Simple over-the-counter items can be quick, while plan review for an addition or ADU often runs several weeks and longer if corrections come back. Build that into your schedule expectations. A contractor who promises immediate permits is not being straight with you.
Something modest tied to mobilization and material ordering, with the rest on milestones. Large advance payments transfer your risk to the contractor's cash flow. If a builder needs most of the money before starting, that is a reason to keep looking.
Many local builders do, and larger lots here make them practical. Utilities, setbacks, parking, and whether you go attached or detached drive both cost and feasibility. Start with a zoning check before design so you are not redrawing plans later.
Describe the project, the rough budget, and your timing. CCB-licensed local builders will follow up to scope it with you. Free to request and no obligation.
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