Know what the renovation costs
before you sign.
Most Houston agents hand you a contractor's phone number after closing. I price the work myself — the addition, the foundation, the roof, the permit path — while you still have negotiating leverage.
Or jump straight to Houston homes for sale · the investment calculator
What you get that you don't get elsewhere
- A real number, not a range. The addition you're imagining, priced the way I'd bid it.
- Inspection reports translated. I read them as a GC and tell you what each item actually costs to fix.
- Permit and deed-restriction reality before you design — historic districts, HOA committees, covenant review.
- Flood diligence done properly — reservoir pools and levee districts, not just the FEMA map.
- Pre-listing renovation priced and managed directly. No third-party vendor, no markup, no fronted money.
Market figures throughout this site are sourced from HAR MLS and were last reviewed August 2026.
The problem I solve
Two experts. Two answers. Neither one complete.
Your agent sees the comps
They know what the house is worth today and what similar houses sold for. They cannot tell you what the primary suite addition costs, whether the lot will carry it, or whether the historic district will approve the elevation.
Your contractor sees the build
They can price the work. They have no idea whether the finished house will appraise above the neighborhood's ceiling, or whether you just spent $120,000 to reach a bracket that does not exist on that street.
I answer both at once
The comps set the ceiling. The build sets the cost. The gap between them is the entire decision — and you should know it before the option period ends, not after.
Start here
What are you trying to do?
Buy a house
Tour with someone who reads the roof, the slab, and the panel while reading the comps. Free GC walkthrough on any house you're serious about.
Buying in HoustonSell your home
Fix what the inspector will find before it becomes a price reduction. Pre-listing renovation priced and managed directly, scoped to your comparable set.
Selling in HoustonRenovate or add on
Room additions, primary suites, ADUs, kitchen expansions — priced against what the finished house will actually appraise for.
Renovation & ROIDecode an inspection report
You have twenty pages of findings and a five-day deadline. I'll tell you which items are real money and which are noise.
Inspection translationEvaluate a fixer-upper
Before you fall for the price, find out what the slab, the panel, the permits, and the flood history are going to cost you.
Fixer underwritingFind out what it's worth
A real CMA from a person — plus which improvements would raise your number and which ones won't return in your neighborhood.
Free valuationGreater Houston
Neighborhood guides, written properly
Flood risk street by street. What the historic district or the HOA will actually approve. Which renovation returns here and which one doesn't. These are the guides I wish existed when I started.
Houston Heights
Historic bungalows, protected streetscapes, and the highest renovation upside in the Inner Loop.
River Oaks
Houston's benchmark estate market, where renovation decisions are measured in millions and reversed at a discount.
Memorial & Spring Branch
Mature trees, large lots, and Houston's most straightforward room-addition math.
Katy, TX
Katy ISD, master-planned communities, and a resale market where finish level decides the sale.
Sugar Land, TX
Fort Bend ISD, established master-planned communities, and strict design rules that reward doing it right the first time.
The Woodlands
A forested master plan with the strictest covenant enforcement in the region — and real upside in its older villages.
Insights
Written from the contractor's side of the table
What a Room Addition Really Costs in Houston in 2026 — and What It Returns
Most articles about addition costs are written by people who have never pulled a permit. Here is what the numbers look like from the contractor side of the table — and which additions an appraiser will actually credit.
ReadHouston Flood Zones: The Diligence Checklist Every Buyer Should Run
"Does that neighborhood flood?" is the wrong question. Two houses two miles apart can have completely different risk and insurance profiles. Here is the checklist that answers it properly.
ReadSelling in Houston: Which Pre-Market Renovations Return, and Which Ones Don't
Most sellers spend renovation money in the wrong order. The fix that returns most is rarely the one that photographs best — and in a master-planned community it is not the same fix as inside the Loop.
ReadFree, no obligation
Send me an address.
I'll tell you what it really costs.
Whether you're buying it, selling it, or wondering whether the addition pencils — the walkthrough is free and you'll get a straight answer, including when the answer is "don't."
Common questions
What makes Mike Zare different from other Houston realtors?
Mike is a licensed Texas real estate agent who also works in residential construction. Most agents can tell you a house needs work. Mike tells you what that work costs, whether the city and the deed restrictions will allow it, and whether the finished value supports the spend — before you write the offer. Very few Houston agents can price the renovation themselves.
What areas of Houston does Mike Zare serve?
Greater Houston, with in-depth coverage of Houston Heights, River Oaks, Memorial and Spring Branch, Katy, Sugar Land, and The Woodlands. Each of those markets has a full guide covering flood risk, school zoning, renovation rules, and which improvements return at resale.
Can Mike price a renovation before I buy a house?
Yes, and it is free. Send the address and Mike walks the property as both agent and contractor — reading comps, days on market, and negotiating position on one side, and roof geometry, foundation, electrical capacity, setbacks, and deed restrictions on the other. You get one number instead of two guesses.
Does Mike handle pre-listing renovation for sellers?
Yes. Most agents refer pre-listing work to a third-party vendor who fronts the money and takes a cut. Mike's construction company does the work directly, which means one point of accountability, no vendor markup, and a scope built around what actually returns in your specific comparable set rather than a generic checklist.
How do I get a free home valuation in Houston?
Use the home valuation request on this site. You get a real comparative market analysis prepared by a person, plus something no automated estimate provides: a contractor's read on which improvements would raise your sale price and which would not return their cost in your neighborhood.