DuCar Construction is a licensed renovation contractor in New Orleans for complete projects: whole-home renovations, camelback and rear additions, foundation work and shoring, and historic homes, with selective demolition before the final price, permitted work and a written scope on every job.
A second story over the back of a shotgun or cottage, with the height, setback and roofline designed to read right from the street and to pass review in historic districts.
Down to the framing and back up. Structure, systems and finishes, with the scope written before demolition starts so the number does not move once the walls are open.
New square footage tied into an existing structure: new loads through old framing, matched elevations and a roofline that reads as original.
Complete renovations and additions in Uptown, the Garden District, the Marigny and the French Quarter, with commission review planned in. See our historic home renovation page.
In a flood zone, when the cost of improvements reaches half of a building’s market value, the work is treated as a substantial improvement and the house may have to meet current flood elevation rules. We check that threshold before we price a large renovation.
Most structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing work in New Orleans needs a permit from the Department of Safety and Permits. Unpermitted work can surface when you sell, refinance or file an insurance claim. We pull the permits and close them out.
Old New Orleans houses sit on brick piers that settle and shift over a century. We shore the house, rebuild or replace the piers and foundation, and re-level the structure before the renovation begins, so every finish that follows goes onto a house that is square and solid.
Cabinets, tile, fixtures and flooring are where renovation budgets drift. We put a number on every allowance in the contract so you know what is included and what is an upgrade.
Plaster hides the number. Sill plates, joist ends, knob-and-tube, cast iron, a roof framed three times over a century. We price selective demolition and inspection first so the renovation number is built on what is actually there, not on what the listing photos show.
We also build new construction and custom homes in New Orleans, work as a general contractor in New Orleans and a commercial contractor, handle historic renovation in the Vieux Carré and install FORTIFIED™ roofing.
Louisiana RES 883334 and COMM 63084 — residential and commercial, statewide — plus a Mississippi residential builder license (No. 22946). We are building in Mississippi right now.
A+ with the Better Business Bureau and a 5.0-star reputation across 58 reviews.
200+ completed projects across New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner and the Northshore.
Backed by the Louisiana New Home Warranty Act — one year workmanship, two years systems, five years major structural.
For most structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing work, yes. Permits come from the City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits, and we handle the permit and the inspections.
On older New Orleans houses, the condition of the framing, wiring and plumbing behind the plaster decides the cost. Selective demolition first means the final number is based on what is actually there.
Yes. We renovate historic homes, including in the Vieux Carré, and plan the Historic District Landmarks Commission or Vieux Carré Commission review into the schedule. See our historic renovation page.
Yes. We are licensed statewide in Louisiana and renovate across Metairie, Kenner, the Westbank and the Northshore.
Bring us the house, the photos or the plans and we will walk you through the scope, the permits and the real number before anything comes apart.