Home services in Michigan
Explore home projects in Michigan with practical guidance on contractor licensing, permits, insurance, and common home styles.
Michigan homes at a glance
- Median home value
- $231,600
- U.S. median: $332,700
- Median home age
- 54 yrs
- Typical home built in 1972
- Extreme-weather days a year
- 134
- 6 days 90°F+ · 128 nights ≤32°F
Sources: Census ACS: values · year built · PRISM/NOAA
ACS 2020–2024 · Climate 2015–2024 · Home ages as of 2026.
About
Planning projects in Michigan
Michigan's homes are influenced by the powerful environmental effects of the Great Lakes, dense forests, fertile farmland, and four distinct seasons. Lake-effect snow, humidity, strong winds, freezing temperatures, shoreline conditions, and seasonal moisture all shape the way homes are maintained throughout the year. Communities along the lakes often face different weather patterns than those farther inland or in the Upper Peninsula. Understanding how these regional conditions affect roofing, insulation, drainage, foundations, exterior materials, and energy efficiency helps homeowners make informed long-term decisions.
Home services across Michigan
Project planning rules
Contractor licensing in Michigan
LARA licenses residential builders and maintenance and alteration (M&A) contractors for jobs of $600 or more, which covers roofing and siding. LARA also licenses mechanical (HVAC) and plumbing contractors.
Rules vary by city and county. Confirm with your local building department.
Verify a license: LARA lookup
Insurance requirements
Workers' comp is required with 3 or more employees, or with one employee working 35 or more hours a week. The recovery fund was abolished in 2010.
Rules vary by city and county. Confirm with your local building department.
Permit rules
The 2015 Michigan Residential Code is in force because a court order has blocked the 2021 code. Local, county or state agencies issue permits.
Rules vary by city and county. Confirm with your local building department.
Sources: MCL 339.2403 · LARA code books · Injunction notice
Researched October 1, 2026 from official state sources.
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Architecture
Common home styles in Michigan
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Articles
Michigan home improvement guides
Read published project-planning articles.
Common questions about hiring a contractor
Yes. Michigan’s radon program recommends testing in the lowest livable level, including the basement when you have one. Test before finalizing the remodeling layout so any needed mitigation can be coordinated with the work. Follow the test kit’s placement and operating instructions, and use the state’s guidance to determine whether follow-up testing or mitigation is appropriate. If a system is already installed, include protection of its piping and access in the remodeling plan.
Ask the contractor to calculate the home’s heating and cooling needs using the insulation, air sealing, and window improvements planned for the remodel. Then compare the proposed heat pump’s heating output at your location’s winter design temperature, rather than relying only on its nominal size. Discuss whether supplemental heat will be needed and how it will operate. Michigan’s winter conditions make cold-weather performance important, but equipment selection also needs to account for summer cooling and humidity control.
Ask for the license number and verify the contractor through Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Confirm the current status and match the licensed person or business to the name in your contract. Michigan distinguishes residential builder licenses from residential maintenance and alteration contractor licenses; the latter identify the specific trades the contractor is qualified to perform. Check that those trades cover the proposed scope, and ask who will handle work requiring separate electrical, plumbing, or mechanical credentials.