Retrofit insulation in Hobbs, NM - more comfort from the house you already have
Drafty rooms and a high power bill in a house that's already built? We add insulation to your walls and attic in the right order.
How do you add insulation to a house that's already built?
Retrofit insulation adds insulation to the outside walls or vented attic of a finished home, so your rooms hold the heat or cool your system puts out. At B&M Hobbs Spray Foam Insulation, we do this work in Hobbs, NM, North Hobbs, Lovington, Seminole, TX and the cities around them.
Most calls start with a hot upstairs, a drafty bedroom or a power bill that won't come down, in a house where the walls were left empty or the attic has thinned out over the years. The price turns on how much of the house needs work, whether it's the attic alone, which we also handle as attic insulation, or the walls too, what has to be cleaned out or sealed first, and which material suits the space. The schedule mostly depends on the permit question and on any extra safety steps an older home needs, and the written estimate I give you after seeing the house sets out your own figure.
How do you know your house needs more insulation?
Most people don't think about their insulation until something in the house feels off. These are the things homeowners around Hobbs mention to me most, and what each one usually points to.
The upstairs stays hot in summer long after the sun goes down, which usually points to a thin attic.
The room over the garage is never comfortable, often because its walls or ceiling were barely insulated.
Outside walls feel cold to your hand in winter, which usually means the cavities behind them are empty.
You feel drafts around outlets, the attic hatch or light fixtures, which tells us air is leaking through gaps.
The power bill keeps climbing while the AC runs fine, so the house is likely losing the cool air.
Old attic insulation looks flattened, patchy or stained, which usually means it settled, got wet or needs to come out.
If you're noticing more than one of these, please call (575) 318-2651 before the next stretch of summer heat so I can see what's going on up there.
What happens after you call us about retrofit insulation in Hobbs?
Here's how a retrofit job runs with us, from your first call to the walk-through at the end, so you know what's happening in your own home at each step.
Call or send a request
Call (575) 318-2651 or use the form on this page, and we'll set a time that suits you for me to come out. If anything changes on our end, I'll call ahead rather than leave you waiting.
I look the house over
I go up into the attic, look at the walls, and note anything that should be fixed first, like soaked insulation, droppings or open gaps around lights and pipes. You get a written estimate that lists the work in the order we'll do it and what it costs, so you can compare it with anyone else's.
We handle permits and install
When you're ready, we take care of the permit question first, and then our installers do the work in the order we agreed. I check on it along the way, so the sealing is finished before any new insulation goes in.
Walk through the finished job
Once the work is done, I walk through it with you so you can see the sealed gaps, the clear eave vents and even coverage out to the edges. Our crew cleans up before leaving, and if anything doesn't look right, please tell me while I'm there.
Get a written retrofit insulation estimate for your house
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation, and it's written down so you can take your time.
- Call
- (575) 318-2651
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Attic sealing, foam and loose fill in older homes
In the attic, sealing comes first. Federal guidance says every opening through the attic floor should be air sealed before new insulation goes in, so our crew closes the gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch and the insulation isn't left fighting a draft. We also keep the eave vents clear so the attic can breathe, and we keep coverage full at the edges instead of piled deep in the middle.
Foam costs more, but it seals air while it insulates, so spray foam insulation earns its price when your ductwork runs through the attic. Otherwise, sealing the gaps and topping up with blown-in insulation, loose fill blown through a hose, usually does the job for less. If the old material is soaked or full of droppings, we take it out first, because laying new insulation over it keeps the problem in your ceiling.
Older homes need a few more questions, which is why I ask your build year early. For houses built before 1980, federal guidance points owners to lead safety rules depending on how much the work disturbs the walls. I also check for knob and tube wiring, since the national electrical code bars insulation around it, and for how fuel-burning appliances get fresh air, because a tighter house can pull their fumes back inside.
Retrofit insulation questions from Hobbs homeowners
How much does it cost to add insulation to an attic in New Mexico?
Upgrading a typical 1,500 sq ft attic with blown cellulose in New Mexico usually runs about $1,500 to $5,000 for the job. That's a statewide figure for the attic alone, not our price, and wall work, cleanout or foam will change it. I'll put your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the house.
Can my walls be insulated through small holes without tearing out drywall?
Usually, yes, because drill and fill blows loose insulation into each hollow wall space through a small hole near its top. Going in from outside cuts the drainage plane, the layer behind your siding that sheds water, so it has to be patched or replaced, while going in from inside leaves it alone. Which side we use depends on how easy the wall is to reach and what shape that layer is in.
Do I need a permit for retrofit insulation in Hobbs?
It can, so we check before any work starts. Hobbs Building Inspections issues residential building permits and asks that you apply before construction or remodeling begins. I check with the office that covers your address, which may be Lea County or the City of Seminole outside Hobbs, and if the job calls for a permit, we apply for it and arrange the inspections.
Can I insulate my own house in Hobbs or do I need a licensed contractor?
You can do it yourself on a single-family home you live in or will live in, because the state lets owners alter their own primary residence without a contractor's license. That exemption leaves out rentals and commercial buildings, and anyone who does or offers construction contracting needs a license from the state's Construction Industries Division. We're licensed and insured, so landlords and shop owners can hand the job to us.
How long does retrofit insulation take, and do we have to leave the house?
You can usually stay home while we seal the attic and blow in loose fill, and the time it takes depends mostly on how much of the house we're doing and what has to come out first. Spray foam is different, because everyone, kids and pets included, needs to be out until the re-entry time, when the foam maker says it's safe to come back, and I'll give you that before we start.
How do I get ready for an insulation estimate in Hobbs?
Please have three things ready when you call or fill out the form: the year the house was built, whether it has a vented attic, and whether you live there or rent it out. The build year tells me about older-home safety steps, the attic type shapes the sealing plan, and who lives there decides who can do the work.
Insulation work that often goes with a retrofit
Spray foam insulation
If your ductwork runs through the attic or you want air sealing and insulation done in one layer, spray foam is worth pricing out alongside loose fill.
Attic insulation
When the walls are already filled and only the space over your ceiling runs thin, an attic-only job can help a hot upstairs without anyone touching your walls.
Call about insulating your existing home
We answer at (575) 318-2651 any day from 6 AM to 11 PM, or you can use the form, and calling before the summer heat sets in leaves room to settle any permit first.
Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM