General Contractor or DIY Basement

[Trey Wilcox]

Hello Biggerpockets people!

I was hoping to get some insight as to the right approach of a situation. I recently bought a great mountain home at a discount. There are two driveways, one goes to the main floor while the other goes down to the basement. I would like to relieve some of the financial burden of this house before I flip/sell it and was thinking I would rent out the main part of the house and finish the basement for when I need a place to stay. I have family in the area so it would be convenient for me and I would add some value to the house. The basement is currently an open space sitting on concrete and being used as a shop and storage. As far as renovating the basement goes, I have a couple questions.
1.) What permits would I need to pull to be qualified as an additional  bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen?  
2.) I know plenty of subs in the area but would I need a general contractor for it to be considered legitimate?
3.) Any other tips, advice, or information would be very appreciated!
Thanks BP community!