Questions
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about quotes, timelines, permits, design, payment and working with JKM Construction. Questions about a particular kind of project are answered on its service page.
Quoting
What happens at the first site visit?
We look at what is there, ask about utilities, access and anything hidden, and talk through what you want, what the site and the rules allow, and your budget. A written estimate follows, with the scope spelled out so you can compare it with any other bid.
What should I have ready before I call?
Nothing formal. It helps to know the address, or at least the community, what you want to build or change, roughly when you want to start, and whether you have plans, photos or a budget in mind. If you have a septic or sewer record, a survey or drawings, bring them to the site visit. If you have none of it, call anyway. The first conversation is for working out what matters.
How is a planning band different from a written bid?
A planning band is a range for budgeting. The Estimate Desk shows one for 21 kinds of projects, built from the options you choose, and it is labeled a planning band, not a bid. A bid, or written estimate, comes after a site visit and is built from the real scope, site and drawings. The band tells you whether to keep going. The site visit sets the number.
Why do two estimates for the same project come out differently?
Usually the difference is scope, not price. One estimate may include permits, design or septic work that another leaves out, or carry allowances for finishes at a different level. Put them side by side and compare what each includes, excludes and assumes about unknowns. We write ours so they can be compared line by line.
What if I want to change something after work has started?
Changes happen, and we plan for them. Tell us what you want to change and we write it up with its cost and its effect on the schedule. The work changes after you approve it, not before.
Timelines
How long will a typical project take?
It depends on the scope, the permit review and the season, so we do not quote a number of weeks over the phone. You get a schedule with the written estimate that shows design, permit review, long-lead items and construction as separate steps.
What affects how long permit review takes?
The permit office, the type of project and how complete the application is. A project that needs septic, critical-area or shoreline review adds steps. Review times are set by the office, not by any builder, which is why we ask the right questions early and show review as its own step in the schedule. Our permit guides link to each office.
Does the rainy season change the schedule?
Mostly for site work. Clearing, grading, excavation and foundations are easier and cleaner in drier months, and wet weather calls for erosion control. We plan site work and dry-in around the season where we can. Interior work is less affected.
How far ahead should I contact you?
As early as you can. Calling before you buy land or finish the design gives us time to check the facts and give feedback while changes are cheap. Once we know the scope, we can tell you when we could start. See pre-construction for what an early review covers.
Permits
Which office issues the permit for my project?
It depends on the parcel. The City of Poulsbo, the City of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and Port Orchard issue permits inside their limits. Kitsap County's Department of Community Development covers the rest, including Kingston, Silverdale, Suquamish, Indianola, Hansville, Port Gamble, Seabeck and Keyport. Start at our permit guides, and ask us if your address is near a city line.
Who prepares and submits the permit application?
We prepare or coordinate the application with your designer and follow it through review, answering the office's comments. Some applications need the owner's signature, or drawings stamped by an engineer or architect. The written estimate sets out who does what.
Do I need a permit for a deck, a fence or a small repair?
It depends on the project and the local rules, which differ by office. Like-for-like repairs are often handled differently from new structures, and decks and fences are commonly covered by size and height limits. Check with the office for your address before you build. Our permit guides link to each one.
Do you handle septic and well approvals?
We raise them first on any lot without public sewer or water, because they can set the size and position of what you build. Kitsap Public Health District reviews septic systems and water supply, and a septic designer prepares the design. We coordinate that work with the building permit.
What is a critical-area review?
Cities and the county protect wetlands, streams, steep or unstable slopes, flood-prone ground, aquifer recharge areas and wildlife habitat. If your lot touches one, the permit office may ask for a study by a qualified professional and may limit where you build. We look for them at the first site visit. See pre-construction.
Design
Do I need an architect or designer?
For a new house or an addition, you will usually need drawings from an architect or designer for the permit. A kitchen or bathroom with no structural change can need less. We work with your designer and engineers, and we give cost and constructability feedback while the drawings are still changing.
Can you price plans I already have?
Yes. Send them or bring them to the site visit and we price from the drawings, listing what is included, what is excluded and where the plans leave a question open.
How are tile, fixtures and cabinetry chosen?
Selections not made at pricing time go into the estimate as allowances. We tell you the date each one has to be chosen so it is ordered before the work that depends on it. A low allowance makes an estimate look cheaper and moves the cost to later, so we ask what each one buys.
Payment
How do payments work?
Payment terms go in the written contract, and we go through them with you before you sign. Ask any contractor what each payment is tied to and when it is due. The answer should be in the contract, not left to conversation.
What happens if something unexpected turns up behind a wall?
Older houses hide wiring, plumbing and rot. We name the unknowns in the estimate and say how they will be handled. If something turns up, we show you, explain the options and price the fix before the work goes ahead.
Are permit and design fees included in your estimate?
We list them as their own lines, either included or excluded, so you can see which. Fees are set by the permit office and by your designer or engineer, and they differ by project. If a line is excluded, the estimate says so.
Working with JKM
Who will I work with?
Ian Laughlin, the principal, is your main contact, and his cell is on every page: (206) 226-1988. Jim Laughlin, vice president, brings his land-development and permitting experience to planning questions. Meet them on the team page.
Where do you work?
From Poulsbo across the Kitsap Peninsula: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Kingston, Suquamish, Indianola, Hansville, Port Gamble, Silverdale, Bremerton, Port Orchard, Seabeck, Keyport and the rest of unincorporated Kitsap County. Each community has its own page covering the permit office and local building conditions.
How can I check that a contractor is registered in Washington?
Washington requires contractors to register with the Department of Labor & Industries. L&I's public lookup shows registration status and the bond and insurance information on file for any contractor. Our verify page lists what we have published and links to it.
How is Laughlin Development related to JKM?
Laughlin Development LLC is our sister company, and it works on land development and entitlements. JKM Construction builds. They are separate companies. JKM was formed in 2020, and Jim Laughlin's land-development record is his own. Visit Laughlin Development to learn more.
How will I hear about progress during the work?
You hear from us while the work is underway: honest timelines, clear budget updates, and a call when something needs your decision. At the start we agree how you prefer to be updated, and we walk the finished project with you before closeout.
Still have a question?
Call Ian Laughlin at (206) 226-1988, or send the details and we will set up a site visit.