How we work
Six steps from first call to final walkthrough
You should know what comes next at every stage. Here is what happens, and what you will see, from the first phone call to the day we close out.
What happens at each step
Step 1: First contact
Call Ian Laughlin, email, or send the request form. Tell us what you are planning, where the property is and when you would like to start. If you have plans, photos or a budget in mind, mention them. If you do not, that is fine.
What you see
A reply from Ian and a time for a site visit.
Step 2: 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.
What you see
Honest early feedback, questions about the site, and a short list of anything we still need, such as septic records or a survey.
Step 3: Planning, when the project needs it
For a larger or more complex project we do the pre-construction work first: a feasibility review, a planning budget and a map of the permit path. A simple project may not need this step.
What you see
A written planning budget with its assumptions and unknowns named, and a recommendation that may include not building.
Step 4: Written estimate
The estimate spells out the scope: what is included, what is excluded, and where allowances stand in for choices not made yet. You can compare it line by line with any other bid.
What you see
A written estimate listing inclusions, exclusions, allowances and how unknowns will be handled.
Step 5: Permits and schedule
We prepare or coordinate the permit application with your designer and follow it through review with the city or county. The schedule shows review, long-lead items and the wet season as steps of their own.
What you see
A schedule you can read, and an update when the permit office responds.
Step 6: Build and walkthrough
Site work, structure, systems and finishes, with decisions brought to you with their prices before the work changes. At the end we walk the finished project with you, work through a punch list and hand over the closeout documents.
What you see
Progress updates while the work runs, changes written up for your approval, a final walkthrough and a punch list.
How long the work takes on site
These are crew days on site for the starting scenario of each project on theEstimate Desk. Change the scenario on the desk and the days follow.
| Project | Starting scenario | Working days on site |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 12×10 mid kitchen, semi-custom cabinets, quartz, standard appliances | About 12 |
| Bathroom renovation | 45 sf full bath, tile shower, stock vanity | About 8 |
| Basement finishing | 700 sf rec room, no egress window yet | About 26 |
| Siding | 1,800 sf fiber cement, one story, tear-off | About 6 |
| Deck | 16×12 pressure-treated, low, wood rail | About 3 |
| Addition | 240 sf, one story, standard finish | About 35 |
| ADU | 600 sf detached, standard finish, one bath, full kitchen | About 63 |
| Tenant improvement | 1,200 sf standard office, existing HVAC plant stays | About 18 |
Working days on site are crew days. Design, permits and material lead times add calendar time before and between them. Permit review is usually the longest wait before work starts, and it depends on the office that covers your address. The permit guides explain each office's process.
Changes, payments and closeout
Changes. If you change your mind, or something turns up once a wall or floor is open, we show you what we found, explain the options and write the change up with its price. The work changes only after you approve it in writing.
Payments. Payment terms are written into the contract, and we go through them with you before you sign. Ask what each payment is tied to and when it is due; the answer belongs in the contract, not in conversation.
Closeout. At the end we walk the finished project with you, write up a punch list, finish it, and hand over the closeout documents for the work.
Before you start
Not every project needs all six steps. A bathroom update goes from site visit to estimate to schedule quickly, while a new home on an unbuilt lot benefits from the planning step. The earlier we see the project, the more useful our feedback is, because changes cost the least before the drawings are final.
Questions about quotes, permits and payment are answered on the FAQ page. Thepermit guides explain who issues the permit in each part of the peninsula, and theestimate page shows how the planning bands are built.
Start with a site visit
Call Ian Laughlin at (206) 226-1988, or send the details and we will set up a time.