801 Rhomberg Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
faqs- business owner responds
WHEN WILL MY PROJECT BE COMPLETED?
From the moment you decide to remodel or build, it’s only natural to ask, “how long will this take”?
Once we start construction, we will work as fast as we can to ensure that you move back into your new space as soon as possible.
The design, selection, and construction phase determine how long your project will take. The sooner each of these phases is completed, the sooner you can enjoy the result. The size and scope of work impact how long the project will take. Typically, a small project will take only a short while to complete. We adhere to a disciplined planning process that projects our schedule of all the steps required to complete your job. Before we break ground or drive the first nail, we will go over this with you in detail to make sure we are all in sync. Changes made by the homeowner, and unforeseen circumstances (such as weather delays or concealed conditions) may add time to the overall schedule. When this happens, we will update you and the plan.
Customer and sub-contractor communication when a delay is anticipated keeps everyone’s expectations aligned.
IN WHAT AREAS DO YOU OPERATE?
Most of our construction projects are in Dubuque, where the owner built his reputation in the commercial and residential building arena. We have been serving residents and business owners in the area under our shingle as sub-contractors for 20 years. We re-entered the market as a General Contracting firm in 2017 to help a more significant number of people. Dubuque is our home.
WHY SHOULD I REMODEL MY HOME?
You may want to remodel if your home has an outdated design. Or, if you get the sense friends think your house or a portion of it looks like it was built before civilization. Another reason could be you intend to sell your house and have to do some necessary repairs and renovations to get that buyer willing to pay a premium for your home.
WHAT IS A “GENERAL CONTRACTOR”?
A General Contractor is the primary person responsible for all of the work at the construction site, including work performed by the subcontractors. The General Contractor oversees all work while verifying that it is installed as detailed in the drawings, defined by the building codes, and ensures all work meets industry standards.
How to Choose a General Contractor
People choose to remodel for different purposes. You may elect to renovate if you like where you live, but your home does not have everything you want or need from it. Many remodel once the kids have grown up and left the house or some of the rooms and other features built for their convenience, and since these features are no longer needed, remodeling makes sense.
HOW DOES THE PROCESS BEGIN?
You might be interested in remodeling but have no idea of what you want and where you want it done. You can visit our INSPIRATION GALLERY and take a look at improvements others have selected.or. We recommend a visit to HOUZZ®. They have more than 16 Million Home Improvement Photos. After this, you can acquire some ideas, jot them down and call to arrange a meeting with us.
Our first meeting is all about you; getting to know you, your taste, style, and your vision. We would be happy to guide you on what your ideas require and how much it would cost to incorporate them into your home. We will consider your budget, your needs, and wants and what you desire to have before advising you on the next steps.
The remodeling process varies from one house to another. We can give you an estimate of the cost of the various items that need to be purchased. We cater to the things that you need before considering your wants. After your needs have been budgeted, we’ll work with you to include your wants to ensure that nothing goes over the budget.
Our second visit to your home usually involves our sub-contractors. Aside from their unique expertise, we need their numbers to incorporate into your proposal.
If and when you select us to handle your renovation, and we come to an agreement on various project design and cost estimates, we recommend a thorough home inspection. That should help limit any surprises that may arise after we get started.
We can then decide on when the project should start and estimate the completion date. Communication is essential.
CAN I MAKE CHANGES ALONG THE WAY?
Yes, you can make changes along the way. We will provide you with a schedule that illustrates what decisions need to be completed and when. It is critical to the project's success to make your decisions early to avoid delays in the schedule.
For example, if you want custom windows that take eight weeks to deliver, we need to order them at least ten weeks before the scheduled installation date to ensure that the whole order arrives without errors or damages.
HOW CAN I BE SURE YOU WILL COMPLETE THE PROJECT AS AGREED AND MAINTAIN HIGH-QUALITY STANDARDS?
As your General Contractor, I am on-site every day, ensuring our standards maintained and everything built as agreed. I will communicate with you about every move that the team is making so that you’re always in the know. They will be there to answer any questions that you may have regarding construction. You can always ask them to make any relevant changes. Some may be the scope of their authority, some not. In any event, it will be their responsibility, not yours, to reach me.
CAN I MANAGE PART OF THE PROJECT ON MY OWN?
We discourage homeowners from managing parts of the project on their own. The reason you hired a General Contractor in the first place is to control the project, manage your expectations, and manage the budget. Most often, the owner will pick out materials and products; however, procurement and installation of these items should be left to professionals for installation.
The benefits of having your General Contractor oversee all work are numerous, such as warranty, contractor discounts in pricing, and, most importantly, scheduling.
HOW MUCH WILL MY HOME BE WORTH AFTER RECONSTRUCTION?
Home value is usually determined by the location of your home, it’s age, and the condition of the house and the quality of the materials and work performed. Excellent remodeling will increase your home’s value and male it more marketable. Adding the number of bedrooms will add more value than just renovating the ones that are there.
WHAT PROJECTS DO YOU HANDLE?
We build just about anything you need. Whether it’s a kitchen or the whole house, we are here to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. We specialize in new home construction and large projects like home additions. Some of our most challenging projects result from age and neglect. CLICK HERE to watch us work as we replace the roof on a home built in 1870.
HOW CAN I STOP THE DUST FROM SPREADING DURING CONSTRUCTION?
To protect valuable items from dust, we mount a transparent plastic wall in every part that needs to be protected from the dust. Only the area under construction is exposed. Most of the dust is contained within that area. It will be the only place in disarray. We clean up after ourselves daily and work to keep the rest of your home dust-free. We do everything possible to limit the disruption so you can carry on with “normal” activities during construction.
DO YOU CLEAN-UP AFTER COMPLETING THE PROJECT?
Absolutely! We will remove all the debris and remove all the materials that are not supposed to be there to make sure that you are satisfied with the entire job. We guarantee that you will not end up trying to clean the work area with tools not suitable for construction clean-up. We use equipment intended for professional construction clean-up. We want you as happy with the clean-up as you will be with the quality of our work.