Questions homeowners ask us
Every question we hear, answered the way we answer it in person.
Forty-eight questions in eight groups, from "is the estimate really free" to "my roof is leaking right now". Each answer is short and honest, and links to the page with the full detail. If yours is not here, text it: a licensed supervisor replies within five minutes during business hours.
Estimates and pricing
How the numbers work, before you see one.
Is the estimate free, and what does "free" include?
Yes. The site visit, the measurements, the three-tier written estimate and the follow-up call are free, with no obligation. What it does not include is design drawings for a layout change; those are quoted separately and credited back if you build with us.
How the visit worksWhat is a three-tier estimate?
One document with three complete prices for the same room: a Refresh, a Full remodel and a Layout change, each itemized the same way. You see what each extra dollar buys and pick the tier, instead of getting one number you cannot take apart.
See the three kitchen tiersHow long does it take to get the estimate?
A licensed supervisor replies to your text or form within five minutes during business hours, visits within a few days, and sends the written estimate within 24 hours of the visit.
Start an estimateDo you give ballpark prices over the phone?
Ranges, yes, and every service page publishes them so you do not have to ask. A firm price needs a visit, because the price depends on what is behind your walls and under your floor, not on the size of the room.
Published price ranges by serviceWhy is your estimate higher than another contractor's?
Usually because ours includes something theirs left out: demolition and disposal, permits, bringing wiring and plumbing to code, a declared contingency, dust protection and daily cleanup. Send us the other quote and we compare it line by line, in writing.
What a written estimate includesCan I get an estimate for part of a project?
Yes. Countertops alone, cabinet refacing alone, a tub-to-shower conversion alone. Each has its own page, its own price range and its own timeline, and we tell you when doing two parts together is cheaper than doing them a year apart.
Find the single serviceContracts and guarantees
What is in writing, and what happens if we miss it.
Is the price in the contract really the final price?
Yes. The contract shows a fixed price and a declared contingency for hidden conditions. Anything found behind the walls is photographed, priced separately and approved by you in writing before work continues. Nothing else changes the number.
The price-lock guaranteeWhat is the contingency and do I get it back?
A set-aside, usually ten to fifteen percent of the contract, for problems that only show up after demolition. It is spent only with your written approval, and whatever is not used comes back to you at the end.
The price-lock termsWhat happens if you finish late?
The on-time guarantee credits you for every working day of delay we cause. Weather, inspection scheduling and material lead times you approved are excluded, and the exclusions are written into the contract so there is no argument later.
The on-time guaranteeWhat does the warranty cover, and for how long?
A ten-year workmanship warranty, in writing, on everything we built or installed. It transfers to the next owner if you sell. Manufacturer warranties on products such as cabinets and quartz are passed through to you as well.
Read the full warrantyCan I cancel after signing?
Yes, within the rescission period your state allows, with no penalty. After that, you owe only for work completed and materials already ordered for your project. The contract states this in plain language.
Cancellation termsDo you use subcontractors?
Our own supervisors and crews do the general work. Licensed electricians and plumbers are partners we have used on dozens of projects, introduced to you by name and covered by our insurance while on your property. No one you have not met enters your home.
Who runs your projectTimeline and living through it
How long, and what your house is like meanwhile.
How long does a typical project take?
A bathroom two to three weeks, a kitchen five to seven, a basement six to nine, an addition three to five months. Every service page shows the timeline week by week, and your contract has a start date and a finish date.
Timelines by serviceDo we have to move out?
Almost never. Dust walls seal the work area, floors are protected, and we set up a temporary kitchen or bathroom before demolition. Families with newborns or asthma sometimes choose to stay elsewhere during demolition week; we tell you in advance which days are the loud and dusty ones.
Living in the house during the workWhat hours does the crew work?
Weekdays, eight in the morning to four in the afternoon, unless you ask for something else. Weekend work is possible for a scheduled reason and is never a surprise. Quiet hours in condos are respected.
Crew hours and house rulesHow do I know what is happening each day?
You get a text or email every working day with photos and tomorrow's plan. If a day passes without one, that day is free. The supervisor's direct number is on the contract.
The daily update guaranteeWho cleans up?
We do, every evening: tools stored, debris in the dumpster, floors swept, HEPA vacuum on dust days. At the end, a professional clean before the walkthrough.
The clean-site guaranteeWhat about pets, kids and a home office?
Tell the supervisor at the walkthrough. Gates stay closed, tools are never left where a child can reach them, and we can keep the saw quiet during your calls. It goes in the job notes so every crew member knows.
Pets, kids and home officesPermits, licensing and safety
The paperwork that protects you, and who handles it.
Who pulls the permits, you or me?
We do, always, under our license. We schedule the inspections and keep the paperwork. A contractor who asks you to pull the permit yourself is working without a license for that job; treat it as a warning sign.
Permits, explainedHow do I verify your license in my state?
We only take work in states where we hold a license. The licenses page lists the number for each state, so you can verify it with the state board before you call.
License numbers by stateAre you insured?
General liability and workers' compensation. The certificate is sent to you on request before the visit, not after. Every person on your property is covered.
Licenses and insuranceWhat if my house has lead paint or asbestos?
Older homes often do. Lead work follows the EPA lead-safe rules: sealed area, wet methods, HEPA cleanup, certified renovator on site. Asbestos is handled by a licensed abatement partner before we continue. Both are priced separately and approved by you first.
Lead-safe and abatement workAre your crews background-checked?
Every person who enters your home, employee or partner. You meet the crew at the pre-construction walkthrough and no one else is added without telling you.
Who is in your houseWhat happens if someone is hurt on my property?
Our insurance covers it, not your homeowner's policy. That is what workers' compensation and general liability are for, and why we send the certificate before we start.
Insurance certificateMaterials and design
Choosing what goes in, without regret.
Do you help me choose materials?
Yes, it is part of the estimate step. A designer walks you through cabinets, counters, tile and fixtures, shows you what each choice does to the price, and locks the selections before demolition so nothing is decided under pressure.
Design and selectionsCan I buy my own materials?
Yes. You save the markup and take on the delivery risk. We tell you what to check when it arrives and install what you bring. Cabinets and countertops are the two we recommend buying through us, because a wrong measurement is expensive.
How we name every materialWhich countertop should I choose?
Quartz for most kitchens: it never needs sealing and does not stain. Quartzite if you want the look of marble without marble's upkeep. Granite if you like the natural variation. The full comparison, with costs, is on the countertop page.
Quartz vs granite vs quartziteShould I reface or replace my cabinets?
Reface if the boxes are plywood and square; replace if they are particleboard or swollen. Six tests decide it, and we write down which applies to your kitchen at the site visit.
Reface or replace, decidedCan I see the design before you build it?
Yes. Layout changes get drawings and a 3D view; smaller projects get a selection board with the actual materials. You approve it before anything is ordered.
Drawings and 3D viewsDo you install brands I already picked?
James Hardie, GAF, Trex, Andersen, KraftMaid, Cambria and others. Each brand page shows our certification and the projects we have done with it.
Brands we installPayment and financing
When you pay, and how.
How much is the deposit?
Small, within what your state allows, and stated in the contract. After that you pay by milestone, only for work that is already completed, inspected and photographed.
Milestone paymentsDo you offer financing?
Yes, through financing partners, for homeowners who prefer monthly payments. The rates and terms are on the financing page, and the estimate shows the cash price and the monthly price side by side.
Financing optionsCan we do the project in phases to spread the cost?
Yes. One plan, a price per phase, and each phase built so the next one fits. Nothing you paid for gets torn out twice.
How phased projects workWhat forms of payment do you take?
Check, bank transfer and card. We never ask for cash and never offer a discount for it. A cash-only contractor is one of the red flags every homeowner should know.
Checks to run before you hireWill the remodel add value to my home?
A mid-range kitchen or bath returns roughly two thirds of its cost at resale; high-end returns less than half. If you are selling within two years there is a smaller scope that returns more, and we will tell you so.
The scope that sells a houseIs there a discount for doing several rooms at once?
Yes, because the crew, permits, dumpster and protection are shared. The estimate shows the rooms priced together and separately so you can see the difference.
Whole-home projectsService area and the company
Where we work and who we are.
Where do you work?
Eleven states, with local, licensed crews in each. The licenses page lists every one of them with its license number.
Licensed states and numbersAre you a national franchise?
No. One company, one license per state, our own supervisors and crews. There is no franchisee between you and the people who signed your contract.
About the companyHow is a national company accountable to me locally?
Through a named local supervisor, a local license number and a local crew. The national part is the written guarantees, the ten-year warranty and the fixed address that stands behind them.
How we workHow long have you been in business?
Long enough for more than three thousand projects with a warranty still in force. The story of how it started, without the marketing, is on the About page.
How it startedCan I speak to past clients?
Yes. Ask the supervisor for references in your state, and read the public reviews on Google, where we reply to every one, including the critical ones.
Read the reviewsDo you do commercial work?
Light commercial: offices, retail, restaurants and rental turnovers, on a schedule that respects your opening date. Large ground-up commercial construction is not our work.
Light commercial remodelingEmergencies and insurance claims
When something is wrong right now.
My roof is leaking right now. What do I do?
Call the emergency line. We tarp the same day, inspect within days, and give you a written repair-or-replace opinion with photos before you decide anything.
Same-day inspectionWill you deal with my insurance company?
Yes. We document the damage with photos, provide the written scope the adjuster needs, and meet the adjuster on site. You decide who to hire after you have the estimate; we do not require you to sign first.
Insurance restorationRepair or replace: how do I know you are being honest?
Because the opinion is written, with photos, and you can take it to anyone. We publish the six tests that decide it for roofs and for cabinets. If a repair will hold, we say repair.
Roof repair or replacementDo you handle water and mold damage?
Yes. Drying, removal of damaged material, mold remediation and the rebuild, under one contract, with the insurance paperwork included.
Water and mold restorationIs the emergency line really answered at night?
Yes, every day, all hours. A supervisor calls back, not an answering service. Tarping and board-up happen the same day.
Emergency servicesDo you charge more for emergencies?
Same-day tarping and board-up have a flat fee that is stated before we come out. The repair or replacement afterward is priced the same way as any other project: fixed, itemized, three tiers where they apply.
Emergency pricingFree estimate
Questions answered? Get your price in writing within 24 hours.
A licensed supervisor, not a sales script, texts you back within 5 minutes during business hours.