Questions we hear before the first visit

We visit, measure and photograph, then write a scope: what we build, what we don't, the allowances for things you choose, and the schedule. The design fee covers drawings and the permit set; the construction price follows from them. Nothing is a final price until the scope is in writing.

Size matters least. The foundation type, how the new roof ties into the old one, how many walls come out of the existing house, what the kitchen or bath inside it holds, and what you choose for windows and finishes matter more. Our pricing page lists the rest.

Any addition, any structural change and most whole-house work needs one. We prepare the drawings, submit them and pull the permit in your name or ours, as you prefer. Inspections are booked by us and written into the schedule.

Drawings and permit review often take longer than the build, and the permit office sets that pace, not us. We tell you where your project sits in our calendar at the site visit, and again when the drawings are done.

Our Georgia residential contractor license number is in the bar at the top of every page and printed on every crew shirt. The state's lookup page shows its status. We carry general liability and workers' compensation, and will send the certificate to you or your lender.

Federal rules cover paid work that disturbs paint in houses built before 1978. The exceptions are small: repairs under 6 square feet inside or 20 square feet outside, and even then window work and demolition are always covered. We hold the EPA firm certification for this work; the credentials page shows it. Work areas are sealed, dust is controlled and the site is cleaned to a standard before we leave.

We stop, photograph it and tell you the same day. If fixing it changes the cost or the schedule, you get a change order that shows what we found, what we propose and what it adds. Nothing proceeds until you sign it.

A change is a one-page document with the new scope, the cost and the effect on the schedule. You can say no. If you change your mind about a finish after it is ordered, the change order includes what the supplier charges to cancel.

The schedule is written into your contract, tied to the work done rather than the calendar, and follows Georgia rules. Ask for it at the first visit and we will show you a sample before you commit to anything.

A named superintendent runs your site every working day, and you have his number. Our own carpenters do the framing and finish work. Trades such as electrical, plumbing and heating are done by licensed firms we have worked with for years; they are named in your contract.

The contract states our workmanship warranty: its length, what it covers and what it leaves out. Window, roofing and equipment makers' warranties pass through to you, and we give you the paperwork at the end. Terms apply, and they are in writing before you sign.

We don't lend. If you borrow against the house, your lender will want a scope and a draw schedule, and we prepare both. Any monthly figure you see from a lender depends on your credit, the rate and the term, so ask them for the full terms.

We don't take single-room cosmetic jobs, roof-only replacements, decks on their own or emergency repairs. We build additions and whole-house changes, and we say so on the phone rather than waste your afternoon.

For a rear or side addition, usually yes: the new space is built outside the old one and we connect at the end. For a second story or a whole-house remodel, many families move out for some of the build. We plan that with you at the start, with the schedule in front of us.