| Common Remodeling Questions - FAQs |
Click on your question to see the answer.
How long will it take to
prepare my design?
The time required to complete a design and draw up preliminary plans on the computer (we use AutoCAD ®) is a function of the size and complexity of the job. It also depends on you: Some people make quick decisions; others like to think about them for a while. We encourage you to take as much time as you need during the design phase, because once construction begins you'll be wanting things to move as fast as possible with as few changes as possible. In general, custom-designing a small to medium kitchen or bathroom project might only take a week or two. For a room addition, a month is generous; whereas an extensive whole house remodel might take two or three months.
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How accurate are your
estimates?
We prefer never to guess what a project will cost. Once we have completed a preliminary design, we will prepare an itemized "boards and nails" estimate that we can sit down and review. Frequently clients add or delete items and modify the design at this point to bring the project in line with any budget or design goals.
We have been using computerized estimating since 1985. With over 30,000 itemized historical costs, our database provides an extremely accurate estimate. This enables us to sign a fixed sum contract with you for the amount of the estimate.
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How long will it take to
complete the work?
When your design and estimate are complete and you are ready to proceed, we'll be able to give you an idea of how long the job will take. We include a written start and completion date in every contract. Remodeling a whole house extensively can take as much as six months; a large addition might be three to four months, a kitchen or larger bath perhaps six to eight weeks.
The work we did together during the design phase will pay off now, because having to stop the job for you to make decisions during construction is probably the single biggest cause of delayed completions.
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Will my job have your full
attention once it's started?
Absolutely. Although we are serving multiple clients at any given time, the nature of our business means that only a few projects will be in the same phase (planning, design, or construction) or have the same trades working simultaneously. Each job has a working on-site project manager dedicated to it from start to finish every day, assuring continuous progress and daily communications.
Using project scheduling software to create a planned sequence and duration of events called a Gantt Chart we are able to schedule materials, our craftsmen and their work well in advance so that we never have more to do than we can handle comfortably. This policy of looking ahead also lets us accommodate any special scheduling needs you may have regarding family events, holidays, and so forth.
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Yes. We will provide you with written Change Orders so you know the cost and scheduling impact of any addition, deletion or modifications you may want to make during construction.
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What kind of mess will I
have to live with, and for how long?
There's no avoiding the fact that remodeling creates a certain amount of dust, dirt, noise and inconvenience. Our craftsmen are very sensitive to this, and take every possible measure to reasonably protect your property and your senses. For example, during construction we'll seal off the working area from the rest of your house to help keep the dust from traveling. If we must cross finished floors, we'll lay down protective covers. At the end of each day we sweep, vacuum, or do whatever else is needed to let you enjoy your home during the evening hours and weekends.
We never forget that we are in your home and that your life can't go on hold until we're done. We enjoy our work and want you to enjoy it too.
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Who will be working in my
home?
Most of our craftsmen and subcontractors, such as plumbers and electricians, work with us regularly and have been with us for a long time. We know them well, and in a lot of cases their families too. If a "new" tradesman or crew has to work in your house, your project manager will always be present at the same time if you so desire. Our people are very conscious of your property and security, and we have never sent someone into a client's home who wouldn't be welcome in our own.
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And finally, the most commonly asked question - Who is Arthur Norman?
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