Twenty-two questions, answered properly

One contract covers design, engineering coordination, permitting and construction. The people who draw your plans stay on the job through framing, inspections and the punch list. Nothing is handed to a stranger at permit.

No. We are a whole-home design-build practice. Kitchens and bathrooms are two of the nine scopes we build, and they are usually rooms inside a larger renovation rather than standalone jobs.

Joist direction, span, what sits above it and whether a beam or footing sits below. We check the attic and the crawlspace. Nobody should answer that question by tapping on drywall.

We give a budget band at the first meeting and a fixed price once there are drawings and a finish schedule to price against. A firm number without drawings is a guess with a decimal point.

We do, as the registered contractor, and the permit is in our name. You never have to meet an inspector or chase a correction notice.

It depends on the scope and the jurisdiction. A same-footprint bathroom is often same-week. A wall removal runs 6 to 12 weeks. An addition runs 10 to 20 weeks with one or two correction rounds. Our permits page breaks it down by work type.

We document it, have it engineered if it is structural, and legalise it. It is not optional at sale and it is far cheaper to correct while the ceiling is already open.

No. It is the single most common way a renovation loses three months, and it puts your insurance and your future sale at risk.

Framing, because it usually cannot happen until the beam, the posts, the hardware and every rough-in are all in place at the same time. Our schedule builds in the jurisdiction's queue time rather than pretending it does not exist.

Fixed price against complete drawings and a finish schedule. Allowances are used sparingly, usually for stone slabs, appliances and decorative lighting, and each one names exactly what it covers.

The full difference is credited back to you on the next progress billing. We do not keep the balance.

Actual added cost plus 15 percent overhead and profit, with the schedule impact stated in days. Nothing is ordered or built against an unsigned change order.

Eight to twelve percent on a house built before 1980, five to eight percent on newer stock. Budget it, and be pleased if you keep it.

We do not lend, but we work regularly with renovation lenders and can structure the draw schedule to match a lender's inspection milestones. Our financing page explains the common routes.

Often yes for single-level or addition work, rarely for a second storey once the roof is off. We map it out phase by phase before you decide, including which bathroom stays live.

Two peaks: demolition and drywall sanding. Between them, moderate. We run zip walls, sealed HVAC returns and a HEPA negative air machine in the work zone continuously.

Generally 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday, within the noise rules of your jurisdiction. Loud operations like concrete cutting are scheduled to days you pick where we can.

Ten to sixteen weeks on a typical job. We set up a temporary kitchen with a sink, refrigerator, microwave and induction plate before demolition begins.

Custom cabinetry, clad wood windows and utility coordination for a service upgrade. All three are ordered at permit issue rather than at demolition for that reason.

After the cabinets are set, shimmed and level. Fabrication then runs two to three weeks. Nothing is templated from drawings.

For decorative lighting and some plumbing fittings, yes, with the understanding that we cannot warrant them and that a late delivery of an owner-supplied item is an owner-caused delay.

Two years on workmanship, five years on shower waterproofing and ten years on structural work, plus whatever the manufacturer offers on products. All sample figures for this demo.