Questions I Get Asked, Answered Straight

No. The walkthrough and the written estimate are free. It takes me about 45 minutes at your house and then a day or two to put the numbers together.

I do payments in thirds. A third when you sign, a third at a milestone we agree on before we start, and a third after we walk the finished job together and the punch list is done.

That first third goes into material and getting the trades scheduled. I am one guy, so I cannot float twenty or thirty thousand dollars of lumber, drywall and fixtures out of pocket, and I would rather say that plainly than dress it up as something else. What I will not do is ask for half or more before anybody has swung a hammer. That is where people get hurt.

The middle third is tied to a specific milestone that we write into the contract before the job starts, so there is never any arguing about whether we got there. On a basement it is usually when the rough in passes inspection. On a bathroom it might be when the tile is set. Whatever it is for your job, it is written down and it is something you can walk down and look at yourself.

The last third is not due until we do a final walkthrough together and everything on the punch list is finished. You and I walk the whole job, you point out anything that is not right, it goes on the list, and the list gets done before I ask for the last payment. The job is done when you say it is done, not when I say it is.

Fixed price on almost everything. You get a number and that is the number, unless you change the scope or we find something behind a wall that neither of us knew was there. Both of those become written change orders that you sign before I do the work.

It gets a written change order with a price on it, and I do not proceed until you sign it. That is the whole system. Ohio law requires written change orders on jobs over $25,000 anyway, but I do it on every job because it is the only fair way to handle it.

Yes, and I will tell you what the markup is if you ask. That markup pays for me sourcing it, picking it up, storing it, dealing with the damaged piece, and warrantying it. Contractors who claim they do not mark up material are marking it up somewhere else.

You can for some things, like tile, fixtures, a vanity, appliances, or a specific light you fell in love with. It gets tricky with anything structural or anything I have to warranty, and I cannot warranty a material defect on something I did not buy. If you want to supply something, tell me at estimate time so I can price the labor correctly.

I do not finance jobs myself. Most people in Columbus use a home equity line of credit or a HELOC through their own bank, and the rates are usually better than any contractor financing program. Happy to talk through how other clients have handled it.

Sometimes it is not, and sometimes it is. What I would look at is whether both quotes cover the same things. Are permits in there? Is the dumpster in there? Is the electrical inspection in there? Is there a real line item for the bathroom slab work or just a lump sum? A cheap quote that is missing three line items is not cheaper, it is just less honest about what the job costs.

Not really, and I would rather tell you that than pretend. What I can do is phase the work so you spread it out, or take something out of scope so the number comes down honestly. Those are real options. Knocking 10 percent off just means I have to make it up somewhere you cannot see.

No. If somebody is meaningfully cheaper than me on the same scope, either they know something I do not, or something is getting cut. Get the other quote line itemized and compare them side by side. If they are genuinely doing the same work for less, take it.

Depends on the season and what is in front of you. I will give you a real start date when I give you the estimate, and that date goes in the contract. I do not book a job I cannot actually start.

An open finish is usually 4 to 6 weeks. With a bathroom, 6 to 9 weeks. A bathroom remodel is 3 to 5 weeks. An addition is months, not weeks, and depends heavily on permits and weather.

Because those shows have a crew of thirty people and they do not wait for inspections. Real jobs have inspection holds where nothing can happen until the inspector comes out. There are also material lead times, and cure and dry times that you cannot rush without the work failing later.

No. I do not start a job I cannot stay on. That is the whole reason I do not run four crews.

You hear it from me before you notice it. If we are going to miss the finish date, I will tell you why and give you a new date. What I will not do is go quiet and hope you do not bring it up.

Usually 8 to 4 or 5, Monday through Friday. If I need to be there on a Saturday I will ask you first. I will not show up at 7am without warning you.

No, and this is probably the biggest difference between me and a bigger firm. I do the carpentry, framing, trim and tile myself. I bring in licensed trades for things like electrical, plumbing and HVAC, because those need to be done by people who do them all day and they have to be inspected. I am on your job site, every day, doing the work.

Me. Not a project manager, not a client concierge, not somebody in an office who was not there. You have my cell number.

I use trades I have worked with before and know are good. I check that their license is current and I get a certificate of insurance before they set foot on your property. If a sub does not communicate well, I stop using them, because their bad communication becomes my problem and yours.

Yes. I carry general liability insurance and I am registered to pull permits in Columbus. Ask me for the certificate of insurance and I will send it over. You should ask that of every contractor you talk to, and be careful with any who get weird about it.

I do. I pull them, I schedule the inspections, and I meet the inspector. Occasionally a city wants the homeowner to sign something, like a notarized affidavit, and I will walk you through that if it comes up.

It gets fixed and reinspected, and that is on me, not on your bill. Failed inspections happen sometimes. What matters is that they get corrected properly.

Plastic and zip walls between the work area and the rest of the house, floor protection on the path in and out, and the site gets swept at the end of every day. It is still construction and it will not be spotless, but you will not be living in a disaster zone for two months.

No. Most of my clients are at work. We will figure out access before we start.

Tell me about them at the walkthrough. I will keep doors shut and tools put away, and I will let you know on the days when the noise or the dust is going to be bad so you can plan.

For most jobs yes, and it is in the estimate. For smaller jobs I sometimes haul it myself. If a dumpster in your driveway is a problem, tell me and we will work something out.

For a basement, a bathroom, or a kitchen, I can lay out the plan with you and we can figure it out together. For an addition or anything structural, you need a real architect or engineer and I will point you to one. I would rather tell you that than pretend I am something I am not.

Yes, up to a point. Early on it is easy. Once material is ordered or a wall is framed, changes cost money and time, and that gets written up as a change order. The earlier you decide, the cheaper it is.

Yes. I would rather do a good small job for someone who becomes a repeat client than chase only the big ones. Ask me and I will tell you straight if it is not worth either of our time.

Full custom home builds from the ground up. That is a different business and I would rather point you to somebody who does it all day than pretend otherwise.

Past that, if it is part of your house, I can usually take care of it, either myself or with one of my trades. Foundation work, waterproofing, roofing, masonry and concrete all go through subs I have worked with and trust. What does not change is that I am still the one person you deal with and I stand behind the whole job.

One honest note about water. If your basement is taking on water, that gets fixed properly before I frame anything over it. I am not going to cover up a moisture problem with drywall and let it turn into your problem in two years.

Two years on workmanship, in writing, on every job. If something I built or installed fails because of how it was done, I come back and fix it. Material and appliance warranties come from the manufacturer and I will hand you the paperwork.

Call me or text me. Same number. I have clients from six years ago who still call me, and that is exactly how it should work.

Yes. That is what the warranty is for, and honestly even after it runs out I usually come look.

An honest review, if you are happy with it. And if you are not happy, I want to hear it from you before you write anything, so I have a chance to make it right. That is not me managing my reputation, that is just how I would want to be treated.