Stages of Renovation

All renovations are different, but there are a few things that are typical to most of them.

 

1. We visit to go over what you are looking for.
2. We provide a written estimate based on the initial visit. This may take up to two weeks.
3. If you choose Briones Construction to do the renovation, you need to let us know via email or phone call.
4. We email a contract via DocuSign for your signature.
5. You receive the fully executed contract via email once we’ve signed it as well.
6. The renovation is scheduled to coincide with the date all materials will be on site.
7. A deposit invoice for 50% of the job is sent to you via email for an online payment.
8. If the job includes cabinets, we will come to inspect the cabinets before we schedule.
9. You are expected to have the work area empty.
10. Demolition is common with most jobs. We will demo and haul away the debris.
11. This is where you may find issues with water damage, termites, etc. This will have to be handled before work can continue.
12. We start the work. Most of our crews specialize in what they do, so if the framing crew is finished at noon, the electrical crew not be there that afternoon, they will be there on the day they were scheduled.
13. There will be days that we won’t be at your job site. We will try to let you know in advance, but that’s not always possible. Typically, the reason is that we are waiting for something to dry or we are waiting on materials.
14. Crews are finished working. Carlos will walk through to look for little things that need to be completed, changed, or fixed. He will create a punch list.
15. We will get back to finish the punch list.
16. You will receive an invoice for the balance via email for an online payment.

 

Please take a look at the information below as it will answer many questions you may have.

After The Initial Visit

We have visited your home and have collected photos and information on the work you would like to have done.

Formal estimate – The estimate can take a few days to a week or so depending on various factors, but rest assured, we will email you an estimate.

Contract/Agreement –You’ve selected Briones Construction to performing the work.

• Call or send an email to let us know.
• We will send a contract to you via DocuSign.
• You will sign electronically.
• We will then also sign electronically.
• You will receive a copy of the fully executed contract via email.
• We will reach out to you to schedule the work.

Deposit – We require 50% before the start date. You will receive an invoice about one week prior to your start date. For your convenience, we will include a link for you to pay online.

Fees & Payments

Payments are due as follows: 50% deposit is due 1-2 weeks before the work begins. You will receive an invoice via email and have the option to pay online.

Your payment schedule will be listed on the Service Contract.

*If we need to return and install a product that arrived after the job was finished, you will be charged a trip fee.

Communication

We would like you to know that all communication should start with your Project Manager. He or she has the most knowledge about the progress of your project. If he or she cannot or does not answer your questions, please feel free to give us a call in the office and someone will be happy to assist you.

Your Project Manager is your point of contact person. Our crew or trades cannot authorize changes.

We would like to have one primary contact in your household that will be available to make decisions, to communicate your selections, and generally interact with Briones Construction. This will help us to keep the project moving and eliminate unnecessary delays.

Timeline

Timeline – Reality vs Reality TV:  We know most of our homeowners are fans of HGTV or the DIY Network, but what you see on TV is not happening in the real world. Entire homes are not remodeled in 7 weeks for ridiculously little money!  Quality projects require weeks in today’s hot housing market & cost much more than some of our favorite TV personalities would have you believe.

Job Expectations – You may want your project to be finished in three weeks, but is that realistic?  Most remodels hit a snag along the way. Sometimes these delays can send your schedule reeling, adding days — or even weeks — to your timeline. When setting a timeline for your project, be sure to pad your schedule by at least 20% for dealing with unexpected challenges.

Stress

Remodeling is a stressful process. People will be coming in and out of your home, your home will get dirty, the items you are used to grabbing will be out of the way and you may also feel a lack of privacy. What can you do?

• Keep your eye on the prize. Your home will be disrupted for a few weeks or months. However, the long-term renovation will be well worth it.
• Do not hold up the process. If you will not be home each day to let the crews in, we can install a lock box on your door containing a house key that our crews can use to enter your home. This will allow them to work without interrupting your day. Do not put time constraints on when crews can arrive and how late they can stay. Please also allow them to work on weekends. Your project manager will manage reasonable hours. If you do have specific hours, days, religious holidays, or other situations that require our crews to take a break, please alert your Project Manager as soon as possible.
• Know that stress and frustration are common and expected in the remodeling process.
• Let the Project Manager Manage. You may feel you know the steps of managing a project; however, our Project Managers have real world experience, and outstanding track record, customer references and accolades.
• Stick to your budget and plan. You will have ideas or see something new and want to add it. If it fits in your budget, great. If it is over budget, you may cause yourself undue stress. (See Change Orders)

Expectations from the Homeowner

Access to Your Home:  It is simply not possible for us to complete a project on time if we do not have easy access to the areas being worked on. Whether you work outside the home or from a home office, we must have a way to enter & exit your home or property that is not contingent on someone being at home.  Home remodeling is a fluid process, so we cannot always give a definite time that work will start each day. Also, we would prefer not to interrupt you every time we need access to your home or property. Garage door code or key in a lock box are just two examples. If you have a driveway gate, we ask that you temporarily change the code during the project to provide us access any time we need it.

Prepare Your Property: If we are doing work on the interior of your home, please remove personal and valuable items far from the construction site to prevent damage.

Most importantly, realize that there are many steps to a renovation. Everything thing between start and finish is considered not completed yet. You may see nail holes in the door frame or a cabinet drawer doesn’t open. This is all normal and will be taken care of.

Prepare for Disruptions

Start time: We typically start between 7:30 and 9:00, but that can change, and we may arrive a bit later.

Disturbing the neighbors: Be mindful that, depending on the scope of the work, trucks that need to find parking and spaces to work may inconvenience your neighbors as well. It makes the process go smoother and keeps everyone happier if you can give them a courtesy heads-up before work begins.

Bathroom use: Even though it is your home, it is now also a workplace for our crew. Be prepared for the contractors to use your bathroom, and if the work is happening for an extended period, we will have a port a potty set up outside. This might be an issue with neighbors or your HOA, so please check with HOA beforehand.

Before We Arrive

HOA & Permits – If your remodel requires HOA approval you’ll want to get the approval before we begin. Building permits can take one day to a couple of weeks. We can assist in where and how to file.

Work Area – Make sure you have cleaned out the rooms that will be under construction. Clean out cabinets, remove breakable items and make sure you leave a clear path for crews to come and go. If you have items that are special to you or breakable, please remove them from areas where our crews will be and keep them in a safe place. If you are doing a kitchen remodel and decide you want to continue living in the house during the project, we suggest setting up a wet bar or area in your home to serve as a temporary kitchen you can use to make coffee, keep drinks, snacks, and use your microwave.

Pets – We love pets and have them ourselves. That is why we want to take extra care to let you know that you will want to have your pets in a secure location during the entire remodel. Crews are in and out of the house and do not want to accidently let your beloved pet out.

Cleanliness

Remodeling is a messy process. We take measures to control and reduce dust. Unfortunately, at certain phases sometimes we may not be able to totally prevent it. You should plan to change furnace filters after the remodeling process.

• We will broom sweep and straighten up the project area daily.
• Please move important items away from the project site to prevent damage.
• If we are doing exterior work, please remove pictures and other wall hangings from those walls. Vibration from working on exterior walls may result in those items falling off the wall and being damaged. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove pictures and other wall hangings before work can begin. Please do not re-hang pictures before work is completed. We are also not responsible for nail pops that occur on interior walls when working on the exterior. If we are doing work on the interior of the home, please remove personal valuables (jewelry, money, family heirlooms, etc.) as far as possible from the construction site to prevent damage.
• Our housekeeping team will come in when the job is completed to make sure we leave you with a clean job site.

Sources of Uncertainty

Unknown Existing Conditions. While not the largest source of uncertainty, but it is common. The demo process can reveal issues that must be addressed before renovation work is started. For instance, a kitchen demo reveals a slow water leak that requires your subfloor to be repaired or replaced. Or asbestos is found in your home, all work must stop, and an abatement team is hired to remove the asbestos. Both examples require more money and add additional time to the remodel.

Delays in Procurement or Fabrication. Delays can occur anywhere along the chain of responsibility, from the contractors to vendors, suppliers, and product manufacturers.

Delays can also be caused by bad weather or other “acts of God.” Even if those delays do not significantly raise the cost of construction, missing key deadlines can disrupt the timeline.

Schedule Changes and Product Delays

Delayed start date: on occasion, we may have to push your start date out a day or so. When this happens, you will be notified via email or phone call. This may happen if another job runs over the anticipated time, waiting on material, vehicle issues, etc. This delay is not a reason to expect a refund or cancelation of our contract.

We work to keep your project on the schedule that was presented to you. But there may be times where we will contact you to move a scheduled trade to a different day. There could be many reasons this would happen, but the most common is that we have run into an issue on another job that requires a couple more days to complete.

Design Changes During the Renovation

No matter how much effort is put on the design features and details, as your project takes shape you may see things differently. Please feel free to approach us at any time regarding changes. You may discuss them with your project manager. To keep things under control, we use what is called a Change Order.

Change Order – We need all requested changes in writing before we do the work. Verbal discussions and agreements do not commit Briones Construction to any activities. It is important to document any changes or additional work that is not specified in the estimate/contract, so we are all on the same page.

The change order defines the change and any adjustments in the cost of the project. The purpose of the change order is to keep track of changes from the original contract and to enable you, the homeowner to be fully aware of any cost adjustments to your project. Not all change orders cost you money. Change orders can also change the completion date of your project.

Changes can usually be made, however, if you submit a change order before something is built or fixtures are ordered it is much cheaper than changing it after the fact since that may involve demolishing and/or restocking/return charges.

Please note that change orders must be approved by you and your Project Manager in writing.  If we do not see your written approval within 3 days, the proposed change will be ignored, and construction will continue as per the original plans and specifications. 

Punchlist

Once construction is completed, we will do a final walk through looking for things that need to be taken care of. There may be a smudge on the wall, grass outside that was damaged or other items.

If you see something and want to make sure we address it during our walk through, mark the items where applicable with blue painters’ tape.