Our Process
A remodel should never feel like a leap of faith. Every Ben The Builder project moves through the same eight steps, in the same order. You always know where you are, what happens next, and what it will cost, before construction begins.
Initial Contact
Call, email, or use our contact form. We ask a few questions about your project and schedule a time to meet.
Initial Meeting
We meet at your home, at no cost to you, usually within one to two weeks of your first call. We listen to what you want to build, share ideas and expertise, and talk about timing.
Description
Within a week or two of the meeting, you receive a written description of your project, in your words, as you described it. Nothing moves forward until you confirm we heard you right.
Cost Range
With the description comes a realistic cost range for the project. It is a ballpark, not a quote. It is enough to decide whether the project fits what you want to invest.
Planning Agreement
When the range fits your budget, we sign a planning agreement. Planning is usually one flat fee, paid before planning starts and credited in full against construction. Some projects are planned by the hour instead. On small projects, planning is included in the construction price and no agreement is needed.
During planning:
- Your home is imaged with a precise 3D scan, plus photos and measurements.
- Building plans are drawn from that scan, tailored to your project.
- Your project is drawn as a 3D model, with renderings of each room, so you see it before it is built. See how design works.
Engineering, surveying, plan prints, and samples are billed at cost plus 20%. Permits are part of construction, not planning.
Rough Estimate
From the plans we build a detailed line-item estimate, so you see where the numbers stand while there is still time to shape the plan.
Quote
Before anything is signed, every detail is confirmed:
- Subcontractors bid from written scopes of work, replacing estimates with firm costs.
- You choose every material, finish, and fixture, and each one is priced.
- The result is a verified quote with no guesswork left in it.
Contract
Most projects are built for a fixed price. The construction contract includes the price and a scheduled start and end date. You know exactly what it costs and when it happens, before we swing a hammer.
There is no deposit. You are invoiced monthly for completed work. Every project has a one-year warranty on labor and installed materials.
You Know the Price Before We Start
Planning ends with a firm construction price, a written scope naming what is included and what is not, a selections list with the actual products and their prices, permit-ready plans, and a start date and a finish date.
From there the price moves only two ways. Something unknown turns up behind a wall or under a floor, or you decide to add work. Either one becomes a written change order, priced for your approval before the work goes ahead.
During Construction: Your Project Portal
Once your project begins, you have your own online portal, one place to see everything about your job.
Ready for step one?