Questions & Answers

Q. When do I need a building permit?

A. You would need a building permit for any structure you plan on constructing except for accessory buildings 200 square feet or less or decks 100 square feet or less. There are other exceptions that exempt you from obtaining a building permit such as replacing shingles on your roof or installing replacement windows etc. Please check your local municipality building department for more complete and detailed importation. We understand that obtaining the proper building permits can become a daunting task. Rest assured, Precision West Builders will assist and guide you through the entire process.

Q. Can Precision West Builders help me with home plans?

A. You can take advantage of our close relationship with several qualified architects and designers that we have worked with many times to bring a customer's ideas and dreams to reality. Our professional architects and designers will work very closely with you and us to develop a new plan from scratch or to adjust an existing plan or idea and we will make suggestions throughout the design process to keep you on budget and help you build a better home. We will also coordinate all of the required engineering and other items required in order to submit and pull a building permit from your local municipality.

Q. What are my construction costs?

A. The most commonly asked question is, "How much will my home cost per square foot?" This is probably the most difficult answer for a custom home builder to answer because it depends on so many different variables and selections. The most common variables are the differing features/upgrades our customers decide to include in their new home, the topography/slope of the land where the site is located and the fluctuating commodity prices (lumber, concrete, etc.). Nonetheless, Precision West Builders can guarantee a competitive contract quote on your custom built home with the latest features and amenities with the quality and attention to detail you expect and deserve.

Q. What is the timeframe to build my new home?

A. Depending on the size of the home, this can vary. Typically, a remodel project with 1000 to 2000 square feet of living space will take 3 to 4 months to complete. New custom homes in the 3000+ square feet range may take 7 to 8 months to complete, and larger 5000+ square foot homes can take up to 10 to 12 months depending on the features included. We work hard to keep the customer involved and informed as to what decisions need to be made and when. This is done with a detail month by month time-line in the beginning of the job and then moves to a weekly time-line as the jobs near completion. This helps to complete your home in a timely manner and allows for a great deal of these decisions to be made early in the process which helps to keep the project moving smoothly and with less stress. Communication is the key.

Q. Do I need to move out of my house during construction?

A. If your project involves modifying the majority of your home, we recommend that you do in fact move out. You do NOT want to be living in the middle of a heavy construction zone, trust me, being in the trade; we've done it ourselves on our own homes, and will never do it again. If you will be remodeling only part of your house, and can live in the other part, then we can set you up with a "mobile kitchen" or make other accommodations to keep you in your home. In that case we would make every effort to maximize your comfort and cleanliness, and minimize the stress.

Q. What is the difference in a "hard bid" and a "cost plus" bid and which is better?

A. We at Precision West Builders can bid a job using either format. However, it is our belief that the homeowner is best served with a traditional turnkey or hard bid job estimate. It lowers risk for the client as the total cost is spelled out up front. We have several detailed meeting with each client to determine what level of finishes they are seeking and we fine tune a bid to match their desires and expectations. All of the basic structural components of the building are included within the hard cost portion of the proposal and the detailed finishes such as the flooring, appliances, tile, cabinetry, countertops and plumbing fixtures are allowanced. This allows a customer the flexibility to select products within the allowanced price or they can select products in excess of the allowanced price and only pay the difference. There is NO markup on these allowanced items; saving the customer money.

A "cost plus" job proposal is a detailed line item cost bid with an added section of contractor profit and overhead. The customer is provided all of the product and labor invoices and the customer pays all of these costs directly and a profit and overhead charge is added to each category. On large homes, some customers prefer this approach, but it does leave the price somewhat open-ended. All of the extra cost and savings incurred from the original cost budget go to the customer. In a hard bid proposal, the cost is fixed and the extra cost and or saving go the contractor.

Q. How should I pick a builder and what's important to look for?

A. There are many factors in selecting a quality builder. Reputation, References, Past Projects, Price, Chemistry and Communication. All of these are important, regardless of the size of the project. First of all, make sure your builder is licensed, insured and has good references. Review the proposal thoroughly and ask questions. Make sure the bid is complete and you feel it meets the objectives regarding finish levels and the price is within your budget. The next step is to make sure you have good chemistry and feel comfortable with your builder. You will be working with each other for a period of time and communication and chemistry are very important. On a scale from 1-10, communication is a twelve. Communication allows for a flawless and timely development process and helps to eliminate a lot of the stress of the building process.

Q. What questions should I ask when I call a potential contractor's references?

A. 1. How was the overall experience with your builder?
     2. Did they finish the project on time and within the budget they quoted?
     3. Was there anything that upset you throughout the building process?
     4. Was the contractor on the job-site every day?
     5. Do you have anything negative to say about your builder that a new customer should look out for?

Q. What types of insurance and qualifications does Precision West Builders, Inc. carries?

A. We are currently licensed by the state of California as a class 'B' - General Building Contractor. Our license number is #872856. We carry a $2,000,000 aggregate commercial general liability insurance policy (CGL insurance) and a $1,000,000 in workers compensation coverage. These certificates can be provided upon request. We also carry a $12,500 surety bond on file with the CA Contractors State License Board.

You may check our license status with the Contractors State License Board - to view (Click Here)

Q. Can I go by some of your recently completed projects?

A. Absolutely, feel free to call our office for a list of projects to do a drive by. If you would like a closer look, then we might arrange with a previous client to show you the inside of the property, but this would be on a case by case basis as we don't like to impose on our previous clients.

Q. Can I come by one of your jobs in progress to see how you operate?

A. Of course, you are welcome to come by any of our jobs by appointment, or if you see one in progress, feel free to ask one of our workers or subs to show you around. We only ask for appointments for safety reasons. If you feel you must check up on us to see how we operate without notice, please bring a hard hat, boots, jeans and safety glasses before proceeding on the job, and even then you should knock on the door and ask the owner's permission. If you would like an appointment, please just call us and we'll set one up for you.

Precision West Builders is a 21st Century General Contractor
Who Still Demands Old Fashioned Craftsmanship.