Nine steps, no surprises
Most of what goes wrong in residential construction goes wrong because nobody agreed in advance what happens next. This is what happens next, in order, on every job we take.
The call
You tell us what you are thinking. We ask questions — some of them about things you have not considered yet, like where the mechanical has to run or how long the cabinets take to arrive. Ten minutes on the phone often saves a wasted site visit.
The walkthrough
We come to the house, look at the actual conditions, and measure. This is where we find the things that change a budget: the wall that is bearing, the panel that is full, the deck ledger that was never flashed, the crawlspace nobody has opened since 2004. It is free and it takes as long as it takes.
The written estimate
You get an itemized estimate — scope, exclusions, and every allowance named with a number attached. If we do not yet know something, we say so and price the range rather than inventing a figure. You should be able to compare it line by line against anyone else's.
Design and selections
Layout gets settled, drawings get made, and you choose the things that have lead times — cabinets, tile, stone, windows, fixtures. Selections are where schedules die. We give you the deadlines that matter and chase them, because a beautiful tile that ships in ten weeks stops a job cold.
Permits
We prepare and submit the application, answer the corrections and manage the review. Timelines depend on the city and on the current queue, and we will tell you the honest expectation rather than the one you want to hear.
Pre-construction
Before day one: the schedule, the crew, the site plan, where materials stage, where the dumpster goes, which parts of the house get sealed off, and what your daily life looks like while we are there. You know the plan before the first tool arrives.
Construction
Protection and dust barriers go up first. Then demolition, structure, rough mechanical, inspections, insulation, drywall, finish. Your project manager gives you a regular update and tells you what is happening next, and any change is priced and signed before it is built.
Inspections and closeout
Final inspections are passed and documented. We walk the job with you and write the punch list. Then we finish it — genuinely finish it — before the final invoice, not after.
After
You get the paperwork, the warranty terms and the manuals. And you get a phone number that still works. Things settle, seasons change, and occasionally something needs a visit; a contractor who cannot be reached at that point was never building for the long term.
Where projects actually go wrong
The estimate was never real
A low bid wins the contract and change orders recover the margin. The tell is a bid with no itemization and no named allowances — you cannot compare it to anything, which is the point. Ask any contractor, including us, what the tile allowance is per square foot. If there is no answer, there is no allowance.
Selections ran late
The single most common cause of a schedule slipping is not the crew — it is a decision that was not made. Cabinets, stone, tile, windows and specialty fixtures all have lead times measured in weeks or months. We give you a selection deadline for each and we chase it, because "we'll pick that later" is how a twelve-week job becomes a twenty-week job.
The unforeseen was handled badly
Old houses hide things. That is not a scandal; it is the job. What matters is what happens the hour it is found: we photograph it, explain the options and the cost, and get your signature before we proceed. What should never happen is discovering it on the final invoice.
Nobody was in charge
When the designer, the builder and the trades all answer to different people, every problem becomes somebody else's. One project manager owns your job start to finish. If something is wrong, there is exactly one number to call, and it is answered.
Questions worth asking any contractor
- How long has this exact entity been registered?
- Can I see the license, bond and insurance?
- Is this estimate itemized, with allowances named?
- Who pulls the permits — you or me?
- Who is my single point of contact?
- How are change orders handled and approved?
- What is the payment schedule tied to?
- What happens if something is wrong in a year?
Process questions
Is the estimate really free?
How long does a typical project take?
How is payment structured?
What if I want to change something mid-project?
Do you offer a warranty?
Ready to start with step one?
The first step is a conversation. It costs nothing and it is the most useful hour of the whole project.
Get a Free EstimateGet a free estimate
Tell us about your project — we'll come out, listen, and give you an honest number.
Call or text(425) 866-3940Email: office@nwhomesremodel.com
Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sat by appointment
Based in Kirkland, WA — serving the Eastside and Greater Seattle