Price

Is the price negotiable?
From time to time a client may ask, "If the price is higher than we're comfortable with, will you work with us to help us get it down?" The answer here is "Yes."

We begin the Project Development Process with an eye toward meeting all our clients' needs including budget. It is our obligation as a Design/Build firm to show the client what is possible in their remodeling/addition project. If, after roughing out a design, we determine that the cost of building that project is more than our client wants to invest, we can offer suggestions to help bring the budget back into line.

Solutions can be as simple as selecting different products or finishes or as all-encompassing as simplifying the design by re-addressing the primary goals for the project. It's important for all clients to determine what their goals are (design/function vs. practical) and develop a clear budgetary range to communicate to Creative Contracting.

Sometimes, our clients will ask a similar question meaning, "Will you sell this project to me for a lower price because I asked?" The answer is, "No." Creative Contracting believes in fair and honest pricing for every client. The only way we could reduce the price of one client's project would be to raise the price of another client's and that is not in line with Creative Contractings philosophy.

How much per square foot?
Every year, a variety of construction-oriented periodicals publish the per-square-foot price of building a new home of a specific caliber in a specific region. With prices ranging from $200--$500 per square foot, it's easy for the owners of existing homes to translate that equation to their own remodeling job and think, "Well, my bathroom is only 35 square feet so that means I should be able to remodel it for between $7,000 and $17,500.00." In reality, per-square-foot pricing is not a relevant benchmark for remodeling because it does not take three very important factors into consideration:

Demolition and rubbish removal-not necessary in new construction-costs money. Before beginning the project, the existing space must be stripped of all the fittings, fixtures, sheetrock, insulation, flooring, etc. Those materials must then be removed from the home (taking care not to dirty or damage the walls and floors of adjacent, uninvolved room) and disposed of.

Working in an existing space is more labor-intensive than starting from scratch. Imagine an electrician installing recessed lights in a house that is currently under construction-all of the joists are visible and wiring is simply stapled up in clean straight runs to the electrical panel which is completely accessible. Compare this to installing the same lights in a pre-existing, plastered ceiling-to place a light, a hole is cut in the plaster. If a joist is revealed, a new hole must be cut and the other hole patched over. Wires must be "fished" across closed ceilings and down sheet rocked walls to reach the electrical panel. This comparison holds true for almost every phase of a remodeling project from excavation to pouring a foundation to framing to flooring to painting.

In new construction items like plumbing and electrical are averaged over the square footage of the entire house. The plumbing for a kitchen and two and a half bathrooms is very expensive but is averaged over 2500 square feet. When a home is being remodeled that same work is often averaged over only a tenth of the square footage.

I've heard you're expensive...
Deciding to invest in a remodeling project is difficult because it's impossible to compare apples to apples. Even if an estimate appears to have all the same components, how can a client be sure that the jobs will be executed with the same attention to detail, the same level of craftsmanship? Here's an example:

A bare-bones estimate from another contractor might include a line-item for the kitchen electrical work that says, "lighting, switching and outlets for kitchen." During construction, the client might ask, "Will there be two recessed lights over my sink or just one?" The contractor then raises his eyebrows and says, "Well-actually-none. Your lighting allowance includes one surface mount light in the middle of the kitchen and one over the sink. I can do recessed lighting for you but that's going to be at an added cost."

All NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) professionals deliver quality craftsmanship. That's the status-quo. On top of that, Creative Contracting provides a process that is refined, streamlined and stress-minimalizing; allowing the client to feel well taken care of and valued. We provide accurate, up front pricing reflecting what the client has communicated as their expectations regarding quality, style and functionality. We discuss various design options with clients up front and take the time to fully understand what the client is looking for in their remodeling project.

Am I paying for your overhead?
No. Our overhead is supported by several jobs at a time; not just one. Creative Contracting works efficiently, and provides superior quality and service by having each employee work in their area of expertise; doing what they do best.

Can you break this quote down line-item by line-item?
Investing in a Design/Build project is more like buying a car than a list of groceries. When you buy a car, the "base-price" includes everything you need to be able to drive it off the lot and operate it safely. You do not have separate prices for the engine, the rearview mirror, the windshield, etc. You may, however, select "packages" to upgrade the vehicle in a variety of ways-special rims, sound systems, leather trim, etc.

We handle the design of our clients' projects much the same way. If we're developing a kitchen project we will come back to the client with a "base-price" for the kitchen-all the demolition, rubbish-removal, framing, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC work, insulation, sheetrock, flooring, cabinetry, countertops…(the list goes on and on) required to create a beautiful, functional kitchen that will meet the needs identified by the client during our initial assessment. Then, if our clients want to know, "How much more would it be if we went to cherry cabinets instead of maple?" or "How much would we save if don't replace the window?" those options are priced out as alternatives.

What's your mark-up?
Creative Contracting prices its projects to produce 10% net profit which is used to grow the company and continue providing clients with the superior service we have for over 20 years.

Is my project going to cost me more than what the contract says?
There are two circumstances under which a client may end up paying more for their project than is listed in their contract:

Client-driven change orders - the single biggest contributor to projects costing more than originally anticipated. "While they're here, maybe we should have them change out that window in the bathroom…" We get a lot of those.

Unforeseen conditions - We go the extra mile to attempt to identify any potential conditions that may affect the cost but unfortunately we do not have x-ray vision. Until a space is gutted we cannot know about a rotted sill or the termite infestation or an improperly vented drain-line. When we discover things like this, it is our legal obligation to bring them to the attention of our clients. If additional work is needed to correct the situation, a change order will be written and presented to the client for consideration before proceeding.