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Residential home building and remodeling is both challenging and creative. The Bay Area offers a great wealth of ideas, talent, historical reference, and astute taste that makes it an interesting place for design and good building. To be successful in residential construction and remodeling in Marin and the Bay Area, the quality of workmanship must be of the highest standards. The communication between contractor, owner, architect and designer must be very efficient, complete, and courteous. The services in the office and in the field must be prompt and professional, and the business of estimating, invoicing and contracts should be transparent and understandable. Residential building is a complex process and for the owner a very personal endeavor. As the contractor, we are there to facilitate the process and produce a product that meets or surpasses the expectation of the client. As builders, we also like to make it a positive and enjoyable experience. We at Pennypacker/Drake approach each project with this skill and ambition. Our desire is to generate well satisfied customers who have taken pleasure in participating in the process and are very satisfied with the results. We would like to be your contractors for life. We have done numerous projects for many of our clients. As the client, you will progress through a number of steps before the project begins. Architect - Plans Typically you would choose and work with an architect on your needs and initial conceptual design. In the past, this stage would progress through a number of renditions, including engineering, until the architect produced a very complete set of plans with specifications and then sent it out to bid with at least 3 contractors. For accurate, competitive bids, the level of detail was important. The shortcoming of this approach was often bids that were too high and the required redesign after a good deal of design time by the architect. More often in this building climate, the architect or friends will suggest to the owner contractors of note, who the owner would then interview to determine which one might best assist them. References are important here. Choosing a contractor If Pennypacker/Drake Home Building is selected, we would join the team and begin by studying the preliminary plans and doing some initial cost estimating. Even at this stage a good deal can be determined and the direction and scope of work can begin taking shape. As the plans grow in detail, additional estimates would be required. Preplanning aids to later efficiency. Some subcontractors can also be involved at this point giving the estimate a more realistic depth. We feel this is a very important time. It introduces the members of the party to each other, gives a focus and a chance to see how they’ll work as a team. The larger the project the more significant this is. It also familiarizes us with the project so when it begins the planning and thought process are well along and allow for a strong and organized start. Green Building alternatives: We should mention too, that we take the premise of green building seriously and are Certified Green Building Professionals. During this stage the client can take advantage of alternate methods and materials that satisfy the green guidelines. We would be pleased to advise you of your various choices. The Contract As the design is moving forward, the owner will select a contract that best suits the project. The two primary ones are Cost Plus or Fixed Price, each with a number of variations. The completeness of design and specifications usually determine which will be most appropriate. Cost Plus is used more often now and allows for early starts when design decisions such as lighting, cabinets, general interior design are not formulated. Both contracts will function well when applied correctly. We would provide information to help you with your decision. The Schedule At this time too, a schedule of work is drawn up. It will be updated as the work progresses both for our scheduling needs and the owner’s information. On larger cost plus work we have also given projections so the owner has more control over future decisions and choices. The Pennypacker/Drake Team – building and support As the project moves into the building stage, we will be well prepared to move forward. We assign a site foreman who remains with the project until completed, and a crew of craftsmen to laborers of a size appropriate to the work. Subcontractors will have given costs on the building plans and be familiar with the work. Suppliers will have given us costs on windows, doors, roofing, etc. Our office will organize and facilitate the ordering and also work to help the owner research and find specialized products. The web is our friend. On shorter jobs it’s very important to order supplies, such as windows, plumbing fixtures with in-wall valves, or anything specialized that may have a long lead time. Communication While the project moves through the build, we’ve found regular onsite meetings with the owner, contractor, architect and/or designer and at times, subcontractors, to be pivotal to the success and efficiency of the work. The level of details that arise even in the most organized build is enormous. These details and issues must be dealt with immediately to maintain the flow of the job. Conceptualizing from plans to structure can be difficult for many people and the reality of the building can open many avenues and choices even in the most complete set of plans. This is the grey area of work, where the contractor’s depth of knowledge, and ability to communicate well will make the difference in a job, and where the structure of a team that can work together well gives the owner a distinct advantage to having a successful project. Completion and beyond After completion of the project, we provide the client warrantees and any other written information pertinent to the work. We supply them with the names and numbers of all the subcontractors, whether for further work or for information on work they’ve just completed. As a business, we look after the work we’ve done and we make ourselves available for future questions, discussions or site checks. We are accessible and there for the client in the future.
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