So, you have made up your mind to remodel your home. Great, now how does the process work? The following is an outline as to the way Cream City Construction will work with you from initial ideas to completed project.

Homeowner Preparation:
Once you have decided to remodel your home, we recommend that you do some preliminary planning for your project before meeting with anyone. Start by listing the items that you feel are ‘must haves’. Consider functional and aesthetic desires that are important to you and your family. Also, establish a wish list of items that, if your budget permits, would be a desirable addition to your project. One way to help spark your imagination is look for design ideas on the web, design magazines or even your own sketches. Establish a budget. Consider your home’s value, what the neighborhood will bear, and how long you intend to live in your home. What is your time frame? How soon would you like to start? Finally, collect all of this information in a file to assist us in the next step, the Consultation Meeting.

Consultation Meeting:
After discussing your project with one of our Architectural Designers on the phone, we will set up a time to meet with you at your home. During this consultation, we will discuss your needs and wishes for your project. We will do a walk through, discussing possible design solutions. By doing this, we can quote a rough estimate of costs. We will also take time to discuss our company’s Design/ Build approach and our Design Retainer Agreement.

Design Retainer Agreement:
The Design Retainer is simply a document that specifies the scope of your project and the amount of the design fee. The implementation of this agreement allows us to take conceptual ideas and translate them into preliminary design sketches, budgetary costs and a project time line. When the Construction Contract is signed, this design fee will be credited to the construction costs of your project.

Design Meeting/ Field Measure:
After retaining our services, we schedule a time to meet with you again at your home to fine tune your needs, finalize design ideas and solutions and talk about material selections. At this time we will field measure all relevant spaces and photograph necessary areas of your home. We will note all of the home’s mechanical systems, such as the furnace or boiler, electric panel, etc. to determine their locations and adequacies to access their impact on the design and costs. We recommend that both spouses, if applicable, be present at the design meeting. This allows our Architectural Designers to draw out ideas or concerns from all involved to streamline the design process.

Drawings and Cost Proposal:
Using the information from the field measure, we will lay out your existing home using our computer aided drafting program. After this step is completed, we are able to use your existing plan to create proposed floor plans and interior or exterior elevations or both for your remodeled home. With this new design we are able to more accurately estimate your project costs and construction time line. Once these steps are completed, we will set up a meeting to present the design, costs and time line.

Construction Contract:
With your approval of the drawings and costs, we will draft a Construction Contract for you to review and sign. After your contract is signed, we will finalize your construction drawings and create construction specifications. We are now ready to start the construction phase.

Pre-Construction Meeting:
Your Architectural Designer and Construction Manager will meet with you at your home for your pre-construction meeting. At this meeting we will discuss what to expect on a daily basis throughout the construction process. This will ensure a seamless transition from the design phase into the construction process.

Construction:
We will start by obtaining all building permits and attending, if needed, any municipal design review committees. Your Construction Manager will make frequent site visits to make sure that all construction is carefully executed per the drawings and specifications. Throughout the construction process, we believe that there must be open communication between you and our staff. If, at any time, you have a question or concern, you will be able to easily get in touch with your Construction Manager or Architectural Designer, and will receive an answer quickly.

Project Completion and Walk Through:
With the punch list completed, your Architectural Designer and Construction Manager will meet with you at your home to discuss your remodeling experience. We will explore the positives and negatives. By doing this, we can continue to better serve our clients. At this meeting we will also discuss maintenance items, explain the function of certain products and go over your warranty. The only thing left for you to do is to enjoy your beautiful new space.