Well, to begin you’ve got to know that in the state of Texas anyone can be a builder or remodeler. There are no licenses or certifications required by law here like there are in most other states. Because of this very low barrier to entry, there are hundreds of homebuilders in and around Houston. Take this into consideration when choosing a builder. Do as much homework as you can to assess how experienced and capable your builder candidates are when it comes to condo renovations and build-outs specifically. Multi-family construction poses unique logistical considerations and challenges, so you want to be sure your builder won’t be learning on the job but instead will be capitalizing on prior condo experience. Take the time to interview them. Request to visit a home or jobsite with them. Speak to their past homeowners. Learn their processes to confirm they are organized and effective. Make sure they are a good fit for you and your family.

The answer to this question depends largely on the scope of your condo renovation/build-out. Because we take on full condo renovations affecting several spaces of the home at once, construction for our renovation projects can take anywhere from 3 months for a condo remodel to 9 months for a luxury condo build-out.

The factors that most influence home renovation durations are:

• scope and complexity of the renovation (number of spaces? Interior and/or exterior? Significant structural changes?)
• your builder’s organizational ability and sub management skills
• the quality and reliability of your builder’s sub base
• homeowner decisiveness when making selections
• weather delays during construction
• availability of construction materials
• current conditions of the subcontractor labor market

While some of these factors may seem out of your builder’s control, they should never be an excuse for significantly exceeding your initial construction schedule. We make it a priority to mitigate potential construction delays with strong organization, planning, and communication throughout construction.

The most important decision you will make happens at the very beginning of your journey when you select your builder and architect. Choosing the right builder will have the greatest impact on how successful your project ultimately is. The right builder will take your vision and goals and make them a reality, all the while creating a smooth and enjoyable experience for you. Don’t underestimate the power of this first decision.

Before construction on your condo renovation/build-out begins, you will begin making dozens of design decisions. Some will feel important to you, others will feel less so. Our project managers act as facilitators for the selections process, working very closely with you and your interior designer to ensure all selections are made on time to keep construction on schedule. We create a customized comprehensive selection schedule that is continually updated and monitored by us to make this process as painless as possible for you.

Condo renovations introduce a few extra layers of complexity than do single-family renovations.

First, renovation plans must be approved by the homeowners’ association in compliance with the community’s set of rules, commonly called “covenants, conditions and restrictions.” Unlike with single-family homes, condo owners own only what’s within the walls of their units. Common areas, plumbing, roofs, exterior areas, etc. are owned by all building residents so all plans must be run through the association first. After obtaining their go ahead, then we can proceed through the multi-layered city permitting process.

During construction, strict rules must be followed, including what hours subcontractors can work, how materials can get in/out of your unit, where subcontractors can park, and specific protocol for communicating with the appropriate building managers. We even conduct a pre-construction site visit just to inspect and measure the door size for the service elevator, the corridor width, distance from parking to elevator, and all turning clearances to make sure materials and equipment would fit into the condo during construction.

It’s imperative that your builder is prepared for the unique challenges presented in condo renovations. If you have any additional questions about how we can help make your condo renovation possible, don’t hesitate to call us anytime. We’re happy to help.

Homeowner communication is extremely important to us in order to create a homebuilding experience that is as transparent and enjoyable as possible for our homeowners. When you build with us, you are able to login to our client portal at any time to see your home’s updated schedule, budget, outstanding selections and approvals, and construction photos of your home. We know that your home is your family’s biggest investment, so we make sure you are never in the dark about its progress.

This is such an important question! Over 30 years we have built our reputation on never cutting corners and making sure our homes are of the highest quality. It takes a lot of passion, commitment and focused intention to achieve this.

During construction, our quality assurance controls are tight. Our team is made up of experienced construction managers with extensive backgrounds in high-end custom residential construction who are on the jobsites daily to ensure our subcontractors are using high quality materials and methods to build your home. In fact, all of our subcontractors have been thoroughly vetted for quality, value, and reliability before they ever become part of our sub network. In addition, our construction managers and project managers add value to our homeowners by staying up-to-date on the ever-evolving building science best practices.

Following completion, we stand behind our work. Our warranty process is easy and our team remains responsive to your needs long after you move-in. One of our previous homeowners said it best:

“We have now been in the house for nine years and like any house, problems arise from time to time that need repair. Chris has never hesitated to make one of his superintendents available to assist in diagnosing the problem and recommending the best contractor for the job. That long-term commitment may be what we appreciate the most.”