Stearns Design-Build

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: We have been thinking about a project but don't know when we will be ready to do it. When should we contact Stearns Design-Build?
A: We encourage you to contact us as soon as you begin thinking about a project. It may not be time for us to come and take measurements, but we can help direct you in the possibilities for your eventual project.

Q: What should we look for in a contractor?
A: Unfortunately in Texas and in the Brazos Valley our industry is mostly unregulated, which means that the buyer should beware. It is important that your contractor be able to communicate well and that you are comfortable communicating with them.

Running a job smoothly is a very complex operation involving many changing variables, such as when subcontractors can be on a job, what clients want, and the price of materials. The only way to manage this kind of chaos is to have good procedures in place. Look closely at how your contractor plans to handle change orders. Do they have a plan for finishing the job (often called the "Punch-out List")?

Many contractors try to treat employees as subcontractors to avoid tax obligations; make sure there is a clear distinction between employees and subcontractors with any contractor you work with. Also, in Texas, there is no obligation of employers to carry insurance on their employees. If your contractor is not properly insured and a worker is hurt at your residence, this could become your liability.

Q: Do you charge for a bid?
A: Yes, we charge for bids. A bid is different than an estimate. A bid is an agreement to get a specific job done within a specific budget. An estimate is a guess at how much things might cost. Determining a correct scope of work and pricing the cost of that work is a very time consuming endeavor. If we provided bids for free, we would end up being asked to bid on projects people were not serious about, which would raise our overhead. That expense would have to be covered by the people we actually do work for. By charging for bids, we insure that our clients are not paying for the work that we did for someone else.

It is unprofessional not to charge for bids. In fact, contractors who do not charge for bids are in essence providing estimates, since they cannot afford to provide the necessary level of detail for free. The errors of their haste are made up for in change orders or by going out of business, making them unable to provide warranty for their work.

Q: Who will be in our home?
A: At Stearns Design-Build we use what is called a project manager system. This means that most of the time one of our direct employees will be on the job to oversee the work of subcontractors and manage the work of our own crews. Most of our subcontractors are people that we have worked with for years. We do not award contracts based on a low bid; cost is only one of the variables that we consider. We do not even ask for a bid from a subcontractor whom we feel cannot meet our standards, which includes proper decorum in a family's home.

Q: Will it be messy?
A: Absolutely. It will also be loud at times. Remodeling cannot be done without lots of mess and noise. But we do everything we can to minimize mess and most especially to clean it up as it happens. "How to keep a job site clean" is the item on which we spend the most training time.

Q: Will we be inconvenienced?
A: Absolutely. Between the mess and the people coming and going, there is no way that we can avoid inconveniencing you. But this is just a part of the exciting process of improving your home. You will also get to watch your ideas materialize into a home improvement that will give you pleasure for years to come. Relatively, the inconvenience really is brief.

Q: How long will our project take?
A: That, of course, depends on the scope of work. Before we start work we will give you a Gantt Chart, which is basically a bar chart showing how we expect the job to unfold. Once we start a project, we do not leave it until it is finished. Occasionally a scheduled subcontractor is held up or unavailable which can have a ripple effect on all remaining work. By using tools like Gantt Charts and communicating frequently with all stake holders, we are able to keep such disruptions to a minimum.

Q: Can we hire an Architect and still use the design-build process?
A: Maybe. That depends on the Architect – many prefer not to use this approach. Some Architects will allow a builder to come in at the concept phase and be involved throughout. This teamwork approach can complicate what the Architect sees as his/her job, but it can also be invaluable for such things as providing input on buildability, cost, green options and a whole host of other aspects of design.

Q: What is Green Building?

A: Green Building is building that seeks to have little or no impact overall on the environment. But really, green building is an oxymoron. Building is inherently energy and resource consuming. Nonetheless, approaching your project from a green perspective can make a huge difference in the environmental impact that you will have with your project.

Q: Isn't Green Building Expensive?

A: It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. In fact green building can be a means of saving money, especially if you look at the cost over time, rather than as a single one-time budget. But even within the context of the building budget, green building can be done as a cost saving endeavor. For more information on a wise approach to building budgets see the article Cheap Per Square Foot.

Q: Stearns Design-Build was recommended to us by several friends but we are not interested in Green Building. Can we still work with you?

A: Yes, as long as you understand that many of the things we do as a green design-build firm will benefit you even if you are not concerned about the environmental impact. A home that uses less energy will cost you less to operate. When we make sure the August sun is not coming into your house in the afternoon, you will save money and be more comfortable. Green Building seeks to be wise and intentional on every front.

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