Where to Start
Unless you have an unlimited budget, we believe that it is important for the contractor to be involved in the design process with the architect or designer. By having these two parties working together, you have a better chance of having something designed that is in line with your budget. There have been numerous occasions in the past where people have come to us with full blueprints that they have spent many hours and monies on that is well beyond their budget. We get to be the "villain" that squashes their dream, when in reality we are only the piano player.  Having us involved in the project early on can eliminate a great deal of the stress in designing for your budget.

Budget and Estimates
It is important to have a budget in mind prior to proceeding with the design of your project. This should be discussed at the initial meeting to make sure your expectations are in line with your budget constraints. It is very hard to give an accurate preliminary estimate for remodels because each project is custom. Using square footage calculations for additions is inaccurate because you are normally renovating some of your existing home to accommodate the addition. The other major factor is the selection of finishes. Think of it in these simple questions: "How much does a bag of groceries cost?" or "How much does a car cost per square foot?" What we try to do is compare your project to other projects we have done to get a budget range. Establishing a budget helps us in the estimating process.

Design
If it is determined that a draftsperson or architect will be required, talk to your friends, or your builder. Find out if they have an architect they were happy with, or if you builder has an architect that he works well with. The ideas you have discussed with Del Sol can then be relayed to the architect so that they can get started on the preliminary plans. After they have a chance to review your project, the architect will present you with a Design Agreement that will outline the costs associated with the blueprints. At this point, you can decide whether to proceed to have the plans drawn up or not. We believe that it is essential to have these renderings. This not only enables you to see what the project will look like, but also allows us to accurately bid your project. This process usually takes longer than people anticipate.
Often there are several meetings with the draftsman/architect to finalize the plans. The first documents will be a preliminary floor plan and possibly a simple elevation to make sure you are all on the same page. The second preliminary set (if necessary) will show any of the changes from the first set and have some more detail. The final "permit set" will have all the details and elevations that are necessary for an accurate bid and are ready to be submitted to the building department. The time span for these steps varies depending on the size of the project and the availability of all the parties involved. With this in mind, it is best to "get the ball rolling" well before your anticipated starting time for the project.

Bidding Process
Once the final plans have been approved, we schedule a construction diagnostic meeting at your home. This is where the Project Manager will meet with our subcontractors and vendors to dissect your project in order to get an accurate bid and help derail any potential challenges that may not be shown on the blueprints. This meeting usually takes 1 - 3 hours depending upon the size of the project. You will not have to be there for this meeting, but are more than welcome to be there to ask/answer questions. We feel very strongly that this meeting is imperative to accurately bidding a project and to help eliminate costly change orders for things that may not be depicted on the blueprints. Although we make every effort to identify potential hidden conditions, sometimes issues arise that are not foreseeable. It takes approximately one to two weeks for us to compile your bid after the construction diagnostic meeting. Initially, we usually submit a "Construction Proposal" without all the specific details of your project with our bid. Because full project specifications can take 10 to 20 hours to prepare, we want to make sure you are comfortable with the bid prior to putting additional time into the full specifications. Del Sol Construction can answer any questions you have regarding specifics of the project prior to your making your final decision on whether to proceed with your project.

Pre Construction Conference
When you decide to proceed with your project, a start date will be determined and a "pre construction meeting" will be scheduled at your home with Del Sol Construction's Project Manager, and you. At this conference,We will answer any further questions you have about the specifications and also ask you other questions. These questions will range from the start date of your project and satellite kitchen locations,  to where you would like the portable toilet set as well as obtaining information about pets, crew parking, etc.

Contract Signing
Any changes or clarifications made at the pre construction conference will be incorporated into the final project specifications that will be attached to the contract and submitted to you. Once the contract has been signed and the project start payment received, the project will begin.

Project Begins
At this point, every project is different in its process. Obviously, cosmetic remodels differ greatly from room additions. The first step may be excavation or the removal of appliances in your kitchen. Del Sol Construction will provide you with a tentative schedule of events so you will know in general what to expect as the project progresses. we are always available to answer any questions you have. The Project Manager will be your main contact throughout your project. Of course, you are always free to contact the office if you have any concerns or questions.

How We Handle Change Order Concerns
A major concern for most people who remodel, is that they are going to get "stuck" with a lot of extra's and overages at the end of the project. Del Sol eliminates this through the project estimate conference. Our bids are not based on averages or comparisons to other projects. Since every project is custom in its own way, Del Sol bids each project independently. This takes a little more time, but it is the only way to insure accuracy so the client isn't paying for something they aren't getting. Del Sol Construction strives to ensure there are no surprises at the end of the project for its clients. Del Sol makes every effort to ensure that all aspects of the project are taken into account and are included in the bid. Our hands-on experience helps him in bidding a project because he is aware of the numerous issues that may arise during a remodel. Contractors (and subcontractors) in the "new" construction industry are often not aware of issues that might arise during a remodel as opposed to new home construction. Prior to giving a bid on a major remodel, Del Sol Construction has a project evaluation conference, at which time our subcontractors meet with us at the job site and dissect their portion of the project. This allows them the opportunity to identify any potential problems or see items, which aren't identifiable on the blueprints. Del Sol's subcontractors have been selected because of their attention to detail, loyalty and customer service during and after the project.  When there is something that the client wants that isn't included in the project estimate, we will put together a change order showing the cost of the change before proceeding with the change order so clients know where they stand at all times. the project manager also tries to keep clients informed as to where they stand on their allowance options as soon as the selections are made. An allowance sheet is provided to clients for their review and signature so they know during the project if they are going over or under on their allotted allowances.

However, with this not being a perfect world, there are times that conditions do arise that need addressing. When this happens, The project manager will schedule a meeting with you to go over the condition. At that time we will, if possible, offer several options for correcting the condition. Once you let us know how you would like to proceed, we will take care of the issue immediately.