Frequently Asked Questions

We take sharing financial information with our clients very seriously because we want our clients to have a detailed understanding of what their financial investment will be, and where their project costs are coming from. Accurate, reliable cost information you can trust takes a lot of time, professional expertise, multiple conversations and meetings, industry experience (and more) for a solid understanding of the project’s scope and details.  Because of that, we do not provide free estimates, quotes, or bids. Often times, free estimates/quotes/bids may be less reliable because the producer of that information is less “bought in,” and may not give things the level of attention they need for an accurate financial picture.

Before construction starts, we share cost information at two different stages: 1- After our Initial Consultation, you will get an Estimated Construction Cost Range that gives you a simple, high-level cost range of where construction costs could fall for the level of project you’re considering.  These cost ranges are not broken out/itemized, and are for general cost understanding purposes only so you know if you’re looking at a $50k level project, or a $350k level project; 2- When you move forward into Pre-Construction (our design-build, project planning and cost estimating stage), you will get a detailed, itemized cost breakdown of all scopes of work going into your project based on structural drawings, design concepts, multiple meetings and conversations, dimensions, materials, market conditions, etc. so you have transparent insight into what your project should cost. During this stage, you will be able to work with our Team to tailor your project’s scope to your budget, and you’ll have reliable financial information helping you make those decisions.  You will be able to move into construction with us with an accurate, confident picture of where costs will fall before we ever touch anything in the field.

For a look at what we charge for each of the steps above, take a look at our process page.

Residential remodel projects are all completely unique, and vary in their level of complexity, functional goals, levels of finishes/fixtures, existing property conditions, municipality requirements, and so much more.

We take a streamlined, process-based approach in working with our clients to establish their budgets in an intentional way.  In working through our design-build process, you will get cost information specific to your project at different stages before construction starts: 1- After our Initial Consultation, you will get an Estimated Construction Cost Range that gives you a simple, high-level cost range of where construction costs could fall for the level of project you’re considering.  These cost ranges are not broken out/itemized, and are for general cost understanding purposes only so you know if you’re looking at a $50k level project, or a $350k level project; 2- When you move forward into Pre-Construction (our design-build, project planning and budgeting stage), you will get a detailed, itemized cost breakdown of all scopes of work going into your project based on structural drawings, design concepts, multiple meetings and conversations, dimensions, materials, market conditions, etc. so you have transparent insight into what your project should cost. During this stage, you will be able to work with our Team to tailor your project’s scope to your budget, and you’ll have reliable financial information helping you make those decisions. You will be able to move into construction with us with an accurate, confident picture of where costs will fall before we ever touch anything in the field.

Using the price per SQFT metric works when you are exploring purchasing a home, and if you are looking at full properties to buy in real estate terms. Home remodels do not play by the same rules as new builds, so we generally tell folks that price per SQFT is not a fair metric through which to view your potential project. We’ve found that there is no standard price per SQFT when it comes to remodeling because:

• Home remodels and additions are complex - you are essentially building a room/space with a room/space already in the way and in order to do things accurately, it takes a different level of attention and execution planning than if the space were being built from scratch with no existing property to consider
• Every home is unique
• Every build team/general contractor guarantees a different level of service, this is certainly an industry where “you get what you pay for”
• Every municipality has different regulations/requirements that have to be adhered to, which impact project costs
• Every project is custom-tailored to our clients’ goals and all custom details impact costs
• Every project has a different level of finishes, fixtures, functionalities, and performance, all of which heavily impact costs

As a general rule (although there are always exceptions), you will pay a higher price per SQFT for high-use, heavy mechanical spaces like kitchens, bathrooms, etc. and/or when you are expanding a home’s footprint through a home addition, than you would be for remodels involving lower mechanical needs spaces or simple rooms like home offices, bedrooms, etc.

There are many different places folks start when it comes to home remodeling.  Sometimes folks start with architects, sometimes folks start with drafters, sometimes folks start with interior designers, and sometimes folks start with builders/general contractors. As long as there is a solid process in place, we recommend starting a conversation with your builder/general contractor. At Bald Cypress Builders, our Design-Build approach (see the Design-Build Remodeling FAQ for more on this approach) means that we ensure the right folks have seats at the table when planning your project and you do not have to have multiple points of contact. By starting with the folks who will actually be carrying out the project and building things in real life, you’ll be guided through a project design process that incorporates cost implications, execution details that need to be considered, and a holistic experience that has all the right folks involved in your vision from the first conversation to the last.

While we do work with clients who have started in other places, we have found that the most fluid, cost efficient, and thoughtful projects happen when the builder/general contractor is the first step under the design-build approach. We have had many clients start elsewhere only to realize what has been structurally drawn, designed, or planned exceeds our client’s budget, or does not work from a construction standpoint in “real life,” so our clients end up having to make alterations to their drawings/designs (which costs more money) in order to better align with the holistic goals they have for their project. Starting with us streamlines things and helps avoid costly mistakes.

Our model is to oversee every aspect of executing your project from start to finish. We do that through strategic local partnerships where we work with expert Trade Partners who are skilled in their craft. We have worked hard to cultivate long-lasting relationships with the local Trade Partners who work with us on each project.

Interested in working with us as a Trade Partner?  Email us at explore@baldcypressbuilders.com or call us at (803) 250-6260.

Pre-Construction (our project design, execution planning, and cost estimating stage) can range anywhere from 1 month to 6+ months depending on multiple factors. Some of those factors are:

• The project’s level of complexity
• The project planning needs (drafting, design, engineering, property survey, sitework, etc.)
• Our Pre-Construction and Active Project calendar/queue - we are intentional about the number of projects we are actively working on in Pre-Construction AND Active Construction, so the length of time you are in Pre-Construction could be longer the further away from construction we are
• Client financial institution processes (if clients are working with a financial institution for project financing, we are often dictated by their institution’s timelines)

This is project- and space-dependent. We will evaluate the need for temporarily relocating during our Initial Consultation and Pre-Construction stages based on the project type and your existing property.

As a general rule, for projects like whole home remodels or kitchen remodels, we require our clients to temporarily relocate during the course of construction for safety and efficient execution purposes. For projects like isolated bathroom remodels, projects involving detached structures on our client’s property, or many home addition projects, there are ways we can execute the project while our clients remain in the home for parts, or all, of construction.

You hear a lot of horror stories in residential remodeling about schedules not being met, miscommunications between architects/designers (the folks planning/designing the project) and builders (the folks bringing the plans to life), costs being exceeded or budgets not being met, and finished spaces not turning out how clients envisioned them. Much of those pain points can be traced to poor, nonexistent, or unstreamlined planning that did not follow a holistic approach where everyone involved was on the same page from day one.

Design-Build Remodeling is a project design, planning, cost estimating, and execution approach Bald Cypress Builders uses for all of our projects where everything happens in one place, under one umbrella. It’s our intentional answer to many of the pain points listed above (and more). Using the design-build remodeling approach, we are able to spend an intentional amount of time in the project’s planning, design, cost estimating, and execution game planning stage of things in order to be more efficient, thoughtful, and accurate when we actually bring things to life in the field.

Put simply, the design-build approach helps align the project’s design with your budget, keeps the entire process streamlined for our clients by minimizing points of contact, and helps increase efficiency when it comes to execution in the field because of the level of planning that happens before we touch a thing in your home. Starting with our Pre-Construction phase, we incorporate important steps like structural drawing, functional/aesthetic design and layout, a licensed builder’s guidance, and importantly, client input, all in order to establish a feasible project scope that meets our client’s functional, aesthetic, and budgetary goals. The design-build approach allows all of the critical pieces to happen in tandem so conversations aren’t happening in silos, and ensures the folks who will be building the project are involved in the discussions early on so we can help create and meet client expectations. It allows everyone involved to be on the same page about what the project’s budget is, and what our clients need to get out of the space for the project to be worth it. Bald Cypress Builders serves as a one-stop shop for our clients, orchestrating the pieces so they come together when and how they need to from Pre-Construction through project completion.

We consider our projects to be "under construction" from the Project Kickoff Meeting (start) to the Project Completion Celebration Meeting (finish). The Project Kickoff Meeting takes place after we get permit approval and serves as an opportunity for us to outline what our clients can expect as we commence the project. The Project Completion Celebration Meeting occurs at the conclusion of the project, marking the moment when our clients can move into their "new" space, following the successful passing of the Final Inspection.

The length of time your project is under construction depends entirely on the project’s overall scope, as every project is unique. While your project’s timeline will dictated by things like the project scope, the property conditions, whether or not we’re altering the home’s footprint, and our client's overall project goals, here are some very general time frames we’ve seen with projects we’ve taken on:

• Whole Home/Multi-Space Remodel: 4-6+ months
• Home Addition: 5-7+ months
• Kitchen Remodel: 2-4 months
• Bathroom Remodel: 1-3 months
• Attic Remodel: 2-6 months
• Basement Remodel: 2-5 months
• Building a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit/Garage (New Construction): 5-8+ months
• Outdoor Living Addition: 1-2 months

The best way to get an idea of your project’s potential timeline is to Contact Us & get the conversation started!

We strategically structure our project execution operations in an intentional way for our clients and their future finished spaces. We do that through ensuring each project has a dedicated Project Manager AND Field Coordinator (members of our Bald Cypress Builders Team) whose responsibilities are to work with our skilled Trade Partners to carry out the project. This allows the folks bringing our projects to life with their hands to be experts in their craft.  It also, importantly, allows our Team to focus on managing the holistic execution of the project so every detail is thought about at each stage, preventing costly mistakes, rework, and ensuring the completed project is what our clients have envisioned from the first conversation (if not better).

If you are a Trade Partner interested in working with us, reach out!

Bald Cypress Builders is based in Lexington, SC and serves the greater Columbia metropolitan area.  We strategically take on projects close enough to our office to where we can ensure each project is able to get the time and attention it needs without spreading our Team too thin.  The most common, specific areas we serve include: Lexington, Columbia, Lake Murray, Irmo, Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin, Forest Acres, West Columbia, Cayce, Gilbert. Feel free to reach out to us if you aren’t sure whether or not you’re in an area we’d be able to serve!

Our Pre-Construction process is very thorough - we try to plan out each and every detail so that execution of construction goes as smoothly as possible.  That said, there is always the possibility that our clients want to make changes during the course of construction.  Maybe they now want a different material or fixture than what was initially planned for, maybe something was installed/built according to the design and plans, but our client no longer likes that vision, or maybe a previously included scope of work is no longer wanted, etc. - whatever the reason, a change is desired by our clients.  We are used to/have a process for that!  Some change requests could increase costs and/or the project’s timeline, whereas other change requests could decrease costs and/or the project’s timeline.  Our Team will walk you through how these situations work before we ever get started, as well as if the situation arises, so you have ownership over the direction of your project.

Our Team uses an online software called Buildertrend to house everything related to your project.  All communication, project documentation, and overall information is in that platform making it super easy to keep track of conversations had, ask questions, and receive frequent project updates.  Our clients also enjoy having access to the project’s detailed schedule so they’re able to anticipate what’s coming next, the project’s overall timeline, etc.  Sometimes projects involve time-sensitive communication, so our clients also have the direct cell phone numbers of our Team Members when those needs come up!  Finally, our Team is on our project sites for the duration of construction, in person, so our clients are able to check-in with us there as well.

Before we ever start construction on your property, we take our clients through our detailed Pre-Construction process.  A big component of that process is combing through any potential issues your specific property/project could experience as we transform what’s there into the new vision.  We’ve found that the due diligence we perform during Pre-Construction often helps us avoid unexpected problems when we get to actual construction because we already know what to anticipate, but any time you are working on an existing property, there is a potential for unforeseen variables to present themselves during the course of construction.  In those cases, we bring the discovered issue to our clients and together as a Team, we all collectively decide on the best course of action.  We’ll explore how the unexpected issue impacts things like: project timeline, space safety (i.e., if we’ve discovered mold, what is the best way to remediate), long-term implications of directions we could take, project budget, our clients’ goals, etc.  Importantly, we include a “contingency budget” line item in your project’s budget before we ever start construction in anticipation that unforeseen circumstances might arise so you are prepared as much as possible.  This is a normal part of residential construction on existing properties and our Team is very experienced in tackling these situations when/if they come up!

We do provide a one year warranty after your project wraps up.  That amount of time is pretty standard in the industry recognizing that if there are issues, they will present themselves during that time period and we’ll be able to get things fixed.  Most projects we complete have small things that come up within that year due to things settling over time, our clients really using what we’ve installed and identifying funky quirks that need adjustment, etc.  That said (and you can ask our previous clients), we are always here if you have questions about things happening at your home even if you’re past your one year warranty mark and we’ll do what we can to help!

Once your project begins active construction, we send out biweekly (every two weeks) pay requests based on the progress completed at that point.  With that pay request, we include a spreadsheet documenting what we are invoicing for (i.e., what progress has been completed), as well as other key metrics to help you understand the financial picture of your project.

In most cases, we handle the purchasing and coordination of all project materials, fixtures, etc. because we often get the most competitive (builder/contractor) pricing for our clients.  There are instances where it makes sense for our clients to purchase fixtures on a case by case basis.  In those rare instances, we nail things down during our Pre-Construction process to ensure we have a solid game plan and everyone is on the same page!

Yes!  Our Team manages getting permit approval with your municipality on the frontend, then we are responsible for ensuring all required inspections are completed and passed throughout the duration of your project.