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 needed 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 and 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 draftspeople, 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 conversations 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)
• …and much more!

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 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!