Cacci Construction Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How accurate are your cost estimates? What are your typical cost overruns?
A: "It depends on the type of job. With new homes, there’s usually very little overrun. With remodels, however, we sometimes find things we need to correct after we start work, and that can cost more. But because we scope and plan jobs in detail at the start, we usually don’t have many overruns, other than those generated by customers changing their minds once work has begun. Overruns probably average five to 10 percent."
Q: Do you do more than one job at a time?
A: "Yes."
Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when designing their new home?
A: "The biggest mistake is not explaining their lifestyle to a contractor—in essence, what they want out of the project. For example, if you have a bedroom above the family room, and one person likes to watch TV while another is trying to sleep above, you’re going to need soundproofing in the ceiling. We ask a lot of questions about how they entertain, who gets up early and who gets up late."
Q: How is a remodel different than new home construction?
A: "With new home construction, there are no surprises. You can be sure you’ll be able to keep to the schedule and the quoted price. But with a remodel, you never know what you may find once work begins. You could open up a wall and discover termites or dry rot, and you have to fix things like that. Surprises lead to cost overruns. We tell customers up front that remodeling is a gray area and there may be problems, but we’ll deal with them in a timely manner."
Q: Do you handle permits for clients?
A: "Yes."
Q: How do you bill?
A: "We take a $1,000 deposit upon a contract signature. After that, we bill for progress payments. For example, when we’re 50 percent complete, we’ll bill for 50 percent. We don’t bill ahead, so you’re not paying for work that’s yet to be completed. And we don’t submit the final bill until you’ve signed off and are completely satisfied."
Q: What are allowances? Do you use them in your bidding?
A: "Allowances are a practice in construction job bidding where a contractor gives a rough estimate for the cost of work that can’t be specified at the time of the bid. Typically, allowances are used for finish items like lighting fixtures, wall coverings and plumbing fixtures—things that haven’t been decided upon. Because of the uncertainties, allowances are often a source of billing disputes. At Cacci Construction, we don’t believe in allowances. We prefer to have all decisions made up front. That way, we can give firm price estimates and avoid delays down the road due to slow decision making or supply availability."
Q: Where do you find your customers?
A: "We don’t advertise. About half our clients are repeat customers, and the other half come from referrals from past customers."