Frequently Asked Questions

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We do give free estimates, but it is important to remember it is just that– an estimate. If our "ballpark range" is in line with your budget and you like our construction process, we initiate our first contract for Project Development and begin developing the scope of work, conduct our feasibility study, work through design selections, and can then move into a construction agreement with price confidence. During this due diligence period we often put upwards of 60-man hours into your job. We want to do our best to limit surprises during construction and guide you in setting a realistic budget and schedule for your custom project.

Many hours of upfront planning are required for a successful construction project. This can be overwhelming for clients, and that's where our expert team comes in. When choosing design-build you are choosing a partner to guide you through the many elements of a construction process from start to finish. This includes permitting, scope development, architectural services, survey coordination, engineering, design, finalizing selections, and construction. When choosing to work with a design-build company, you're also choosing price confidence. Sometimes the budget you initially establish does not match the scope of work you desire for your project. During our Project Development process, we work with you to create a detailed scope of work that can achieve your goals for your home and align with your budget goals. We want to be on the same page before moving into a construction agreement and minimize surprises.  Ultimately, choosing a design-build contractor gives you more control over details and budget of your project.

Yes and no. In order to properly budget and plan for efficient construction you will need plans. However, we are a full-service design-build firm. If you haven't yet created plans when you reach out to us, we have a team of draftsman and architects that can help develop your vision into construction ready drawings. This will be one of the early steps in our Project Development Process. 

We can give you a better estimate of our construction availability on our initial call, however it is important to remember that quality construction and price confidence requires upfront planning. Depending on the size of the project, our clients spend a range of 2-6 months in our project development phase. You should expect at a minimum, several months from the time we first talk to your construction kick off.

If you choose to work with The Kingston Group for your home remodel, you will ultimately sign two contracts. The first is the Project Development agreement. The contract deliverables and cost for Project Development are custom to each project's needs (For example, how many design hours are needed? Will we be providing architectural services? Will a property survey be required?). Once you sign this agreement and pay the Project Development fee, you officially have your "spot" with TKG. At first this will look like a 2-3 month window of when we expect construction to begin, and as we work through the Project Development process and gain more information about permitting and lead times on materials, the target start date will get more specific and we will give you plenty of notice to coordinate moving out. Your availability and engagement through Project Development also plays an important role in hitting the target construction start date! 

We like to say, “The happiest clients are the ones who move out!”  Honestly, most major renovations are not conducive to living through. There will be periods of time with no power, no water, and it's often unsafe. There are some exceptions to this, and we can talk through your specific circumstance to learn what's best for you and your project.  You may be surprised to learn that moving out could actually save you time and money in the end.   

Unfortunately, there is no magic answer here. There are many factors that make up the cost of a construction project. Standard price per square foot can be misleading with all construction, but especially with remodels and additions because there are often "domino" costs that aren't always reflected in the new space. Every project we design and build are unique and custom to each individual client and our process allows us to guide you in making decisions that can achieve your goals. For example, Will your kitchen have a $1500 refrigerator or a $15,000 refrigerator? Is the wall you want to remove load bearing? If so, is that reflected in your budget? When planning for your addition, will your existing floors need to be refinished to match the new floors?  Does your existing HVAC system need upgrades, or do you need an entirely new unit? As you can see, there is no “one size fits all” answer. We take clients through our Project Development process to help you set a reasonable and ideal budget for your project. 

When you choose a fixed price contractor, you are choosing price confidence. By working through our Project Development process, we are able to eliminate most gray areas that tend to pop up downstream as surprises and "budget-busters". By creating a detailed scope of work that consist of our thorough feasibility study, along with finalizing all major selections and design decisions, we can be confident in the total construction price with the exception of a handful of allowance categories. This helps our clients understand if they need to make changes to the scope of work prior to moving forward into a construction agreement. At the end of the day, upfront planning and communication are key factors in giving our clients confidence moving forward into a fixed price construction contract. 

We require a deposit prior to construction and then progression payments are made when milestones are hit (e.g. A milestone may be “start of paint.”) Jobs are typically broken into 4-7 payments based on the size, scope and length of the remodeling project. When working with a bank, they may require an inspection prior to releasing funds at milestones. The bank will provide their own inspector and potentially their own schedule of values.  We've found that most regional and local banks will base their draw schedules on the contract with the builder.  We recommend setting aside some funds to cover any overlaps or delays in distributions from the bank.

We stand behind our work. After the project is complete, we’re still on your team. All projects come with a 1-year builders warranty in addition to the manufacturers' warranties for the appliances and equipment installed in your home.  So you can have confidence that your investment will be protected and that we'll come alongside your family to ensure that your home is working as intended!