FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

First, you will have an introductory call with the Project Development Director. Next, they will physically view the property and evaluate the project scope. Should your project require either a Selections Coordinator or designer, the following step would be to schedule a meeting with them.Then, the estimate is completed and you will meet with us for a proposal presentation. Lastly, you will meet with your Project Manager 1-2 months prior to your start date to walk through the project.

We have a proven business model we adhere to. Your first interaction with Semper Fi’s team will be via a phone call. It’s important everyone agrees that our company is the right fit for your remodel needs. We’ll work with you to evaluate the timeline, budget, and scope by learning exactly what you want to accomplish. Following this preliminary communication, the Project Development Director will schedule a time to visit your home and gather the remaining information. They will then provide you with a ballpark figure. Based on the ballpark, if it makes sense to move into the proposal phase, next you’ll receive our detailed upfront cost proposal. On many occasions, this will require design efforts. We are happy to work with any existing plans you may have. We are also prepared to recommend designers with whom we regularly work.

Project pricing varies depending on complexity, scale, level of finish, and more. The more elaborate a build, the more expensive it usually costs per square foot. Typically, remodeling costs can vary from about $200/square foot to $500+/ square foot.

We provide a ballpark figure to help you decide whether you’d like to move forward with our team. We are incentivized to be as accurate as possible on these estimations. If we are off by 15%-20% (depending on project size), your estimate is free of charge. If we prepare a ballpark number and you decide to move forward with the detailed estimate, the bottom line is accurate, and you don’t decide to work with us, there is a cost. This compensation includes 1) time spent accurately developing your project, and 2) creating your project proposal binder which features your estimate. If you do any amount of the work with us, there is no charge for the proposal binder.

Being a fixed cost contractor, plans require a substantial amount of planning and detail on the frontend. From experience, we know it’s worth proper detailed planning for a bottom line cost you can trust. If design, engineering, and/or geotech is needed, you can expect to add at least 2 months to the Pre-Construction process.

We do not. We have a group of in-house expert carpenters that can do a lot of the work. However, when it comes to specialty work like plumbing, HVAC, tile setting, electrical, insulation, and flooring, we bring in professionals with specific knowledge of that discipline. We have developed relationships with certain subs and trades over the years and use only the ones that complete jobs to our high standards.

The time it takes to complete a project depends on the job. A kitchen or bathroom can be completed in as little as five weeks, a full home remodel could take 3-8+ months. If we need to factor time in for foundation issues, Engineers, geotech’s, etc. the job can take longer. We do our best to account for these possibilities at the beginning of the project in order to prepare an accurate schedule.

You certainly can phase projects. However, this typically runs 10%-15% more expensive. A few reasons for this include, hiring multiple trades who must visit numerous times for jobs they could have completed in 1-2 trips, and having to pull permits for each phase of your remodels. Semper Fi understands that everybody has different situations and if possible, can discuss how to phase projects effectively while not breaking the bank.

In most remodels involving kitchens and bathrooms, living at home will be inconvenient. With bathroom remodels it depends on if you’re remodeling one bathroom or all your bathrooms. Additional considerations include, laborers showing up in the morning and creating noise and debris, parking issues, material staging, etc. We highly recommend living elsewhere during the remodel. However, we have the ability to adapt to your situation.

This varies depending on the scope of the project and its complexity. It is best to discuss this with your Project Development team member. When possible, we will help make accommodations.

Your point of contact at the beginning of the process will be the Project Development Director and team. At your Pre-Construction meeting, you will meet your Project Manager. They will be your main point of contact for the remainder of the project. The Project Manager manages the trades and will have a weekly scheduled meeting to answer any questions and update you on the progress.

Your Project Manager should be on site 2-3 times per week. Using our project management system, and team approach, we ensure they are always informed about the daily status of your specific project.

We have key lock boxes that we typically place at all jobs. These are secure boxes that hold your key and get secured at an inconspicuous place on the property. Our Project Managers have scheduled everybody who will be on site and will know exactly who will be there on any given day.

We request that you provide us access. If you are home most days, that is completely fine, but in case you run out, we may have something scheduled and would need access or this can result in a delay in the job.

We take care of most of it, but you will have a few responsibilities. These include: maintain homeowners’ insurance, the need for potential alternative sites for the use of the kitchen, bathrooms, internet, laundry, and cable should your project require shutting down those services, and coordinating movement of any furniture. You will also need to provide us with entry to your home or gated community. If you are in an HOA, we expect you to have spoken to them about the project you are proposing. We will need approval before beginning any work.

Everyone on our team does their best to adhere to the realistic deadlines we create. Our schedule takes into account common delays, including selection availability, client change orders, and unexpected issues such as termites or water damage. Regardless of the situation, we are committed to open communication and collaborative resolutions.

Small changes have minimal impacts. Large changes have larger impacts. We would not expect adding 1-2 shelves or a few extra canned lights to affect the project timeline. However, reordering materials, fixtures, and appliances could significantly alter the expected deadline.

Currently, due to worldwide supply chain issues material availability and lead times are disrupted. However, our model provides ample time to solve lead times and ensure we order items well in advance. Other common causes for delays are situations that can’t be identified until work begins, including termite damage, water rot, code violations, asbestos, and structural problems. Changes to scope of work and subcontractor availability also can lead to delays. The more carefully we plan upfront, the better prepared we are to mitigate and resolve any unforeseen instances.

We reserve the right to charge a $300 change order fee, or 1% of total change order, whichever is greater. This is to account for the research, procurement, and scheduling of any changes.

We do not carry the necessary insurance required to move furniture. We can however recommend moving companies to use.

It is recommended that you do not purchase materials, appliances, fixtures, etc yourself. However, you can. Semper Fi gets builder discounts with several vendors and we pass the savings on to our clients. Additionally, our vendors are apprised, as much as possible, on lead times and can get items ordered on schedule for their install dates. Lastly, we check each selection to ensure it will fit with the design, the specs, and is the most cost effective to implement.

Our business isn’t structured for this model. We are a General Contractor and we have Project Managers that are there to see the project from start to finish. Should you want to act as your own General Contractor, we would be happy to refer you to other local contractors that may be open to that process.

There will be a 1.5% late fee added to each invoice not paid in full 10 days after the due date and compounded monthly thereafter. We schedule invoices well ahead of time so you will have time to prepare for an upcoming invoice.

We would love to showcase your finished project on our website. However, we will never do so without your permission.