Frequently Asked Questions

Undertaking a renovation or remodeling project or building your home from scratch can be stressful.  There are a lot of questions to consider. Below we have addressed some of the most frequently asked questions about Capital Builders, our design and construction capabilities and our work style.  If you have additional question please contact us directly and we will respond within 24 hours.

When you are ready to take the next step, schedule a FREE consultation, with Capital Builders.  We will meet you in person and provide expert feedback on your ideas and requirements.

Will you let me know what time you plan on showing up and leaving every day?

At the beginning of each job we develop a schedule that works for the homeowner. Any change in the schedule will be brought to your attention immediately via email. Some unanticipated changes should be expected due to materials availability and our subcontractor and supplier’s schedules, but be assured that you will be informed every step of the way.

How do you deal with kids and pets?

Kids and pets always find our projects to be more fun and amusing than their parents do. We are happy to indulge their curiosity and develop a plan that will be safe for everyone in the house. This can include sectioning off areas of the project that pose a risk to kids and animals and making sure that potentially dangerous material and tools are never left unattended in their presence. Arrangements are often made for us to let pets in or out during the day if their owners are gone. We never expose pets to fumes, dust or any other situation that we would not expose ourselves or the homeowner to.

Is your work done by subcontractors or employees?

Using subcontractors allows us to deal with experts specializing in each part of your project. By being paid for the job and not by the hour, they get in, get their job done and get out. Most of our subcontractors have been working with us for many years and are hopeful to continue in our employ. Our newer subcontractors have undergone a rigorous screening to become part of our team. This system allows us more control over the quality and timing of your project. There are some aspects of our work that require specialty licenses such as plumbing and electrical which we also sub-contract.

Larger projects cannot always be scheduled back to back, so it’s good to have a few small jobs to fill out our schedule. Need something done immediately? It never hurts to ask.

Yes, we are licensed as a general contractor in the state of Oregon by the Construction Contractors Board(CCB). Our License number is 181277. To review or to search for any contractor’s license history, bond and insurance and status, please visit the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.​

The short answer with us is “very rarely.” We are very detail-oriented and work diligently on the front end to ensure that you don’t have any surprises. Just like you don’t want to sign a blank check, there are some things that are not included in any bid as a firm number: excavation, dry-rot repair, and permits. Industry-wide, these items are generally estimated because they are largely beyond our control. If you have received a firm quote on any of these items from another contractor, their figure is so high that they could rebuild your entire house for the amount quoted. Our clients find that if everything goes as planned, we often throw something in for free. Some examples of freebies were a master closet face-lift, power-washing the driveway and sidewalk, or painting the foundation gray to hide drips from previous sloppy painting. Getting more than you pay for, faster than you thought possible? What a concept!

As a potential customer, you will likely compare construction bids from more than one contractor. The difficulty in comparing is that each contractor has a different approach and skill set. This makes it very difficult to compare one contractor’s bid with another in a meaningful way. It is important upon receiving multiple construction bids to follow up with each contractor to clarify the details of the bids and make sure that the work that is being proposed is comparable across each bid. Regardless of whether the figure at the bottom varies substantially, there will likely be a big difference in the scope of work included in the price. We pride ourselves on giving a comprehensive bid. Our past clients love the way that their check at the end of the project matches their budget at the beginning.

We differ from most contractors in that we offer help with design, material selection, specifications, obtaining of permits. Other contractors often leave this time-intensive, initial step to the homeowner, designer or architect. If you don’t have these decisions made prior to obtaining bids, it begets the question, “Were you wanting a Kia or a Bentley?”

Generally speaking, permits are required for anything beyond cosmetic changes, but there are some exceptions. Working without permits results in hefty penalties against both the homeowner and the contractor. We won’t gamble! If you are unsure if your work requires permits, inquire at your local jurisdiction….or ask us!

A good guideline for when a general contractor is advisable is if there are 2 or more categories of work being performed (e.g., carpentry, electrical, drywall). That said, there are clients who come to us with their small needs, because they know that we work with good, competent folks that are eager for our future work. Although we have passed out our subcontractors’ phone numbers on occasion, we have found that our staying involved elicits better response, better service and better pricing.