Happy Holiday Wishes

As we approach the year-end we are sending our sincerest mahalo to all of those who supported our family business over 2018! 

We’ve had some significant changes this year, not the least of which was growing the team. James’ wife, Jill, joined All-Build in October. She brings 15 years of experience in project and program management, as well as her most recent position as COO of a local non-profit, Elemental Excelerator, as it grew from 3 to 25 employees. We are excited to become a true family business as we expand our capabilities for commercial and other projects in 2019 and beyond.

Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season and a great start to the new year!

From The Sims Family, James, Jill, Parker & Grayson

Choosing A New Paint Color For Your Home

Image Credits: MyPerfectColor

Deciding on a color scheme for your home can be easier than you think. Consider your room size, how much natural light the room receives, and the style you desire to create the perfect atmosphere. Painting a room a dark color can make the room feel smaller and painting with a light color larger. If the room has a lot of natural light, then the wall colors will change throughout the day as the sun shifts.

Before ordering all your paint, take swatches or paint samples to test in different areas of your home. The paint it self will almost always look different in the room then what you picture. Lighting and room size can make it different. 

Benjamin Moore Paints helps to make your decision easier when choosing a color scheme for your home. Their website allow for you to browse colors by the room type – living room, bedroom, kitchen, kids’ room, bathroom, dining room, home office, and entryway. If you already have a color in mind like neutral, then you can also browse within that color family.

Designing to Budget

A budget is always present when determining a new project. Everyone’s budgets are different but most of the time clients will exceed their budget. More than likely the client will get one thing they want but won’t get something else, due to budget constraints. When it comes to remodeling there is always a compromise. 

It’s important for the general contractor to establish a detailed budget with the client so that there are no surprises along the way or at the end. Remodeling is based on a partnership with the client and partners needs to be able to communicate and get along. As a client if there is any concern, talk to you general contractor. The last thing you want is to be unhappy with the outcome.

There can be discrepancies when it comes to budget vs design. As a client, listen to your contractor, they know the amount of money necessary to achieve your remodel visions and were the best places are to make sacrifices. Your contractor may propose doing the project in phases if it doesn’t work right now. Also ask your contractor if they know more cost-effective materials to help reduce the cost. Remember when designing to a budget there are always alternatives. 

Three Phases of a Construction Project

View fullsize

All-Build Construction follows a three phase concept for each construction project. It's important to understand the details of the process. The three phases followed are the Design Phase, Construction Phase, and Post-Construction Phase.

Design Phase - A projects begins with figuring out the scale of work, which determines project cost and provides enough information to give a beginning estimate. Cost is often an important consideration; All-Build is experienced in managing the budget to meet customer needs. The value we bring to your project is defined by more than just the cost of the work. Once the beginning estimate is accepted, the schedule, materials selection, and construction methods are finalized. A final budget and contract are provided based on completed plans and specifications for the project.

Construction Phase - Before the project starts, materials are checked to ensure they are readily available on Island and that special order items will drive within the required timeframe. Once work starts on a project All-Build focuses on communication clearly with customers throughout the construction process to keep the project running smoothly. We pay close attention to detail and consistently manage the schedule to meet deadlines.

Post-Construction Phase - Relationships with our customers don't end after a project is complete. We provide you with all manufacturer warranties, and maintenance and care guidelines for all new installations. All-Build is there for our customers even after a project is finished. We stand behind the quality of our work and take pride in the continued satisfaction of our customers.

How Do I Choose a General Contractor?

Choosing a General Contractor is extremely important for your project. Watch out for unusually low bides. Most people will get at least three bids for comparison purposes. A common practice of unscrupulous contractors is to first get your business by throwing out an extremely low bid on the project and then try to make a contract that is as vague as possible, leaving room for them to cut corners, take longer than expected, or both. If you have multiple bids it enables you to choose to discard any that seem "too low" in comparison to the others. 

Interviewing for the Job

• Set up appointments with at least three contractors, and don't hesitate to expand your list. The more, the better. Estimates are free, and you may leave with good ideas, even if you don't end up choosing that contractor for the job.
• This is not a time for trust. Ask for everything from proof of worker's compensation insurance to any licenses that the State of Hawaii requires. Most importantly, ask for references from recent jobs. When you call, it doesn't hurt to ask if the homeowner is willing to let you see the work that was done. 
• The bids you receive from contractors should be in writing and should include these four points:
  1. Details of the work to be done
  2. Materials that will be used
  3. A time frame for the work to be completed 
  4. A firm price
• When comparing each contractor make sure you give the same specs for the job you are want an estimate for, otherwise known as a bid. It may be tempting to choose the contractor on the basis of price but make sure to take a look at the details of the bid, especially the work to be done and the materials to be used.
• If your project requires remodeling rather than an addition, be sure to choose a contractor who has a lot of experience in remodeling and not just construction. This is important because remodeling requires a lot of rerouting, replumbing, and working an an existing structure and infrastructure.