Our Process

Key aspects
Integrated.

At Highland Ridge we are design-build specialists. Design-build means that all of the key aspects of your project are integrated — from design to building to warranty. This approach ensures the vision you started with equals the home you ended up with — your vision stays perfectly intact, down to the smallest detail.

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Here is an overview of how the Highland process works for you

Step 1 - Let's Talk

During this phase we’ll get acquainted to see if we are a fit for each other. Since you are reading this document, that process is already underway. We’ll do a deep dive into your vision and make sure that we “get it.” We’ll talk about your budget in relation to your vision, consider possible options and explain how financing or payments to us work. We’ll talk schedule, your role in the project and what you can expect from us. We’ll be unfailingly honest — telling you what will be fun — and what won’t. And we’ll leave you with a complete guidance kit full of useful information to help you understand not only who we are but also how projects like yours works.

Step 2 - Project Development

Prior to entering into a Construction Agreement together there will be pre-construction development for which there will be fees. These pre-construction processes will be handled with what is called a Project Development Agreement or PDA. Your PDA will usually include costs for completing a detailed project budget that assures you a quality, completed project at a guaranteed price. The PDA will usually cover design services and sometimes some demolition and discovery work if required to create a guaranteed project price for you. The PDA does not obligate you to enter into a Construction Agreement with us and you own the results of the design work covered by the PDA.

"Ball Park" Estimate

A Highland Ridge designer will meet at your home to discuss your remodel wants, needs, timeline and design aesthetic. We'll explain our design process and provide a "ball park" estimate based on our 30 years of experience.

Project Measure

If you'd like to move forward with a conceptual design & preliminaryestimate, we'll be prepared to take measurements at our first meeting. We'll collect a $500 measure fee to get started.

Your designer will create a new proposed floor plan with 3D renderings to illustrate the possibilities of your re-imagined space. We'll meet in office (or virtually) to review your new conceptual design. This is a great time to make minor revisions to help revise the overall scope. Your designer will request a conceptual design approval before moving forward with your preliminary estimate.

We'll prepare and present a detailed preliminary estimate based off of the approved conceptual design. This will include a "Range of Costs" construction price from low to high. If you're comforatable with the preliminary range and conceptual design we'll collect mutal signatures & 1/2 of the design fees.

You'll meet your designer at our trade partner showrooms to make material selections. You'll have designer guidance from flooring to paint. After selection are made we'll request vendor pricing to update your preliminary estimate.

Approve final construction drawings
Create key elevations & 3D renderings
Coordinate Subcontractor walkthroughs
Obtain Subcontractor pricing
Update preliminary estimate

Final Meeting

Great job, you've made it to the final table. At this point we're permit ready and have everything that we need to get started with your project.. We'll present all of our work in a clean, easy to follow job book.At this point you'll receiveall design, bids, quotes, key elevations, layouts and master plans. Your final design payment is due at this time.

Construction Contract

At the end of your Job Book we'll include a Construction Contract. If you're prepared to move forward with construction, we'll collect signatures and request a contract deposit.We're honored that you've chosen our family to help bring your vision to reality.

Step 3 - Construction Agreement

With all or most of the results of the PDA work in hand we will meet with you to talk through the project. We will take all the time you want to be comfortable and confident. We’ll go over the scope of work, project plan, progress payments, timelines, logistics and concerns. We will now have all the information to provide a guaranteed price for your project, you will have signed off on the design and selections. We will provide an Agreement for our mutual signatures. We will go over and explain every detail of our Construction Agreement.

Step 4 - Project Management

During the building phase we will handle all the details of ordering materials, scheduling, oversight and coordination. Concurrently we will diligently keep you up to date on progress and issues.

Step 5 - In-Process Changes

No matter how carefully we plan your project together you will probably want to make some changes along the way. We are prepared to cheerfully accommodate any changes you want to make. Our Construction Agreement will explain how costs associated with your changes will be handled.

Step 6 - Warranty & Service

During this completion phase we will meticulously inspect to ensure that craftsmanship level have been maintained throughout the project. We will do a final review meeting with you to answer any operational questions regarding appliances, heating and cooling systems and any other questions. We will do a final clean up to the highest standards possible both within the project and anything on the property that we touched. Rest assured that we care about your project long after the remodel is complete. We'll check in with you to ensure the project is up to your standards and offer a 3 year remodeling warranty.

FAQs

The Project Development Agreement allows our team to develop your project for construction. We’ll work with you to create a design, develop plans, make selections & more. Doing the pre-construction homework up front prepares us for a much smoother construction process overall.

We develop your project from point A to point B. We work with Inhoise of independent designers, architects and engineers to create a special one off remodel. You’ll only pay the general contractor for services rendered and have an ally you can count on throughout the process.

Remodeling can be dusty and noisy during construction. We do our best to minimize the effects of construction. If you are remodeling a single bathroom or kitchen we can set up a temporary area for you to cook during the remodel. If we are touching multiple areas in your home we recommend vacating during construction. If you have nowhere to have peace and quiet a remodel can get tiresome quickly.

Buildertrend is a cloud based project management system that helps us coordinate and communicate during your remodel. You’ll have your very own website where we’ll store documents, photos, specifications, schedules, current financials and more.

We use both in-house and specialty subcontractors to complete your remodel. Some trades like electrical, plumbing and mechanical require special certifications and licensing.

There are plenty of ways to cut corners to create a lower price. Competitive bidding rewards the lowest price and offers absolutely no advantage to good workmanship. We prefer to do things the best way. “Best” means, in our opinion, the most effective combination of price to performance – getting the most bang for your buck.

We’ll get to work building out your project website. We’ll set up a meeting to walk you through your project website and how everything works. We’ll prepare shopping lists, production schedules, subcontractor bids and more. Once we have our bids back and selections made our team will prepare a complete job book and contract for you to review.

Yes, a 3 Year Warranty. When we decided upon the warranty to offer to our clients, we had two main objectives. One was the importance for us to offer an industry leading warranty to show our clients just how much we stand behind our work. The second was to look at our warranty from our client’s point of view. And offer something that would make you feel at ease knowing that your investment is covered well into the future.

We Take Pride in Our Work

We believe that we use the best construction practices, best materials available and we hire the best employees that take great pride in their work. Because of this we can offer a remodeling industry leading 3 year Warranty on our craftsmanship

Checking in on Your Investment

We provide a 3 year Warranty on craftsmanship and manufacturer’s warranty on products. To help ensure everything is perfect, we will come back after 3 months to check in with you and address any possible issues that may have surfaced. Additionally, after 11 months, we will come back and do a complete home inspection before product warranties expire, so we can address any additional concerns that may arise.

Integrated Warranty Claims

Clients can use our integrated online software to track any warranty issues you may have so we always have a complete list of things that need done and nothing slips between the cracks.

The Best of the Best

While we truly hope you never need to use our industry leading 3 year Warranty we hope it helps you find comfort in the fact that you are working with a team that strives to be the best of the best. It’s our goal to not only provide the highest quality projects but to offer a truly unique and outstanding customer experience throughout the construction process.

The typical 3 bid process is is highly flawed. Usually homeowners find the process too confusing and leaves the homeowner carrying too much of the risk with too. Worse yet, the project outcome may end up inconsistent with your vision, the estimated price or the promised delivery timeframe. It does not need to be that way. At Highland Ridge we use that better way. We call our process “Homeowner First.” This is a process that lets you learn, understand clearly and then try before you buy.

We move some key parts of the process to the front - before you sign a construction contract. This allows you to get to know us while allowing us to intimately understand your project. The 3 bid method requires an unacceptable, often intolerable, leap of faith on your part. Key questions that affect cost, project details and project time frame are never clear, the result is that an estimate is seldom better than just a guess and a totally inadequate basis for making smart decision.

At Highland Ridge our Homeowner First process will provide a detailed proposal showing design, a complete scope of work, an informed project timeline and, perhaps most valuable, a firm, guaranteed price. The Homeowner First process does not create new work or incremental cost – it resets the order of things in a way that works in your favor. We do charge for this “Pre-Contract” process, but its things you would have paid for anyhow in a final Agreement. You have no obligation to do your project with us and you own ALL the results of the process. Homeowner First gives you the information you need to make a great decision when you need it – not after you have signed a construction contract.

In the big picture our Homeowner First method will save money & avoid unpleasant surprises.

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