Rough-in is the appointment you cannot move
Once the pipes and wire are in and the walls are closed, moving a sink, a light or a shower valve means opening finished work. So we mark every fixture location on the studs and walk it with you while it is still a line on the wall. Ten minutes there saves the most expensive change order on the job.
Bathrooms fail behind the tile
Tile is not waterproof and grout is not waterproof. What keeps a shower dry is the membrane behind and under it, the slope of the pan, and how the corners and the drain are detailed. Done badly, it looks perfect for a couple of seasons and then the framing goes. We water-test a pan before tile goes down, because that is the only moment when finding a problem is cheap.
The gap between demo and cabinets
Cabinets and counters run on lead times you do not control, and counters get templated after the cabinets are set — not before. That template date is usually what sets the end of the job, which is why we ask you to lock selections early and why a late change to a cabinet order pushes everything behind it. We give you the dates in writing and tell you which ones the decisions are holding up.
How We Run A Job
- 01
Walk The Whole Property
Not just the room you called about. Problems travel — a roof leak is a drywall job and sometimes a framing job, and it is cheaper to find that now.
- 02
Scope, Price And Schedule
One written scope covering every trade, one fixed price, and real dates. If a permit or an engineer is needed, that is in the schedule rather than a surprise later.
- 03
Permits And Approvals
We pull them, we schedule the inspections, and we keep the paperwork clean so it holds up when you sell the house.
- 04
One Crew Lead, Start To Finish
The same person runs your job every day and coordinates every sub. You get one number, and you are never the one chasing a trade.
- 05
Walk It Before We Call It Done
Punch list closed with you standing there, final inspections signed off, and the site left clean.
Kitchens & Baths: common questions
How long will we be without a kitchen?
It depends on the scope and on the cabinet and counter lead times, so we put real dates in writing before we start rather than a range. We also help you set up a temporary kitchen, because the sink and the fridge are what people miss, not the range.
Can I buy my own fixtures, tile or appliances?
Yes, and plenty of people do. We will tell you what has to be on site before rough-in, since the valve and the drain locations depend on the actual fixture. Anything you supply, you own if it arrives damaged or wrong, which is the trade-off for buying it yourself.
When do I have to have everything picked out?
Earlier than most people expect. Fixtures and the tile layout drive the rough-in, and cabinets drive the counter template, so those choices come first. We give you a selections list with the date each item is needed, so nothing waits on a decision nobody knew was pending.
Building throughout east Multnomah County
Most of our work is in east Multnomah County and the communities around it. If you have a project that crosses trades — or a problem you have already been told is somebody else's department — call and we will tell you straight whether it is ours.