A: Stauffer & Sons Construction has a "C" license as a General Contractor. This means we can build any single-family residential project, as well as light commercial projects.

A: Certainly. Stauffer and Sons has experience with assisting customers in the financing process. We'd be happy to suggest some lending agents that our customers have used with success in the past. We will work with your lender to provide all contract documents and budgeting information that they need to approve your loan. Lenders usually want to be assured that you have selected a competent General Contractor who can finish the job under budget and with a level of quality that assures the security of their loan. Stauffer and Sons meets all the criteria that your lender will demand in a GC.

A: Yes! We SPECIALIZE in building homes, remodels and additions for our out-of-state customers! We have a secure login section for our remote customers, where you can enter your username and password which will log you in to your own customized web section complete with the following:

• Progress Photos (Before, During and After Construction)
• Contract Documents
• Change Orders
• Meeting Minutes/Conference Call Documentation
• Important Links
• Finish Schedules
• And More

A: As with any purchase, price is not the only factor. All elements of the project need to be evaluated to determine the true value. This includes the speed of construction, the quality of the workmanship and materials, the service you receive during and after the project is completed, and so forth. These all need to be factored in when deciding the overall value you’re receiving with a contractor’s bid. Stauffer& Sons gives you the best of all worlds—we're not the cheapest outfit in town, and we're proud not to be. Our quality is solid and our reputation is impeccable. We invite you to ask anyone in the industry about us—there's nothing but good said about our work.

A: That depends upon your contractor, and what the work is. Generally it’s not a good idea to involve yourself in work which , if not handled in a timely fashion, will interrupt the job schedule. This can end up costing more money in the long run. Stauffer & Sons is generally flexible about including the homeowner in the actual build, but we insist that these roles are clearly defined before the contract is signed. This ensures that there are no miscommunications between builder and homeowner.

A: Yes! We have performed a number of "salvage" jobs in the past and are happy to accommodate these situations. A homeowner in this unfortunate situation, however, must be prepared for the extra expense of picking up where another builder left off.

A: Under a fixed price contract, your builder contracts to build the project for a set amount. Under a cost-plus (also known as "time and materials") contract, your builder “opens the books”, and you pay for the contractor’s costs, plus a predetermined percentage, or a set fee. There are pros and cons to both arrangements. Stauffer & Sons is open to either contract arrangement, depending upon the specific circumstances of your project.

A: Yes, we are fully accredited with the Better Business Bureau® of Southern Colorado, and have an "A+" grade—the highest rating possible. To view our rating at the BBB, click HERE.

A: Stauffer & Sons is confident in the quality of our work. We provide a FULL ONE YEAR warranty for materials and workmanship on every project.

A: Unless you’re experienced in the building process, no. Here are 10 reasons why not:

1. A contractor usually has more buying power than a homeowner—he can hire his subs at a lower cost than a homeowner, because he buys in volume.
2. A contractor spends several hours each day managing a job. If a homeowner were to do this himself, he would be spending a considerable amount of time "away from work" while managing his own personal project that is costing him money, when he should be making money. Lost Time + Lost Money = Substantial Costs.
3. If, for some reason, a contractor mismanages your project, or somehow leaves you stranded, a homeowner has a remarkable amount of legal options available for taking action against the contractor (in Colorado). However if a homeowner is building his own project and for some reason is unable to complete the project, or otherwise mishandles the construction due to inexperience, he has absolutely no recourse and has to live with the results.
4. Being handy at home repairs doesn't always translate into being a skilled project manager. General Contracting requires great expertise in managing many trades—and not just simply having the means to perform one or two aspects of the construction.
5. A contractor spends his time, energy and passion in the building field. A homeowner often does not. A contractor's lifelong career is building, while a homeowner's career seldom is. A contractor often has 10, 15 or even 20 years in the business. A homeowner often has little or no experience.
6. It takes several years for a good contractor to build up a collection of worthy subcontractors, at his considerable effort and expense. These are often "wholesale" subcontractors who only work for General Contractors, and their price and quality cannot be matched by a "retail" subcontractor found in the phone book. A General Contractor's "portfolio" of subs is more valuable than gold, and is one of his best assets. Stauffer & Sons Construction has found the best tradesmen in the Rocky Mountain Region, and it's taken us 10 years to do so.
7. A good contractor can finish even a large project very quickly, because he's spent a career creating processes and systems for streamlining his projects, and has the advantage of being able to focus full-time on your project.
8. A homeowner seldom has a sufficient grasp of construction to "know what he doesn't know" until it’s too late and significant changes are necessary to correct mistakes made (usually at a considerable cost). A General Contractor who's doing his job properly can inform a homeowner of value engineering options, and will often suggest proven cost saving ideas, products, and/or approaches.
9. A building project is usually funded by a construction loan. As previously mentioned, a good contractor will complete a job much more quickly than a novice homeowner. Time is money, especially in the form of interest on a loan. Construction loans, by definition, are meant to be short-term. The longer the project takes, the more interest you have to pay. One month's worth of interest on a typical new construction loan can run anywhere from $2,000 and $8,000 per month, depending upon the size and stage of the loan. The sooner the project is finished, the sooner the loan converts to a traditional mortgage, thereby significantly reducing the homeowner's monthly costs.
10. In the end, the final decision rests on two variables—your comfort level and your overall financial health. Comfort is crucial: most families aren't comfortable building their home on nights and weekends. Sometimes a project done in this fashion can take years or even decades to complete. Financial health is important as well: if you don't have the luxury of taking several years to slowly build your dream home, hiring a builder is usually the smartest move.

If you are a true "do-it-yourselfer" and really want the challenge of building a home, maybe it is a good fit for you. If that's the case, we're still happy to work with you by acting as an "owner's representative" or as a consultant for the difficult aspects of construction. But if you aren't the do-it-yourself type, we're happy to help you create the home, remodel or addition that you dream of. A good suggestion before deciding whether to build your home yourself or hire a contractor is to talk to people who have experienced either approach. Listen carefully to both sides and then decide for yourself whose experience was more pleasant or successful, then choose whichever you prefer based on your comfort level—not out of fear.

A: Yes, we work on projects all over the greater Pikes Peak Region. This includes El Paso, Teller, Elbert, Pueblo, and Douglas Counties. We have also done work in more remote locations such as Park and Las Animas Counties, and are happy to consider other locations on a case-by-case basis.

A: Yes! The Stauffer & Sons Construction team is highly informed about "Green" building materials and construction methods. We are Colorado Built-Green® Certified, an Energy Star® Partner, and a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC is the organization that administers LEED© certification for homes and buildings. We also actively pursue continuing education courses for Green builders. Although Stauffer & Sons Construction has offered Green building methods for several years, environmentally responsible building materials are just now becoming affordable for most homeowners, making Green building methods a viable option for almost every project.

To learn more about Built-Green® Colorado, please click HERE.
To learn more the US Green Building Council, please click HERE.

A: Call us! Due to our unique Design Service capabilities, we offer more than simply General Contracting services. We PREFER that your first phone call be to us. The sooner we can be a part of the design process, the sooner we can be planning for your project and make suggestions and add value to your project. After ten years in the industry, we've seen many houses and other construction projects built. We've seen them done the right way, and we've seen them done the wrong way. For several projects we've built, we were able to catch mistakes either in the blueprints or design of the project before even beginning construction, resulting in thousands of dollars saved for the homeowner.

Some questions to ask yourself now are:

• What is my budget for this project?
• Do I have financing in place?
• What are the CCRs (Covenants, Codes and Restrictions) in my neighborhood?
• Does my Homeowners Association have an ACC (Architectural Control Committee) that needs to approve my plans before I build?

Contact us to learn more about this process. We can help you start your project with success and without any surprises.

A: We carry $2 Million in General Liability Insurance. We pay for Worker's Compensation coverage on all of our employees. We employ strict observation of all legal requirements for building codes, employment laws, insurance requirements and other applicable laws. All our "employees" are actually legitimate and legal employees. Proof of our coverage is provided to all our Customers. Stauffer & Sons is bondable for your project if you require it.

A: Never. We have always completed every job to the satisfaction of the homeowner. No liens have ever been filed against our projects. We have always paid our subs as per our contracts with them.

A: Ask for a list of references from clients, subcontractors, and vendors. Check with your local building department to make sure your contractor has the appropriate licenses and insurance. In the Rocky Mountain ares, our local building department is the PPRBD (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department). To learn more about PPRBD, click HERE.

A: Your contractor’s referrals should help you determine what kind of work habits your contractor has, and how he has performed in the past. The most effective way to avoid a project that drags on too far is to select a builder who has a history of coming in on time and under budget. Additionally, your contract should have a “liquidated damages” provision whereby your builder will pay you a fee if your project goes significantly past schedule.

A: Your contractor should be able to provide you with lien waivers for all of his subs and vendors as part of the billing process. Lien waivers are legal documents that are signed by all subcontractors at the completion of the project, verifying payment in full and releasing all claims against the homeowner any reason. This is good for you—it means that you won't have to pay the subcontractors yourself, even if the General Contractor goes out of business.

A: Your contractor should never have a disproportionate amount of money. Progress payments should be given after the work is completed, and not before (with the exception of funds needed for special order items.) Your contract should identify good milestones for payments.

A: Yes! Our portfolio contains a highly diverse collection of project types. Some of our past jobs include:

• Porches
• Timberframe Homes
• Timber Components
• Log Homes
• Decks
• Home Additions
• Lofts
• Renovations
• Attics
• Garages (Attached &Detached)
• Kitchen Remodels
• Bathroom Remodels
• Timber Trusses
• Damage Repair (Structural &Cosmetic)
• Demolition
• Insurance Claim Work

A: While it's impossible to say with accuracy online or over the phone, the cost of your project is determined by the following equation:

Size x Scope x Quality x [Unknown] = Final Price

Note that as each factor in this equation increases or decreases, so does the final project price. "Unknown" is a category which includes engineering, complexity, timing, etc. If you'd like to discuss pricing, come visit our office and bring your basic concept, any sketches you may have drawn, and any documents or research you may have done. This will allow us to analyze the job in greater detail and develop a realistic budget. This process takes one to four hours.

For remodels and additions we will take the additional step of visiting your home to take measurements and photos, to then produce a basic design and budget for you at no charge. This site visit takes about an hour, and the design and estimate can usually be finished in a day or two. We will offer suggestions for keeping costs low and building efficiently with minimal waste and wasted time.

A: Yes! We're very happy to accommodate projects with special scheduling requirements, with the two following qualifications:

1. The project does not require a permit. Permits are required for some types of projects and not others. For example, a permit is required if your project involves electrical rewiring, plumbing changes, or structural modifications. Permits are issued locally by the PPRBD (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department), and this process can take anywhere from two days to two weeks or more, depending on their backlog. For these projects, construction may not legally begin until a permit has been issued.
2. All materials for your project are in stock. If, for example, the appliances ordered at the location you've chosen are not in stock, we will need to order these, and this can add anywhere from two days to eight weeks to your project.

If neither of the above are an issue, Stauffer & Sons will be very happy to accommodate rush-order projects. We excel at saying "YES" where everyone else in the industry says "NO." We can offer incredible value to your project by offering suggestions on how to cut costs and build your project quickly. We can conform to almost any budget, situation or timeline. In some cases, with proper preparation, we have been able to complete kitchen remodels in under two days in the past.

A: One of the primary responsibilities of your contractor is to lead you on your project. He should know which questions, issues, and tasks need to be addressed, and at what time. By doing so, your builder will make the project manageable, and (hopefully) enjoyable.

A: Depending upon the scope of the project and your motivation, allow somewhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours per day. This time will be spent communicating with your contractor, making selections on various finishes, and providing input on design.