Following are the questions we are asked most frequently by our clients.

How are you different from other builders in this area?

Because of our reputation and experience, we’re frequently asked to build the most unique homes to the highest quality specifications and with the most exquisite finishes. We have:

• Experience: Building exclusively unique luxury homes in the Silicon Valley the last 20+ years.
• Integrity: Every member of our team has high personal integrity, and our systems for building and managing projects have organizational integrity. All of the components of construction, from bidding, to scheduling, to building, to accounting, to billing, fit together seamlessly so our clients can enjoy the process.
• Home Care : We have a dedicated group of people who take care of our clients’ ongoing maintenance and renovation needs.

We know how to build our client dream homes on time and on budget.

I understand that you sub out all of your work. What does that mean?

We use independent subcontractors for construction, our Conrado personnel for project management, and the best craftsman in the area for detail work.

Why is this good for me?

• This system allows us to hire the very best subcontractors, and the quality is evident in the final product.
• We are able to get the very best pricing for carpentry work, and you benefit from our ability to get competitive bids in these areas.

What is your warranty?

We are well-known for standing behind our work. Our contract warranty is one year from the certificate of occupancy, and we will repair or replace any item that does not meet our standards for quality and longevity. Conrado Company homes are built to be beautiful, not only the day they are finished, but, many many years down the road.

How do you ensure your quality?

Paul Conrado visits each Conrado job site regularly, often for the site meetings or to confirm that The Conrado Company’s standard of quality is met in every aspect of your project.

What other services does Conrado Company provide?

• Landscaping: We build most of the site work for our projects. This includes landscaping, pools, walls, decking, etc.
• Home Care: We service and maintain the homes we build. Forever.

How many projects do you have under construction at any one time?

We typically have five to eight projects under way at all times. They range from new estate homes to whole house renovations. Our Home Care division typically has an additional five to ten projects in progress at any time.

How experienced are your project managers?

Our project managers have a cumulative total of almost a century of home building experience. Each has worked in the residential construction trade all his working life. They know how to build houses, keep a project on schedule, and ensure that you are getting the best value for your money!

How accurate are your schedules?

Barring unforeseen weather issues or significant modifications to the original design, our schedules are very accurate. We use scheduling software to plot the critical path, evaluate task interdependencies and analyze all of the building steps to create an efficient schedule.

How can we be sure your final budget is correct?

The cost of a home is primarily determined by its design and its finishes. The Conrado Company is competitively priced among other home builders who construct this level of custom homes. We use a very thorough system to ensure our budgets are accurate. It is the most extensive system of any general contractor we know of.

• We analyze your plans and specifications in detail.
• We ask questions and obtain answers to gain missing information.
• We write detailed scopes of work for all trades so that everyone is bidding the same information. You are provided those scopes of work with our final budget.
• We obtain fixed price bids from our subcontractors.
• We get two to three bids for most trades, especially the large ones.
• We analyze each bid to ensure it conforms to our scope of work
• A line-item budget by trade is assembled for you.
• Our clients tell us that our comprehensive method of pricing is the most accurate of any bay area general contractor.

How long does it take to prepare a final budget for a project?

It takes us about five to six weeks to prepare a final budget, given the steps listed above.

How do you charge for overhead and profit?

We charge 14 percent to 20 percent for overhead and profit, depending on the size of the project, and approximately 1 percent for liability insurance. With these charges, we maintain a modest 2.0 percent before tax profit margin.

How do you charge for supervision?

Supervision is charged in quarter hour time periods. We bill only the time our project managers and superintendents spend managing your project--nothing more and nothing less. For most projects, we assume four (4) hours per working day.

How does Conrado Company charge for changes?

All changes are charged at the estimated cost of the charge, the project overhead and profit rate, liability rate and a small percentage for administrative work. Once the new estimates are approved, our accounting department creates a written document that adjusts the project’s budget. All documentation is provided to you.

How will you communicate with us?

• We have weekly site meetings for each project under construction. It is held at the same time and place each week, unless you request a change.
• Following each site meeting, we add the meeting notes to our cumulative meeting minutes, and e-mail this to the project team.
• On Fridays, we will email you and the project team a weekly progress report which outlines what work was done the past week, what is scheduled to happen the next week, and requests for information from the project team.
• Every person in our company has an e-mail address they check daily, as well as a cell phone and daily organizer.
• As a company, it is our policy to “over-communicate.” Construction has its own language and we take the time to explain what it means. We don’t hide information and will continue to communicate until the listener understands. Effective team communication will enable efficient building.

Why do you bill so often?

We bill every other Friday so we can pay our subcontractors quickly. By treating our subcontractors as partners, we secure the best pricing and service possible. Your payment is due the week after billing, and we pay our subcontractors and material men within 24 hours of receipt of your payment

What type of support staff do you have in your office?

Our office staff consists of our CFO, a controller; an estimator; a receptionist; and Paul Conrado. All of these people are highly qualified to handle the unseen details of your project.