Here is a list of the most common questions we get from our customers. If you don’t see the answer to your question here, please feel free to contact us.
- What is Copperstone?
- How is Copperstone different than a typical kitchen remodelling company?
- How is Copperstone different than a typical General Contractor?
- At Copperstone, who do I talk to first?
- Is there any project too small for Copperstone?
- Tell me more about the Copperstone process and what it costs.
- How long will all this take?
1. What is Copperstone?
Copperstone specializes in “Designed Renovations”. Every project has both a design and a construction component. Approximately 50% of our projects focus on the kitchen, and the remaining 50% are bathrooms, basements, and additions. We would be similar to a Design/Build company except that we do not build new homes, we renovate existing ones.
2. How is Copperstone different than a typical kitchen remodelling company?
Many kitchen companies are cabinet manufactures with the focus to design kitchens and sell the cabinets, the installation, and the countertop. All the other aspects of the kitchen remodel are up to you (flooring, electrical, plumbing, lighting, painting, backslash…). For these, which is typically half the total project, you will be looking for a General Contractor, or taking on these joys yourself. Copperstone on the other hand views the kitchen more holistically and we take on the complete task for you.
3. How is Copperstone different than a typical General Contractor?
General Contractors love construction. Design, not so much… They will be looking for you to provide the design, and if you don’t have one, you and/or they will be making design decisions on the fly. Therefore, unless you have very clear design drawings at the beginning, your end cost may be very different from your start expectation. As mentioned above, Copperstone is going to ensure that the design is well done and understood before taking on the construction portion of the project.
4. At Copperstone, who do I talk to first?
Every project begins at the design stage with a designer. We undertake a wants and needs analysis to determine project scope and budget expectation. Later, once the design is well underway a construction expert joins the team as we go through an iterative cycle of discussion, design, and pricing until we have a project that meets your objectives and your budget.
5. Is there any project too small for Copperstone?
As much as we hate to say it, yes there is. We’ve built an infrastructure to serve our clients that works best for projects above approximately $30,000. Often we do smaller projects for our existing clientele (it’s hard to say no to someone you have a great relationship with), but for new clients we try to focus on projects of an optimum size for our processes.
6. Tell me more about the Copperstone process and what it costs.
The work to create a project scope, complete with design drawings and material lists, is extensive. At the same time, we recognize that no one wants to pay a significant retainer for a project that may not ultimately proceed. Therefore, we use a progressive cost model that requires small payments during the design/pricing phase prior to actual contract agreement.
Needs/Wants/Desires – no charge.
Almost all of our projects begin at the design stage. To start we have a member of our Design Team and one of our Renovation Experts meet with you in your home. At this meeting you are getting to know us and we are looking at your project with an eye to what you are looking for, and what work will be required. There is no charge for this meeting.
Showroom Meeting – no charge.
After the meeting in your home the Designer and Renovation Expert will put their heads together and develop a proposal. This is most often presented to you in our Showroom so that they can visually show you some of the things they are thinking. Following this meeting you will have a good indication of the directions we are going, and whether you would like to proceed to a more detailed design phase.
Detailed Design – 5% of projected project cost
Should you wish to proceed with a detailed design and project plan we will ask you to commit to a Design Retailer of 5% of the projected project cost. At this point more detailed design discussions can take place. We want to ensure that all of us have a clear understanding of how the space being renovated will look once we are complete. This typically requires 2 to 3 meetings between you and your designer with the construction prime working in the background. Throughout this phase we will delve into the specifics of finalizing all drawings, selecting the finishes and materials (tiles, knobs, flooring…) required, and create construction drawings. If we require Engineered drawings for permits or testing for Asbestos an additional fee will be applied to cover this cost, and is determined on a case by case basis and will be discussed with you in advance.
Detailed Construction Contract
Now that we’ve worked through all the design details, we are ready to sign on the dotted line. At time of signing a significant percentage of the contract value is required to be paid. It is usually 50% but depends on the amount of custom materials required, and all previous payments are credited towards this payment. A schedule of payments is included in the construction contract and are based on your project, ensuring that as the project progresses you are paying for the next task that is about to occur.
7. How long will all this take?
There are no great rules of thumb as it highly depends on how fast each person can make decisions. We’ve seen the design process take less than a month to more than a year. Much of it depends on the decision making process. You should probably count on 2-5 months from first meeting to contract signing. Projects generally start about 2 months after signing, depending on lead time of materials, and then project construction will take between 6 weeks and 4 months depending on overall scope. We will work with you to arrive at a mutually agreeable Project Plan as your satisfaction is our objective. For a breakdown of your average kitchen remodel timeline, check out this article >
