Why should we hire you?

Truthfully, construction in general is a tough process. Anyone who tells you differently is lying. You are more often than not displaced from your home, spending a large amount of money, making big decisions, while still juggling your every day life, family, job, social life. We get it, we’ve been there. Our #1 goal from start to finish is to make this process as stress free as possible. We want you to look at us as an extension of you. We’ll learn your likes and dislikes. We’ll take time to fully understand your design aesthetic and wants/needs. And we will communicate with you and most importantly educate you throughout the entire process. We’re not going to lie, we can almost certainly say there will be some type fo surprise that pops up during construction, but what we don’t do is say “X happened, it’ll be $X”. We take the time to explain what and why, and then provide you with a few options and different costs associated with them. This is a partnership through and through, and every single client we’ve worked with can attest to that. We show up, we take pride in our work, most of all we want YOU to be 100% happy with your final product and will do whatever is needed to make that happen.

See what other clients have to say, HERE!

What will the final contract look like?

Our contract is a fixed price, meaning, we will provide a fixed quote for the entire project and agreed upon scope of work at our final contract stage, and the only thing that will change that number is any change orders that occur after construction starts. The contract will be broken out by trade, scope of work for that trade, and a dollar amount associated.

Example HERE.

What is the GC fee?

This is a percentage that is added to both labor and design materials coordinated by Eagle Hill Homes. GC fee is how we make money! The percentage varies   slightly due to the scope of work of the project.

What if I buy my own design materials. Do I still have to pay the GC fee?

To be completely transparent, we typically don’t allow clients take control of purchasing materials and getting them on-site for us to install. This is mainly due to the fact that if say, the toilet isn’t on the property the day that the plumber is there, it causes not only delays in the project but additional costs for multiple trips/work not being able to get done, scheduling issues, and much more. With that said, if you have a certain item or two that you already have, or really feel strongly about sourcing yourself, we are willing to work with you on that, and omit the fee on them. We just like to know that the large majority of the design material is our responsibility to source, purchase, ship safely, get on-site, and install in the way/time frame we promised. Truly our way of controlling the process from start to finish and this way you have someone to hold accountable for your project timeline and quality with no outside factors! :)

Why Is the Initial Budget just a range cost? How will I know what my contract cost is?

The initial budget that you have received is high-level from a scope of work perspective. Without a fully-fledged set of building plans it’s difficult for us to give exact dollar amounts. If we do have building and structural plans, we still have a lot of design materials and finish decisions to make! We never want to price a job and “assume” anything. What type of cabinets do you want? Color, finish, soft close, any specialty inserts? Do you want marble tile floors in the bathroom? Ceramic? Do you want a feature wall? Fire place? Wainscoting? Speciality stair treads or railings? All of this information is extremely important to us and we’d never want to “take a guess” at what you want, Therefore, the initial budget is designed to give you a range of the BUILD only cost and after that, it’s time to finalize all design decisions so we can present to you a final contract.

What happens next if I sign the Initial Budget?

If you feel comfortable with this range amount we have provided, we’ll have you sign the budget. This will trigger the next phase in the process called the Design Phase. You will be contacted by a member of our team, inviting you to activate your online account with us, and begin uploading design inspiration photos! We will then send you a Design Agreement which states, you are moving to the next phase in the process and would like Eagle Hill Homes to begin finalizing the scope of work, building plans, and design materials for the project. Along with the signature will come a “Design Fee”. The Design Fee covers the building permit set, city fees, permit submission, interior elevations, and any/all pre-construction costs. It is non-refundable and not deductible from the final contract. Typically this fee would be roughly 5-8% of the contract but truthfully is project dependent.

What happens in the “Design Phase”?

In the Design Phase we will partner with our licensed architect to create permit ready building plans. We will finalize floor plan, layout etc. as well as obtain structural plans if needed. We will ask you to upload inspiration photos to our portal, and our team will begin sourcing materials based on the photos. We will create mood boards and a design presentation to present to you. You will come into our office (located on Main Street in Melrose MA) and we will show you our design ideas, let you touch and feel the materials we have selected, talk pricing, budget and start solidifying all of your Material Choices!

How do I keep track of my Design Material Selections and the cost?

Everything is on our client portal! After our design meeting, we very well might have solidified a few items that you know you 100% want. However, there may be some items you’re not sure about, or that are budget depending. This is where you’ll log on to your portal, and see options of items, and the corresponding cost. Once you approve that item, the cost associated with it is added to your “Job Running Total”.

Example HERE.

How Long is the Design Phase?

We can go as quickly or as slowly as you’d like, and it varies depending on the complexity of a project, but typically the Design Phase is anywhere from 6-8 weeks. In some cases, if a project has a lot of custom elements, the Design Phase is about 10-12 weeks.

Is the Design Agreement Binding? Do we need to work with you if we sign it?

No, even though it has never happened with a client, the first phase is simply an “agreement” for us to continue down the road of finalizing a contract, you are not tied to us. If at this point prior to the singing of the contract, you decide that for one reason or another you’d like to walk away from our agreement and not sign the contract, you can do so. You would simply walk away with your building plans (which was covered by the Design Fee), and have the liberty to hire another team, or simply put a hold on the project for a later date. Again, the Design fee is non-refundable.

Why do you structure it like this with the two phases? Why not go right into the contract?

We have a confession to make… we’re a bit Type A over here. We truthfully want every single aspect of your project fully priced out, and sourced down to the hinges on your doors and the front door keypad lock you’ve been dying to add, and truthfully, in order to get THAT specific with planning, and sourcing we need time. The Design Phase gives us the chance to do that. Your final contract will include every small detail, and have a cost associated with it, as well as every dollar amount for all the material finishes you have chosen. This also gives you the choice to look at your budget holistically, before construction even begins!

Will my contract “build cost” definitely be in the range you provided in the initial budget?

100% of the time our contract build cost has been within the range that we provided in the initial budget. With that said, about 80% of the time, the scope does change during the Design Phase with add ons requested by the client, therefore, the range could increased due to that.

Do you offer 3D renderings?

Yes, we offer 3D rendering at an additional cost. The cost depends on how detailed you’d like the renderings to be.

How will we be kept up to date throughout the project?

We will update you on our client portal (this will be an app on your mobile device, or accessed on desktop) 4-5 times a week with photo and video updates of your project. We also have a fully updated schedule that you’ll be able to access on the portal as well. This will let you know what is upcoming for your project, when certain trades will be working, when inspections are, etc!