Frequently Asked Questions

We have decades of experience in building custom homes and large-scale home remodeling. While we provide our homeowners with resources, this FAQ may help answer questions you have as you work with us.

Project Scope, Design, and Planning

What is Design Build Construction?

Design Build is a construction project deliver method where the design and the physical construction are under one roof. By handling design, permitting, and construction, this streamlined approach creates a single point of responsibility. Ultimately, this method increases efficiency, minimizes unexpected delays, and reduces overall risks within a home project. 

Pre-construction services are important because thorough planning prevents costly surprises by ensuring scope clarity, accurate pricing, and aligned expectations before building begins.

During our pre-construction (PDSA) phase, we take care of the following key steps to set your project up for success:

  • Permit acquisition: We secure all necessary building permits required for your project.
  • Material procurement: We coordinate the early ordering of materials with long lead times.
  • Schedule development: We build a clear, comprehensive construction timeline.
  • Plan review: Your dedicated project manager thoroughly reviews all plans and integrates your specific requests.
  • Site preparation: We arrange for any needed temporary facilities and conduct a comprehensive site walk with you to ensure you are comfortable before construction commences.

Propacific chooses not to do design in-house because we prefer to collaborate with a wide network of fully vetted freelance designers. By outsourcing our design work, we can provide a diverse array of talented designers and directly match you with a creative partner whose specific style, vision, and personality perfectly align with your project’s unique needs, rather than limiting you to a small in-house team.

Project Management & Supervision

When Will I Meet My On-Site Project Manager?

You will typically meet your on-site Project Manager 6 to 8 weeks before construction begins, immediately after the interior design and construction plans are finalized. We carefully match you with a PM who fits your specific project needs and communication style.

Yes, you will have the same dedicated Project Manager (PM) assigned to your project throughout the entire construction process.

Your custom home build or remodeling project is supervised day-to-day by a dedicated Project Manager (PM) who serves as your primary point of contact. The PM conducts regular on-site visits to manage construction progress and ensure high-quality workmanship. Additionally, your Project Manager will provide you with consistent, real-time project updates and seamless communication through the Buildertrend platform.

Project meetings are scheduled weekly throughout your custom home build or remodeling project. These regular check-ins allow us to review the construction schedule, address any questions you might have, and ensure every detail aligns with your overall vision. Depending on your preference and availability, we can conduct these meetings on-site at your property or virtually.

Yes, Scott and Mike are heavily involved in every home build and remodeling project. While they may not be on-site every single day, they are hands-on leaders who actively manage project oversight, daily scheduling, and strict quality control to ensure your home renovation is completed to the highest standards.

Cost & Contract Stucture

Why Do Contractors Use Fixed-Price Contracts Instead of Cost-Plus Contracts?

A fixed-price contract provides homeowners with complete upfront cost certainty and protects them from unexpected expenses. In contrast, cost-plus contracts can unintentionally incentivize cost increases, as the builder’s fee is often a percentage of the total project expense. We use fixed-price agreements by investing significant time upfront to define the exact scope of your custom home or renovation, eliminating guesswork and ensuring your remodeling project stays perfectly on budget.

The typical markup for a home builder varies depending on whether the project is a new construction or a renovation. For new home builds, builders apply a standard industry markup percentage to cover overhead and profit (10-20%). For remodeling projects, the markup is typically higher and fluctuates based on project complexity, as renovations require more coordination, adaptability, and carry a greater overall risk than building from the ground up.

Project costs for home builds and remodeling can exceed the original Professional Design Service Agreement (PDSA) due to changes in project scope, hidden property issues, or fluctuating material prices.
Here are the most common reasons for increased construction and remodeling costs:
Scope Creep: The homeowner requests to expands the project requirements, such as adding square footage or custom features, beyond the initial design proposal.
Change Orders: Additional work or premium upgrades are authorized by the homeowner that were not included in the original building agreement.
Material Escalation: An unexpected price increased in construction materials like lumber, structural steel, flooring, or custom fixtures.
Unforeseen Conditions: Hidden problems are discovered during demolition, such as structural rot, outdated electrical wiring, or plumbing issues, which require extra work to fix.
Revisions and Design Errors: Changes are made to the architectural plans or design layouts after the building permits have already been obtained.

No, you cannot perform the demolition yourself during a home remodel. To ensure the highest quality standards and to prevent safety and liability issues, all demolition work is strictly handled by our fully trained and licensed subcontractors. Relying on professionals for this phase guarantees that your home remodeling project is prepared safely and correctly for the next steps.

Propacific Builders costs more than other custom home builders & home remodeling contractors because we provide premium, fixed-price contracts that eliminate unexpected expenses. While cheaper alternatives often result in hidden fees, inferior materials, and delayed timelines, our home remodeling services guarantee a higher standard of quality. Your investment with us ensures:
Fixed-Price Certainty: Comprehensive contracts that prevent cost overruns.
Experienced Professionals: Highly skilled labor dedicated to your specific remodeling project.
Transparent Itemization: Clear, detailed breakdowns of all materials and labor costs.
Premium Materials: High-quality products chosen for durability and aesthetic appeal.
Warranty-Backed Results: Reliable, long-lasting outcomes that protect your home investment.

Scheduling, Subcontractors & Buildertrend

Does ProPacific Builders Use Subcontractors?

Yes, ProPacific Builders uses subcontractors for large-scale remodeling projects. Because these projects are highly complex, they require specialized skills to meet strict quality standards. By hiring dedicated experts in specific trades, ProPacific Builders ensures you receive the highest level of craftsmanship for every phase of your home project.

ProPacific Builders selects and qualifies subcontractors through a strict five-step vetting process to ensure quality, safety, and reliability. The qualification process includes:

  1. Prequalification Requirements: Before bidding on a project, subcontractors must submit a detailed questionnaire covering their company profile, financial health, and safety records (including EMR and OSHA logs).
  2. Licensing and Insurance Verification: ProPacific Builders verifies that all prospective subcontractors hold active state and county licenses, as well as required insurance like general liability and workers’ compensation.
  3. Safety and Performance Vetting: To ensure a secure job site, subcontractors are carefully evaluated based on their safety track records and compliance with OSHA standards.
  4. Reference and Portfolio Review: The team reviews the subcontractor’s past projects and contacts references to confirm their reputation for delivering high-quality, on-time results.
  5. Project-Specific Vetting: Subcontractors must demonstrate proven expertise in the specific scope of work required for the project, such as high-end remodels or specialized construction.

We prevent construction schedule delays through a design-build approach that emphasizes early planning, strict project management, and clear communication. We utilize the following strategies to keep projects on track:

  • Comprehensive Pre-Construction Planning: Conducting thorough feasibility analyses, structural assessments, and detailed project plans before breaking ground.
  • Proactive Permitting: Navigating local building regulations and securing necessary approvals early to prevent standstill delays.
  • Finalized Decision-Making: Locking in finishes and layouts ahead of time to minimize disruptive change orders.
  • Expert Project Management: Providing realistic timelines and utilizing an intentional design-build methodology to protect both schedule and budget.
  • Transparent Communication: Maintaining open, proactive alignment with clients throughout the entire construction process.
  • Vetted Subcontractors: Partnering with highly experienced tradespeople to ensure consistent, high-quality progress.

Buildertrend is a comprehensive online portal that centralizes all aspects of your project in one place. It houses essential information including schedules, daily updates, documents, invoices, photos, and messages to ensure you are always informed and up-to-date.

Draws & Contracts

How Does Your Draw Schedule Work?

At ProPacific Builders, our draw schedule is tied directly to completed project milestones rather than just time. This means we invoice you only when specific phases of your build are finished. This milestone-based approach ensures you can clearly see your project’s progress before making a payment, keeping the entire billing process fair, transparent, and entirely predictable.

We do not offer standard appliance allowances. Because appliance pricing varies so widely, we prefer to provide a custom quote based directly on your specific selections. This approach ensures you get an accurate and transparent cost for the exact appliances you want in your home.

At Propacific Builders, we handle all the ordering and deliveries for your home remodel materials through our network of trusted vendors. While you pay for the items directly, we coordinate the entire process for you. This approach ensures we order the exact items you need, prevents costly mistakes, and keeps your project moving forward without any delays.

City comments, also known as plan check comments or corrections, are formal requests from a local municipality’s building and planning departments to revise, clarify, or provide more information on a new home project before a building permit is issued.
When architectural plans are submitted to the city, they are reviewed by multiple departments to ensure the project complies with:

  • Zoning Regulations
  • Safety Codes
  • Environmental Standards

Even with thorough architectural due diligence prior to submission, receiving comments from the Building Department is a standard part of the process. These comments are typically minor notes or questions that your design team can quickly resolve and re-submit to keep the project moving forward.

A preliminary notice is a routine legal document sent by a subcontractor or vendor to indicate their right to file a mechanics lien if they do not receive payment for their work or materials. Receiving this notice does not mean there is a problem with the project; it is simply standard documentation used in the construction industry to protect payment rights.

General Questions

What Services Does ProPacific Builders Provide?

ProPacific Builders is a full-service residential design-build construction company that specializes in the following services:

Whole House Remodels: Comprehensive interior and exterior renovations.
Home Additions: Expanding existing floor plans with new rooms or levels.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): Designing and building independent living spaces on existing properties.
Custom Homes: Ground-up construction tailored to the client’s specifications.
Outdoor Living Spaces: Creating functional and beautiful exterior environments.

ProPacific Builders has been in business since 2006. The company was founded with years of residential construction experience.

ProPacific Builders operates with a small, highly dedicated core team consisting of experienced project managers and skilled craftsmen. To efficiently scale and manage projects, the core team also collaborates with a reliable network of trusted trade partners.

Yes, Propacific Builders works on multiple jobs simultaneously. However, we carefully manage our capacity by ensuring each project is at a different stage of construction. This approach guarantees that every project receives the dedicated focus, time, and resources it deserves.

Our Approach

Working cohesively is what we do.

Communicate.

Communication is crucial in a design-build firm as it fosters trust and helps set clear expectations. It also enables collaboration and problem-solving throughout the project, promoting open and honest discussions about progress, challenges, and necessary adjustments.

Collaborate.

Effective communication also promotes collaboration and teamwork, allowing both parties to share ideas and feedback to develop innovative solutions that align with the client’s vision. This collaborative approach ultimately enhances the overall quality and success of the project.

Construct.

Throughout the construction phase of your project, we maintain ongoing communication and collaboration. With our vast experience in overseeing large-scale projects and teaming up with highly skilled trade contractors, we guarantee a streamlined and successful outcome for your project.
The Design-Build Advantage
  • Smooth Process
  • Improved Collaboration
  • Clear Expectations
  • Better Outcomes

A design-build approach for exceptional outcomes

By integrating the creative vision of the architect and interior designer with our in-house technical expertise right from the project's inception, the design-build approach reduces the fragmentation, resulting in a streamlined and cohesive process.

Through a team-oriented approach, we are able to address design, budget, and construction concerns, enhancing efficiency in both cost and timing. Every planning stage is deeply rooted in collaboration with you and your dedicated team

We finished an almost 8 month interior and exterior remodel last month with ProPacific Builders and they are THE BEST of the best. We needed a dynamic company to manage the extensive design-build of our home and they delivered. From the early days of design boards, cost analysis and architectural drawings to the actual permitting and construction, PPB made the process clear, organized and all work is of the highest quality.

Jennifer M.

Remodel Build with us.

Let’s discuss your perfect design-build solution.
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