Longwood Construction FAQ

Q1 - How close do you stay to time lines and budgets?

The budget and a reasonable time frame are stated in the contract, which is signed by all parties with copies provided before break ground or start of any project. There is and act of god provision in the contract. Construction during a hurricane is not only dangerous, but not likely to produce a good finished project, but check with our references and you can see for yourself if it's not due to nature or outside forces, we do what we say, when we say

Q2 - What lenders do you work with?

Choosing a lender for your construction project is another one of those tough selections you need to make. We have worked well with many lenders over the past years and have had no problems becoming an approved builder. When your building a new home a construction-to-permanent loan covers you from the ground up, the lot, the construction and the mortgage are covered in a one time closing, which helps you to save time and money. Your financing is just that "yours" and we work with the lender you choice. We often look at a variety of lenders to see what type of loans they currently have available and will be happy to share that information with you.

Q3 - How are payments made, and when are they made?

These terms are also broken down in the contract based on progress with a completion date included. Typically we take a deposit of 10% for materials, and the rest of the payments are determined beforehand. Once the work is completed to a pre-determined point, a pre-determined payment is made, with final payment due upon completion.

Q4 - How many of your customers come from repeat business or from referrals from existing or previous customers?

We are very blessed to say that over 80% of our customers come to us or are referred to us from customers we've performed for in the past. As you will see when you check our references, there is a reason for such a loyal client base.

Q5 - What about permits?

Depending on your location and what is being done, a permit might be required or it may not. If a permit is required for your project, we will obtain the permit, handle all inspections, and make sure everything is built to code, and that the project and process satisfies all requirements to the letter of the law.

Q6 - What should I be asking my contractor?

A few key questions to ask could be: "How long have you been in business?", "Have you ever done a project like this one, if so tell me about it?", Do you have insurance?", "Who does the work; you, your employees, or is the project completely done by sub-contractors?" With years of experience under our belts, Sandalwood Homes, Inc is happy to provide all of these answers, and provide references if need be.

Q7 - – What about materials?

Important materials are specified in the contract. All materials are covered, however, as substitutions are sometimes unavoidable (lots of bricks run out, for example, colors of materials are sometimes no longer made), we make it clear that an equal substitution will be made but only upon your approval. For items such as lighting fixtures or cabinetry that you have not chosen when the contract is signed, a budget is determined in the contract to cover exactly what will be spent on them.

Q8 – What is a change order?

A change order is a written statement signed by the customer authorizing the contractor to do additional work not included in the original contract. The change order should be signed before the additional work is started, but often it is not in order to keep the project moving. The amount specified is due with the next pre-determined payment following the completion of the changed item. A change order also may be written when a contractor comes across any unforeseen damage or problem.