FAQ
What is your license number?
Business and professional regulation is the agency that issues and maintains contractors' licenses. The type of license required to perform in remodeling are “CRC” “CBC” and “CGC”. “CGC” IS A CERTIFIED GENERAL CONTRACTOR this is a contractor whom can perform any task in a remodeling project without any limitations to the scope of work performed. Always call the DPBR at 850.487.1395 and speak to a representative about the contractor you are considering or visit the DPBR website www.myfloridalicense.com to confirm that your contractor's license is valid and up to date. This will also tell you whether any complaints have been filed against the contractor. Designer Homes is Florida State Certified General Contractor and our license number is CGC1512290. We encourage consumers to verify our license before or after our free consultation with one of our Remodeling Consultants. Designer Homes is pleased to announce that with several hundred ongoing projects throughout the years we are complaint free.
Which type and how much insurance do you carry?
Florida law requires contractors to meet or exceed required coverage’s for commercial general liability insurance. Commercial liability insurance protects the client’s property against contractor’s negligence. If your contractor is not fully covered, it may expose you to great risk as a homeowner. You can be held liable for everything the contractor's insurance doesn't cover. Workers compensation is another insurance required by Florida law; workers comp covers and protects laborers if they are injured in the work place. If your contractor is not covered, you may be liable if any workers that are injured. You should insist and request copies of both workers compensation and commercial general liability. At Designer Homes we carry both liability, and worker's compensation insurance, we leave nothing to chance when we are working in your home. Our clients do not need to worry whether there is insurance coverage in the unlikely event of an accident. Ask us to see our insurance declaration page. This document provides the consumer with the insured’s coverage information.
Which associations do you belong to?
National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) is the most influential and prestigious organization in the remodeling industry. The (NKBA) has been the heart of the kitchen and bath industry for more than 40 years. Contractor’s certification is continued through education. Member success and excellence is promoted through professionalism and ethical business practices. We are certified members of NKBA as well as the National Roofing Contractors Association. NRCA ( to be continued)
How will you design my space and which software will you use?
It is essential to design a space properly paying close attention to detail, incorrect measurements or unforeseen particulars can cause weeks of delays to ongoing projects. Contractors must have access to design resources like 20-20 Design which is the leading kitchen and bath planning software in the interior design industry. A picture is worth a thousand words, 20-20 design Provides photo-realistic rendering in several different views helping our customers get a true feel for their design. By utilizing 20-20 design we can present our clients with attractive presentations and on the spot proposals. It is also essential to be fully integrated our design consultants are familiar with the design process as well as the construction phase allowing them to pay close attention when the obvious is not so obvious.
Do you have references relevant to my project?
Checking contractor’s references is very important and should ease the decision making process. Good news travels fast, Bad News Travels Faster, homeowners like you are very open and will be happy to disclose their experience with their contractor. If a contractor has been around for a while he should have many references. At Designer Homes we encourage our clients to research our history, every client is handed a list of references in all scopes of previous projects that were completed. We maintain pictures of projects before and after; we also maintain a book of testimonials so you can read what people have written about us.
How many projects are you currently are working on?
The remodeling industry can be pretty demanding, with remodeling on a rise creates contractor demand. Contractors are taking
on more projects that they actually handle which results in project delays and consumer complaints. What can you do?
Ask your contractor how readily available he is and how many projects does he take on at the same time. At Designer Homes our
lead time is in most cases 2 weeks once materials have arrived, we don’t schedule jobs to conflict with each other and don’t stack
projects. We assign a project manager to every project to ensure that the project is maintained properly. The project manager
inspects and ensures that all phases are properly maintained paying close attention to details. With personal attention to every
project Designer Homes can maintain several ongoing projects without the conflicts.
What is your warranty for labor and materials?
Hiring a contractor who does not give a written guarantee on workmanship and material is risky. Even if work is completed it’s
sometimes not evident that warranty issues may arise months later. At Designer Homes we guarantee all workmanship for 1 year
and only use materials that are warranted by the manufacturer for the minimum of 1 year therefore we fully guarantee all materials
used by the manufactures standards, most products used like cabinetry and plumbing fixtures contain a lifetime warranty.
Where and how will you purchase materials?
Purchasing and coordinating material for a project is sometimes a lengthy and strenuous task it takes hours of preparation and without trade knowledge materials purchased may not fit properly or meet project specifications. At Designer Homes our trained staff is always readily available to assist our clients in coordinating material such as flooring, fixtures, tiles, hardware, lighting, etc. and all under one roof. Our kitchen and bath design center is open M-F 8am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm and is available exclusively for our clients. With an extensive selection of materials and design consultants by your side, ensures that all material will correspond to your space and most importantly look good.
When can you start?
Contractors taking on several projects at the same time can mean several things. Contractors can start immediately
because they take on several projects at once and move around with one day on one week off. This can take months
to finish a one week project. On the other hand if a contractor’s lead time is six weeks he is too overwhelmed and this
can mean that the contractor may be taking on more business than he can handle and will not be able to give your
project the attention it deserves. Always check references and be sure to find out if the contractor delivered on his
promise. At Designer Homes We relay on creating your dream when the ordinary isn’t good enough and because multiple
steps are involved, we are able to handle numerous projects at the same time and start them in less than two weeks
once materials have arrived, we don’t schedule jobs to conflict with each other and don’t stack projects. We assign a
project manager to every project to ensure that the project is maintained properly and substantially completed on schedule.
How long will the project take - start to finish?
Project scheduling is tricky and since projects relay on material delivery and manufacturers schedules it is sometimes very
difficult to predict an exact start date. At Designer Homes we tell our clients that our lead time is in most cases 2 weeks once
materials have arrived. We can safely promise and stand by our standards because your project starts weeks before our
construction crew actually arrives. Our team prepares material coordinates orders and deliveries and sets up scheduling and
permitting so we are completely ready and ahead of schedule once materials have arrived. The completion is sometimes difficult
to predict, our clients always ask how long the project will take to finish. From experience we know how many working days it
takes to complete a project, but the inevidable can always arise. Contractors can not see through walls and therefore unforeseen
changes can occur sometimes delaying the project, but since we don’t relay on subcontractors who set up their own schedule we
can control all the phases of the project and in certain situations minor changes only effect the project schedule by a day .
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