FAQ's
What services do you offer?
We offer single family residence luxury home development services including new construction, remodels, and restorations.
In what areas do you build?
The majority of homes we work on are in Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel-Air, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and sometimes Malibu.
What size homes do you build?
Based on how we have structured our company, we have the capability to work on homes that range from 3,000 sq. ft. to 30,000 sq. ft.
What are pre-construction services?
Typically, before construction starts, but after the architecture and engineering is completed, we will start our pre-construction services to determine what the home will approximately cost. We do this through costing exercises with our subcontractors and vendors. Through this process we are able to get a very good gauge of the range of the construction cost.
Should I hire an architect and interior designer before I engage with a builder?
We suggest that you consult with us as the builder, first, and let us guide you through the process of finding the right architect and designer that will meet your budgets and design requirements. Often, we see mistakes made early by the client because no one was guiding them through the process of hiring the correct consultants. Unfortunately, this happens frequently and precious time and money gets wasted.
Do we need to hire an interior designer?
We like to say a good interior designer is worth their weight in gold. There are many finishes that will need to be chosen and figured out. Even if the client knows what they want, they can have challenges putting all the parts together to make and create a cohesive vision throughout the home. Another consideration is the time it takes to put all these pieces of the puzzle together. It can be overwhelming for the client to take this on by themselves.
If I have a project in mind, how does the bidding process work?
Generally, we give our potential clients what we call a Construction Budget Estimate. From the preliminary construction plan, we send the plans to our sub-contractors to get preliminary construction estimates/bids. We then have a meeting with our potential clients to walk them through these documents step-by-step.
Does Shain Development do Design Work? If we need design help with our project, how should we proceed?
Our company works with many talented architects and designers, and we refer and help our clients select architects or designers best suited for their projects. In the past, we have executed much of the design for our projects so we have a tremendous amount of knowledge about architecture and design. We make sure to always help the client with any design related questions or issues that come about, as we always like to make sure the project is going in the correct direction. As we have the client’s best interest at heart, it is important to provide them guidance in this field and correspond with their architect or designer for any clarifications.
Are you licensed and insured? What kind of insurance do you carry for each of your projects?
Yes, as a general contractor, we are licensed, bonded, and insured. We carry a project-specific general liability insurance policy for each of our projects. This way, our client is paying directly for the insurance cost only for their own project. We also carry a Workers’ Compensation policy for the independent contractors working on site that are not insured through their company.
Who will directly oversee the construction of the project? If I am a client, who should I call with questions or issues that I will be having?
On each of our projects, we have a full-time superintendent who oversees the daily operations of the project, a project manager who is in charge of subcontractor bids and contracts, and a billing project coordinator who manages the project budget and administrative documents. Greg Shain, our CEO, works together with the project team members to oversee each client’s project. Greg and all members of our staff are available to answer any project related questions through email, phone calls or job site meetings. Our goal is to make the construction process as easy, convenient, and transparent as possible for our clients.
How do you qualify your subcontractors?
The majority of subcontractors we work with have been doing work with our firm for many years. Through the years we have developed a team of subcontractors that we can rely on to give us competitive pricing, great service and beautiful work. Another very important piece to this equation is to make sure the subcontractor is available to start the project when we need them. Sometimes they are not available, and that is why we negotiate contracts with multiple subcontractors for the same scope at the same time.
What kind of contracts do you use for the General Contractor/Client?
We utilize the Consensus Docs contracts, developed by the ConsensusDocs Coalition. Please find more information about ConsensusDocs contracts here: www.consensusdocs.org
What is Value Engineering?
When we Value Engineer, our goal is to get the same or similar desired product at a lower cost. Often, we will VE finished products like hardwood flooring or marble. Sometimes we can achieve the original desired look or intentions with a lower cost product. This is something we do on a regular basis and our goal is to always get the best pricing for the best products.
What advice can you give me so that my project can go as fast as possible for the lowest possible cost?
A detailed set of plans from a reputable architect and designer is the most important tool we can have. The more detailed, the better, since many new decisions or changes that need to be made in the field can add additional cost and time to the project. Having all your specs, finishes and details picked out at the start allows us to expedite the entire building process.
What technology do you utilize for the construction process? Do you allow the clients access? How can we monitor our projects if we are out of town or out of state?
We utilize Buildertrend for our project management software. Our construction field team takes daily photos of the construction progress, and uploads this onto Buildertrend. Our clients can access the Buildertrend portal anywhere in the world. We also create bi-monthly Project Summary Reports for our clients which provide a big-picture understanding of the project. Lastly, for construction accounting, we use Sage Construction Accounting to track and manage the project budget, and review our monthly billing packages with our clients either in person or through Zoom to answer any questions they may have.