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How to Evaluate an Estimate from Paragon Homes

Estimates from construction firms are essentially bids for an opportunity to do work for you. Contractors establish this estimate based on knowledge that you provide (your budget, the scope of the project, your preference in materials) as well as information they gather by inspecting and evaluating your home; for example, you need a new roof, but your contractor has discovered mold in the attic because the roof was leaking.

You should request bids from 3-4 contractors before embarking on any home improvement project. Reviewing these bids, however, is not as simple as comparing the ‘bottom line’.  In fact, you may be presented with a handful of estimates that differ greatly in the ‘bottom line’ and find yourself asking why.

Here at Paragon Homes, calculating the cost of a project, entails first listening to our client’s requests. We try very hard to include in our first estimate everything you’ve wished for and everything we’ll need to make those dreams come true. We do our homework upfront, so there are no surprises for you midway through project completion. Our bid sheet outlines thoroughly all the labor that will be performed during the project, all of the materials needed and all our subcontractor pricing. There are no hidden costs or exclusions and we leave nothing out. We don’t attempt to lure our clients into signing a contract with us by providing a low initial estimate, only to bombard them later with a plethora of costly change orders.

If you are scrupulous in your selection process, you won’t choose your contractor based on price alone. Make sure that you are getting the full picture presented to you in each bid you receive; be sure that you are comparing prices for the same products or products of equal quality – check brand, model and size to confirm that products are comparable; and most importantly, ensure that your contractor is billing you for quality work – they should be in good membership standing with the local BBB and come with excellent references.

When you choose to contract with Paragon homes, you can expect to add the most value to your home for less of your hard-earned money.