About Us + Things to Consider when Comparing Us to Other Contractors:

Our goal is to be as transparent as possible every step of the way.  For this reason, we provide this educational material about how we operate and how to properly compare us to other Contractors.  The fact is that all Contractors operate differently, and there are many so-called “Standard Business Practices” that we don’t agree with because they are against our values of Honesty, Integrity and Transparency. 

Most contractors are less expensive than us, while a few contractors are more expensive than us.  However, since most Contractors are less expensive, we want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples, and oranges to oranges when doing your due diligence seeking estimates from multiple contractors.  Each bullet point below explains a little about us and how we operate, and then provides a list of questions to ask other contractors so you can make proper comparisons.

You need to be very specific when asking Contractors the following questions, because most Contractors just meet you once and then email their estimates, which are usually vague in and of themselves. It is not our intention to put other Contractors down here. Our only goal is to help ensure you are well informed so you can make a proper and well-educated decision.

• We operate as a Design Build and Remodel company using a Crew of Trained employees for most of the labor involved on your project.  We specialize in Mastering multiple trades, including rough Carpentry, finish Carpentry, Cabinetry, Sheetrocking, Painting, Tiling, Roofing, Siding, and Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring.  This helps cut down on the number of subcontractors needed to work on our projects allowing us to keep scheduling more efficient and quality higher.  I’ve been working in the trades myself since 2012 and I’ve been in business since 2018.  We started out as Harris Home Improvement, a Remodeling company, and upgraded to Harris Home Builders in 2024 as we have started to take on larger building projects, while still offering all the same Remodeling Services. 
  
  
  • Are the other Contractors using a crew of trained employees, or are they subcontracting everything?
  • How long will it take them to finish your project if they subcontract everything considering all the scheduling issues that may arise?
  • How long have they been in business? (If they’ve been around for at least 5 years, that is a good sign as most contractors go out of business in the first 5 years.)
  • If their price is really inexpensive, is that because they are doing everything themselves with no help?  If so, they may still give good quality results, but why are they so inexpensive? However, some contractors are really inexpensive because they go around starting a bunch of projects one year and swing back around next year to finish those projects, making a 4-week project last a whole year or longer.
     
• Our goal is to pay our employees livable wages in today’s economy, maintain compliance with Workers Compensation and Unemployment Insurance, as well as give everyone Medical, Dental and Vision benefits at no cost to our employees.  Furthermore, once I expand my business to a certain size, I also wish to help my most seasoned employees enroll in a retirement plan and meet them halfway on the cost, so they can afford to retire after 20 or more years of service.
  
  
  • Are the other Contractors paying their employees livable wages?
  • Do they maintain compliance with Workers Comp and Unemployment Insurance?
  • Do they provide health and retirement benefits for their employees? 
  • If not, this may be a huge factor in their price difference.
    
    
• Our operating hours are from 8am-5pm and include one hour of breaks.  While we do charge for hourly labor, we do not charge for our breaks, nor for the number of hours we are on your property, we only charge for the number of hours of productivity we actually achieve each day.  We do not charge for inefficiencies that are caused by us, nor do we charge for having to redo any mistakes we cause (we consider that Warranty Work).  In a typical full day of work, we are likely to charge anywhere from 6 to 8 hours of productivity.
  
  
  • How do the other Contractors determine their Estimates, and what are they actually charging you for?
  • Does their estimate reflect the way come up with their price, or does it just give a number?  It’s a standard business practice in this industry to be vague as the general belief is that “Customers don’t want detailed information.” Unfortunately, many contractors also use this as a way to hide what they are really charging for.
  • Besides, what problems will arise when there are disputes over what details need to be accomplished on the project if the details were not specified?
    
    
• We are Members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and soon to be members of the National Home Builders Association (NHBA). We have all our employees take certification courses through these Associations, as well as through other providers, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure that everyone always knows what they are doing, and how to do everything properly, maintaining compliance with all safety guidelines.
  
  • Are the other Contractors Members of any Associations that hold them to High Standards of Customer Service and Quality Craftsmanship?
  • Do they have their employees take certification courses for proper safety and health compliance, as well as to actually know what they are doing?
  • If not, this may be a large reason they are less expensive as such Memberships and Certification courses add a significant amount to business overhead.
    
    
• At the end of every working day, we write up detailed reports which include a description of our productivity, the hours of the day worked vs. the hours of productivity achieved, pictures of our progress as well as pictures of all receipts for any materials purchased to keep you well informed.  The top of the report includes information regarding how many chargeable hours remain in the minimum estimated hours, or how many hours we’ve exceeded the minimum by, and how much material budget remains or has been exceeded, so you will always know what to expect and when the next payment will be due.  These reports will be sent to your email at the end of each day.
  
  
  • What do the other Contractors do to operate in total Transparency and keep you informed of project progress?
  • If they don’t do anything, why not?
    
    
• We are Fully Licensed and Insured in the State of Connecticut.  We provide a 5-year labor warranty on all our projects unless noted otherwise.
  
  
  • Are the other Contractors Licensed and Insured?
  • If they are, but from out of state, will their license and insurance cover them in this state?
  • How long of a warranty do they provide?
  • Does that warranty cover labor, or just materials?  (Some contractors, for example claim “Lifetime Warranty” but that really only covers one particular material they offer, and their Labor Warranty, if they have one at all, is only for one year.)
    
    
• We provide simple yet detailed estimates that show you clearly where all your money is actually going, between our Labor, Subcontractors, and Materials.  We try to be as transparent as possible so you can understand why the price is what it is and why the payment schedule is what it is. 
  
  
  • Do the other Contractors separate their material cost from their labor cost?  If not, why?  Are they making a profit from materials?  This is an unfortunate standard business practice that is against our values.
  • Are they charging you for both labor and materials?  Or just labor? (Some contractors give a really inexpensive price, but they are only charging for labor and expecting you to provide all the materials.)
    
    
• We provide a Min/Max Estimate Range rather than a single price Quote so that you will know, up front, what the actual grand total of your project may end up costing by the end.  Our estimate range includes any potential additional work that was not accounted for except significant unexpected surprises that add 5% or more of the minimum number of estimated hours to the project.
  
  
  • Are the other Contractors letting you know what the maximum may end up costing?
  • Are they informing you that their Quote does not include any potential Change Orders and that it will cost more than they are quoting by the end? 
  • Some contractors don’t inform you because they don’t yet have enough experience to realize that every project will go over the minimum estimate. 
  • However, it is an unfortunate standard business practice called the “foot in the door” policy, where many contractors sell you on an inexpensive quote only to upcharge you with a lot of Change Orders after the project begins to make up the difference.  We highly disagree with this method and developed our price range to help our customers understand the actual real cost before they begin their project.
    
    
• We provide a 10% discount for all new customers as a “Thank You” for giving us a chance to work with you and prove ourselves to you.  We also provide an additional 5% discount for Seniors and Veterans.  Except for the 5% discount, the general idea is that, once you have worked with us once, you will feel that we are worth paying full price for on future projects.  That said, we rely mostly on word-of-mouth advertising from our customers.  So, instead of paying Google or Facebook or other marketing companies to promote ourselves, we offer a 10% discount on your next project if you leave us a review on Google AND post pictures and commentary on social media to your neighborhood, such as through the Nextdoor App, or in Local Facebook Groups such as “Granby Living,” or “Simsbury Neighbors.”  We find this works much better than traditional advertising because people tend to trust others from their community who recommend Contractors they have actually worked with.  To qualify for the discount, you must give a Google Review AND do at least one post to at least one local social media group.

Learn more about how we operate. Read our blog article on the 12 Principles of the Master Craftsman.

Ready to get your next project started? Call us now at 860-817-7191, or Click Here to schedule your Free Consultation.

What People Say

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