Frequently Asked Questions

Since the pandemic and strong demand in the housing market, construction is seeing a new normal. More homeowners are working from home, children are distance learning, and people have been traveling less, both for business and for pleasure. Families’ priorities are changing, and our lifestyles are evolving. We are also seeing the costs of materials as well as labor and sub-trade pricing increase significantly. The huge increase in demand during the pandemic, and disruptions in the supply chain are driving unprecedented increases in building materials and related services.

It depends if you are comfortable camping/roughing it for a period of time. Construction is loud, with lots of people coming and going. Parts or all your home may not be usable depending on your project size. If your project includes most of the areas in your home, then we typically suggest securing a rental property or staying with family. This is something we discuss in the beginning during our initial meetings. Your lodging costs should be factored into your overall budget.

The short answer is typically yes. If you are pursuing a general contractor, then your project will most likely have several trades. Projects like Painting, flooring, interior doors, or trim work do not require permits. This is part of our service to our clients. We will communicate with the appropriate building municipalities required for your project for you.

Pending the size of your projects, it can take several weeks to several months. We work directly with the local building departments and have dedicated people in our office to help expedite this, but ultimately, we are in the hands of the building department. To no delay the start of your project, we can help get this going on your behalf.

We do both. The free ballpark estimate can typically be done on the spot while in your home after discussing your project in detail. Our most popular is our detailed proposal that we charge for. Our detailed proposal was created to bring transparency and avoid the low-ball vague proposals that some contractors provide. Our detailed proposal takes many hours to create, by detailing the preconstruction trades, the building trades and construction clean up. This is the best way to give an honest thorough proposal. The goal of a very detailed proposal is to get everyone on the same page, be upfront and reduce the change orders. It’s no secret that some contractors low-ball their estimates with costly end-results. Our estimates are realistic and complete. If New Key Construction builds your project, your detailed proposal fee is credited back to you.

Every remodel is specific to you and your needs. The cost per square foot to depend on the size and type of room(s) you want to remodel and the quality of the finishes. Please see our chart to view some ballpark price ranges.

California’s warm climate allows us to work all year round. We have experience working and scheduling for all types of weather. When you project has exterior changes, we will provide proper weather protection.

It depends how sensitive your pet is to noise and dust. While we don’t necessarily recommend that you kennel your pet during a small project, we always recommend you put them in a safe room or part of the home away from the construction work for their safety.

The cities we serve in are Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Clayton, Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Martinez, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Dublin, Oakland, Piedmont, Berkeley.