Got a Question?
I consider myself more of a remodeler who happens to build a few custom homes.
Large projects, the ones that most people toss their hands in the air over. We take on a lot of things that many people aren’t willing to do. The high-end projects include remodeling kitchens and baths, adding sunrooms, family rooms and master bedroom suites and doing renovations.
The average cost for the work is $100,000 to $125,000. We aren’t a handy-man company (“I need a couple of doors installed in my house”) – that is, our lowest job is $75,000 and our sweet spot is $200,000 and above.
Yes, if I think the changes to a house won’t fit in the neighborhood, or the project will price the house out of the neighborhood.
Have a good idea of what you want to accomplish and get a reasonable budget. Then, find someone who you can work with who’s honest and has an interest in your project. The more definition you can have on the front end, the less confusion and questions there will be later on.
That being said, we have learned over the years how to listen to our clients, and that is as important as any skill we could bring to the table. Remodeling your home can be a very personal thing. We feel like we’re good at discovering exactly what a client wants, and where a person may only be in the early stages of thinking through their ideas, we enjoy bringing suggestions to the table.
Our business is concentrated between the center of Nashville to the center of Franklin, the east side of Belleview to Interstate 65 and Brentwood. Depending on the project, we sometimes will choose to accept an exceptional job located outside of those boundaries.
We recommend you hire the Builder first and then the Architect and form a team to drive the design and the budget at the same time so there’s no surprises.
What typically happens more often than not is, “I have to have an architect so I can get a bid.” The dilemma there is that Architects tend to design the Taj Mahal without the Builder’s experience with costs. Without the Builder’s input, often the project will have be changed or scaled back to be in agreement the homeowners budget.
You can have lots of plans or no plans at all!
Check out our Advice FAQ and our Process FAQ to learn more.
Typically, if a job fits within our geographic area, we first determine the scope of work (size of the project) and then set the budget (amount of money you’d like to invest in your home).
We then come back to you with some budget ranges on the various items in your scope of work.
Then, based on those estimated budget ranges, we can narrow down the scope of work and do whatever design is needed to obtain pricing. We are also happy to work with your architect or interior designers.
After pricing the design, we have subcontractors (electrical, plumbing, etc.) that come out to accurately price the work. At that point we go to final budget and contract. Then we get a building permit, present a selection list and recommended vendors. Then, we build.
Crane Builders walks you through the process every step of the way. We’ll give you a Selection List beforehand in preparation for the job as well as during the duration of the job through warranty.
A small percentage of the job is collected as a deposit upon signing the contract. All other bills are issued monthly based on work completed. Final payment is due upon completion. We request payment be made by check.
The great majority of our clients stay in the house during construction. It really depends on how extensive the construction is and how much you are willing to live in a house that is not fully functional while construction goes on.
It could be anywhere form 3 weeks to 4 months depending on how extensive the remodel is.
Absolutely. But the final product is worth it.
We have a lead carpenter/project manager that runs 2-3 jobs at a time. We also have a production manager who oversees each of the lead carpenters, and David Crane is closely involved in the management of each and every job. David is very hands on in overseeing the completion of each project. Our field employees are always available by email, text, or phone.
We have weekly meetings with our homeowners to discuss our progress and to answer the questions that have arisen since our last meeting.
Our goal is to exceed expectations. We care about our homeowners and consider ourselves part of their family. Our team of highly-skilled people on the job and in the office ensures quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. We strive for excellent communication between Crane Builders, our clients and every person who is helping to build the dream!