About Us

Our Process

We understand better than most the frustrations people can experience during a home remodeling project.

Our goal as home improvement professionals is to simplify the remodeling process.

We work to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible on every project. Below you will find an outline of the remodeling process customers experience with BerGel Construction.

1. Site Evaluation

During our initial site visit, a representative from BerGel Construction will assess the space, discuss the project scope, and take exact measurements and photos as necessary.

With the information we gather, we will draft a detailed proposal specific to your project. For most home improvement projects potential customers can expect our in-home site evaluation to take between 30 and 45
minutes.

2. Design Consultation

Once we have the details of the space and your vision, you’ll meet with a skilled designer to discuss options for your layout and review the many fixtures and finishes we have to offer.

We will guide you through the decision-making process to ensure your ideas are incorporated and your needs are met.

We want to allow time for confidence and clarity during the decision-making and design process, so please allot between 45 and 90 minutes to spend with us.

At this appointment, we will discuss:

• Project Scope: We will identify your reason for remodeling, and discuss potential solutions to more complicated design needs.
• Design Plan: If you are looking to alter the layout of your space, we will investigate options to achieve the best function and circulation in the new design.
• Aesthetic Preferences: We review your preferred aesthetic, desired style, required finish materials, and discuss your material options.
• Scheduling and Requirements: Once the design and material decisions are made, we will go over project duration, work schedule, permit requirements, payment schedule, and warranty.

3. Proposal

Once we understand your vision and preferred materials, we will send you a proposal.

We will outline estimated costs with a detailed bid summary analysis that is based on the experience we have gathered on similar projects in our 20 plus years in business in Humboldt county.

Our proposal will include the estimated cost of labor and the construction materials.

This document will have a detailed scope of the work and will include an approximate work schedule and payment terms.

Together, clients and the BerGel Construction team will go over warranties, inclusion-exclusions, and explain our rate structure which allows for flexibility and mitigating unforeseen issues.

This proposal amount does not include finish materials, as this cost will be dependent upon client choices and preferences.

Once you decide you want to hire BerGel Construction for your project, we will send our Development and Design Agreement.

This is generally calls for a flat fee and is determined by your project type, size, and complexity.

Keep in mind that while majority of our clients will use BerGel Construction for Design, Materials, and Installation services, we do give clients the options to hire us for just the design portion, the design plus material portion, or just the installation portion of your project.

Every situation is unique and we do our best to provide maximum flexibility for our clients.

4. Acceptance

Congratulations! You’ve chosen to work with one of the best remodeling companies in Northern California.

Before we begin the project, we require a signed copy of the Development and Design retainer and/or the Prime Construction Contract.

We will invoice you $1,000 as a retainer and put you in the queue on our calendar. After this payment is received, let the design and remodeling process begin!

5. Design Documents

The design process will start with your BerGel Construction designer drafting a number of initial layout options for your space for you to review.

We are happy to revisit these layouts as often needed, taking your feedback into consideration, until we can decide upon a single preferred option.

At this point, we will provide you with a list of proposed materials based on our initial discussion and any additional inspirations/ideas you may have sent us in the meantime.

For the design phase, you can expect all or a combination of the following documents:

• Existing/Demolition Plans
• Proposed Floor Plan
• Lighting and Electric Plans
• Interior Section/Elevations
• Design Details
• Material List Complete with Active Links, Quantities, and Pricing

We will make revisions on these plans until you are 100% satisfied with the design.

Only when the Design/Build team and the homeowner both feel confident in the design, layout, and the construction specifications will this phase be considered complete.

The design process can take 6-8 weeks or longer; this timeline is dependent on how quickly clients respond to our inquiries and designs and the number of requested revisions.

6. Permit Application

When design plans are complete, we will coordinate with you and your local authority to determine if permits need to be pulled.

Should they be required, we will apply on your behalf for any/all required building, plumbing, or electrical permits.

This permit application and approval process typically takes 6-8 weeks.

7. Material Procurement

Now that all materials are approved, we will submit any orders for your project through our vendors and take care to track them right to your doorstep.

Your project manager will oversee each order and coordinate deliveries with your schedule. Full client payment for materials will be required before orders are released, and we’ll take care of everything from there!

Material lead times can vary from anywhere from 1-12 weeks or longer depending on the specific materials and items chosen. We will inform you during the design phase of any materials that are expected to carry a longer lead time.

8. Construction

Once all of the project materials are on site or available for delivery, the BerGel Construction team will schedule and begin work on your project. During construction we will:

• Protect your home/furnishings respectfully with plastic sheeting, drop cloths, and zipper walls where necessary.
• Clearly communicate the construction timeline and milestones with you on a weekly basis.
• Schedule employees from BerGel Construction with expertise and trade skills pertinent to the phase of the remodeling project at hand.
• Provide project management updates at the end of each week based upon reports provided to the office staff by site technicians.
• Coordinate all county and city inspections.
• Clean up the work area daily and maintain a secure job site.
• Utilize our own dump trailer to remove debris from the site where a dumpster is not convenient.

The construction phase of our typical project can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a year or more months depending on the size/complexity of the job.

9. Completion

Toward the end of your project, a Punch List of remaining items that need to be addressed will be drafted based upon comments from the client and the on-site project manager.

BerGel Construction will then schedule our team to take care of any remaining items for you, no questions asked.

Since we offer a 5-year craftsmanship warranty when you utilize our full Design, Material Procurement, and Construction services, we take care to address any and all needs of our customers, both for the duration of the project and long after the project is complete.

We want our customers to feel comfortable with every step of their home improvement project, so if you have any further questions about our process, our guarantees, or just want to learn more about us, please fill out our Contact Project and Information form linked here and we will get back to you in a timely and courteous manner.