What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
We are transparent in everything we do. We believe it's bad business to simply tell people what they "want to hear" - which is where many other contractors and business people insert their hidden fees.
For better or worse, we want to be up front with you so that you, the client, know where every single dollar is going towards to make your vision come to life; this includes little things that many people don't think about. Examples include, but are not limited to: advertisements, storage, fuel, insurance, leasing equipment, pulling permits as required, equipment maintenance costs, and more.
Many others may give you the go-to "material & labor" quote; or even worse, they won't even itemize those - they will give you just one price and expect that you will be ignorant enough to accept that price and hope they aren't upcharging you.
We refuse to do that. We want you to know everything because we have been customers ourselves, and we put ourselves in your shoes when deciding to do business this way because we would rather not let our imagination run wild and have a little "buyer's remorse" because you're left wondering if you overpaid. Though projects may be expensive, we are realistic with you and hope you'll trust us to trust that we will prioritize your needs first.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
1) Customer contacts Bassel Construction Services to get a price ("quote" or "estimate") on a project needed.
2) A representative from Bassel Construction schedules a time with the client to arrive on-site and gather all the necessary information: measurements, materials, permits required (if applicable), what the customer wants, and discuss other possible courses of action that suit the needs of the customer (pricing, expected completion time, type of materials, etc.).
3) Bassel Construction creates the estimate, builds the bid packet, and gives the bid packet to the client to review; if the client agrees to all the terms in the bid packet - which includes the cost breakdown, anticipated project timeline, legal agreement to start work on-site, scope of work, etc. - then the client will sign and Bassel will begin work within 3 calendar days. At this time, the customer will be invoiced and required to pay 40% of the total project cost up-front.
4) Bassel Construction will begin work until completion and answer any questions the customer may have throughout the process.
5) When the project is complete, a representative from Bassel Construction will conduct a walk-through with a "punch list," which is a Yes/No list within the scope of work that Bassel Construction had to complete - TO STANDARD. If it meets the quality and expectations of the customer, Bassel Construction and the customer will sign the punch list together.
6) Upon signing of the punch list, Bassel will collect the remaining amount (60% of total project cost) via the agreed-upon payment method. Bassel Construction will give the customer a receipt with a "PAID" stamp and upload all paperwork associated with the project into the business database.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
We are comprised of Active Duty Army, Army Reserve, and former military service members striving to be our own boss and build up the surrounding communities. We have expertise in Engineering, Project Management, Contracting, and Demolition (explosive and mechanical).
We are humble and hungry to learn other trades as well so that we can provide a wide variety of needs future customers may have. No project will be too complicated for us; throughout our tenure in the military, we were trained to "figure it out." That mentality, determination, and experience translates to our current business model to ensure that the customer understands that if anyone from Bassel Construction does not have the right answer at the moment or can provide the service - we will come up with a solution; most importantly, we will ensure you understand that because we are not afraid to say "I don't know, but I will get you the answer as soon as possible."
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Look to see if their estimate passes a metaphorical "looks right, smells right, tastes right" tests. If something doesn't seem right to you, it's likely because they are hiding something from you or don't want to be fully transparent with you.
Many of our competitors give estimates that are simply "Labor & Materials = $$$$." However, they have to make their money somewhere, so they are either upselling / upcharging the material cost, labor cost, or both since they have to pay for the fuel to get their, paying one or more employees, pay for insurance (and workers' compensation, if applicable), phone / internet fees, permit fees, etc.
That's dishonest work and to us, it seems blatantly wrong. We believe the customer should have and understand a COMPLETE itemized cost breakdown because we WANT to EARN your trust. This isn't a 'money' or 'construction' business. This is a 'people' business - if we fail in that aspect, everything else collapses, thus preventing us from achieving our mission, which is to help build stronger communities and realize our clients' vision for whatever project in which they need our assistance and expertise.
What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
1) Is the construction company / contracting firm having me sign a contract? (The answer SHOULD be yes. See below as to 'why.') If no, this is a MAJOR RED FLAG; the company can walk away with the money. They can complete only a portion of the project and never return. They can damage your property and not be liable without evidence. They can conduct work that fails to meet state and local codes, laws, and regulations. They can choose to not honor a verbally-agreed-upon warranty.
2) Does the contract include an itemized cost breakdown, the scope of work I need them to complete, and estimated project timeline and completion date, measurements, type of materials requested (if applicable), payment method and terms, copies or screenshots of licenses and certifications, and legal terms that protect both MYSELF (the customer) and Bassel Construction Services (or any other contracting / construction firm)?
3) If the contract doesn't include AT LEAST any of the above items, we would strongly advise conducting additional research and obtaining additional bids (or simply choosing Bassel Construction Services because we include as much details as possible and will include additional clauses in the contract upon the customer's request to protect ALL parties!)
