frequently asked questions

Payments track completed stages rather than the calendar: a deposit at signing, then draws as demolition, rough-ins, drywall and finish work pass inspection. A final retainage releases after the punch list closes and the last inspection signs off.

We pull the permit on any job that needs one, because whoever holds it answers to the inspector. Curtis C. Contracting files in Big Lake, MN, where general building permits run 10 to 15 business days and over-the-counter permits take 1 to 2.

Punch lists record every remaining item before a project is called complete: a door that rubs, missing caulk, a switch plate, touch-up paint. Walking the house together and writing it down beats trying to remember any of it later.

The walkthrough is where we go room by room with you, test outlets and fixtures, open every door and drawer, review warranty paperwork and appliance manuals, and write down anything needing correction before the final payment changes hands.

One contractor makes sense whenever trades overlap, because the gaps between roofing and drywall, or plumbing and tile, are where problems live. Single-trade work such as a water heater swap rarely needs that coordination and can go direct.

Minnesota maintains a fund that compensates homeowners up to $100,000 per claim for losses caused by a licensed residential contractor. It covers owner-occupied homes and sits alongside the $100,000 and $300,000 liability coverage that state licensing already requires.

Statute 327A sets three tiers on a new home: 1 year covering workmanship and materials, 2 years covering plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, and 10 years covering major structural defects. Coverage stays with the house through later owners.

Yes. More than 2 in 5 Minnesota homes test above the EPA action level, and Sherburne County is no exception. Houses built since June 1, 2009 carry a passive radon system, though testing still tells you whether it is working.

Restoration work begins with a loss, so drying, soot removal, moisture readings and documentation come before any rebuilding. Remodeling begins with a plan. Holding both capabilities lets a single builder carry a damaged house all the way through to finished rooms.

Damage that reaches framing, load paths or a wide share of the structure usually favors rebuilding to current code instead of patching. Curtis C. Contracting measures moisture, opens walls and photographs conditions in Big Lake, MN before recommending either path.

Dust control starts with plastic barriers over doorways, zippered entries at the work area, floor protection down the travel path, and covered returns so the furnace does not carry drywall dust into bedrooms. Cleanup happens daily, not weekly.

Pets do best behind a closed door well away from the work, with the exterior door schedule shared each morning. Children stay out of active areas entirely, and tools, fasteners and loose materials get locked up or removed nightly.

Winter slows exterior work more than it stops it. Concrete needs blankets or heat, shingles want warmth to seal, and excavation fights frost, so those get scheduled in shoulder seasons. Curtis C. Contracting keeps interior projects moving through Big Lake, MN winters.

Scope of work is the written list of exactly what gets built, in what order, with which materials, and what is excluded. It is the document everyone measures the job against, and a vague scope causes most of the disputes.

Supplements exist for exactly that. When demolition uncovers rot, hidden fire damage or a failed structural member, we photograph it, measure it, write it up as an itemized supplement and send it over. The insurer decides what the policy covers.