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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you handle problems?
A : We believe that in construction, what makes a contractor great is not only their ability to avoid foreseen problems, but also by their ability to adjust on the fly and deal with unforeseen problems when they arise. With over 40 years of experience, we have seen a lot of different things! This gives us a great database to pull from when things don’t go our way. In the event that something does come up unexpected, you can count on us to amend the issue quickly and effectively with no additional cost – or headache – to you. One of the benefits of being design-build is the efficiency created within problem solving (see more about design-build). As your contractor, it is our job to protect you from the stress of construction, and that’s what we do best.
What are the things we should consider when picking a builder?
A : The number one thing to consider when building a custom home is this: you are purchasing both a product and a service. The reality is, you will spend an extensive amount of time and energy with your builder during the construction of your new home. Your relationship with your builder is as important – if not more important – than the product that you will receive at the end of the process. The experience and customer service that you will receive can be the difference between your home meeting your expectations or not. There is an extremely high amount of trust required to ask someone to build your dream home for you. We know this, and we don’t take your trust for granted. We’ve geared our entire process to take care of you first, because we know how important that is.
How do we pick a good location and lot?
A : Colorado is such a great place to live! The mountain views and sunny weather is unbeatable, however, with every good there comes a bad, and even in beautiful Colorado we unfortunately have to deal with some of the bad things to consider when buying land. Expansive soils, flood plains, high bedrock, fire danger, and high water tables are just a few. We’ve seen just about every situation here in Northern Colorado, and we know what to look for when buying land. We’ll help you find a great lot and have the means to help you identify these things before you purchase it, so you don’t need to worry about getting into something that you’ll later regret. As a licensed real estate agent, we can help you from the very beginning of your journey all the way to the end (see more about this service).
How is Robbins Contracting different than other custom builders?
A : In summary, two major things make us stand out from other custom home builders; we are a design-builder (see more about design-build), and we are centered around Building Made Personal. It is our goal to make sure you have a great experience and have fun the whole time. We will get to know you and your family well during our process and will customize the process for you in every way. From breaking ground celebrations to blog videos to ribbon cutting ceremonies, we’re here to make this a lasting memory with you and your family. After the process is over, we’ll take the extra step in making sure your home is everything you expected it to be.
What is your warranty?
A : Our warranty comes with a ‘no questions asked’ policy on most items. We want you to be happy with your new home and we will do everything we can to make that happen. Our warranty lasts one year, but we would never turn away one of our customers who had a warranty concern in the 13th month. We’re both practical and realistic and are here to serve you.
How long will it take to build a custom home?
A : Our typical design-build process takes between 10 and 12 months (see our time frame). This depends largely on what time of year we start and how long the design phase takes.
How customizable are your homes?
A : We realize different people have different priorities and dreams for their new home. Understanding this, we start with your priorities and dreams and create a game plan customized for you to accomplish those goals within your budget, beginning with the design. Every home we build is a completely custom project designed by us and built for the people who are going to live in it. We customize every part of the process and cater it for you, from the specifications to the architecture to the contract to the selections.

Your Concerns are our Concerns

We’re here to serve you in the entire process of designing and building your dream house. This means that we will take every step to address your concerns and fears along the way. There is a lot of trust from both ends of this relationship and we don’t take that lightly. We will work hard to earn your trust as we begin working together, and more importantly, will work harder to maintain your trust throughout the entire project.

Quality will be delivered

Even where you can’t see it or may never know about it.
By using only the best skilled local contractors and top grade materials, we at Robbins Contracting have created a standard of quality that sets us apart from our competition in this rapidly changing construction industry. We know that to survive as a custom home builder over a long period of time, you must pay attention to the smallest details on every project. For over 40 years now, we have provided a complete level of general contracting services at a personal level of detail.

At Robbins Contracting we are a complete custom Design-Build contractor.  Design-build means that all of the key aspects of your project are integrated within a single team — from design to building to warranty.  This approach eliminates inefficiencies along with finger pointing and ensures the vision you started with equals the home you ended up with — your vision stays perfectly intact, down to the smallest detail.  The Northern Colorado Home Builder’s Association recognizes the advantages of this new and revolutionary approach to custom home building and awarded us with the 2017 Custom Home Builder of the Year Award. 

Building a home has a lot of moving parts and we know it can be confusing and stressful. Ongoing project communication is key to reducing stress, which is why we take extra strides to make sure the communication is always clear. Some of the systems we’ve implemented to insure great communication include your own personal client liaison and our online project management software program.

Here are some of the benefits of our award-winning design-build approach:

Benefits of Design-Build:

  • Convenience

    This approach is always less stressful. You only have one contractor and one main point of contact, minimizing your involvement with 3rd party contractors.

    Overview of the Design-Build Process:

    • STEP 1 – Let’s Talk:

      During this phase we’ll get acquainted to see if we are a fit for each other. We’ll do a deep dive into your vision and make sure that we “get it.” We’ll talk about your budget in relation to your vision, consider possible options and explain how financing or payments to us work. We’ll talk schedule, your role in the project and what you can expect from us. We’ll be unfailingly honest — telling you what will be fun — and what won’t. And we’ll leave you with a complete guidance kit full of useful information to help you understand not only who we are but also how projects like yours work.

    • STEP 2 – The Design Agreement:

      We divide the entire project into two different phases; the design phase and the build phase. These two phases operate under separate contracts as well, giving you more control of the costs occurred before construction begins. During the design phase, we’ll start by signing a design contract and setting up our first design meeting to talk about all of the fun stuff – what your priorities are within the home and what your favorite design styles are. From here, we’ll begin to unveil what the home will look like and include based on your budget and priorities. We’ll have scheduled meetings with you to show you digital walk-throughs of your new dream home. The design will be billed out hourly, making our efficiency of working together a benefit to both you and us.

    • STEP 3 – Project Procurement:

      With all or most of the design in place, we will begin to procure all of the other items necessary to acquire a building permit and get you an accurate budget. These include a wide variety of items, including structural engineering, an engineered truss design, a soils report, energy calculations, an engineered HVAC system design, septic system design (as needed), an engineered grading plan, HOA architectural approval, property surveys, and more. We’ll then meet with you to talk through the project and all of its inclusions and specifications. We will take all the time you want to be comfortable and confident. We’ll go over the scope of work, project plan, progress payments, timelines, logistics and concerns. You will meet your personal liaison and discuss how communications and selections will be handled.

    • STEP 4 – The Construction Agreement:

      We will now have all the information to provide a guaranteed price for your project, you will have signed off on the design and production plan. You’ve met your client liaison and know who will be responsible for each part of the project. We will provide an Agreement for our mutual signatures and will go over and explain every detail of our straightforward Agreement.

    • STEP 5 – Project Selections:

      Now the fun part! Your personal client liasson will work diligently to keep you up to date on progress and schedule through our online management system called BuilderTREND. She will also help you pick out selections with our vendors and keep you up to date with selection deadlines on BuilderTREND. With an interior design background, she will help you navigate through the many decisions that will make your home beautiful!

    • STEP 6 – Project Completion:

      During this completion phase we will meticulously inspect to ensure that craftsmanship level have been maintained throughout the project. We will do a final review meeting with you to answer any operational questions regarding appliances, heating and cooling systems and any other operational questions you may have. We will do a final clean up to the highest standards possible both within the project and anything on the property that we touched. Your client liaison will do a walk-through punch list with you to check for anything that you might run across that needs attention. And finally you will benefit from our industry leading warranty on our work and how to take care of any issues that come up as you enjoy your new home.