A WORD ABOUT OUR RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTS

Downcity believes that a clear understanding of the terms and conditions of a contractual relationship leads to happier, more satisfied customers, and a better final product.  Our standard construction contract (which every builder should provide in accordance with Rhode Island law) contains a number of components, as listed below.  Once we have determined the specifications of your job, this is what we will present to you to sign.  We publish these documents on our website even though we know our competition may “steal” them because we feel that if every builder followed these guidelines the industry as a whole would have a better reputation and because it is easier for us to compete fairly if other builders apply our high standards of quality, openness, and ethical business dealings.  Fell free to review these documents and do not hesitate to ask questions, suggest improvements, and compare our terms to those of other builders.

Please also note that there are two options provided for Downcity to bid your job – “fixed price” and “time and materials.”  There are benefits to both approaches, both for the customer and the contractor.  If a job has not been fully planned out and permitted, including full architectural plans and any required engineering, then a builder must make various assumptions as to what they will encounter on site. 

Time and Materials (Option ‘a.’ below)

The more assumptions a builder has about what they will encounter on your job, the higher the estimate will be.  No legitimate builder will risk losing money on ‘unknowns’, and so if they are giving a fixed price they will generally assume the worst case scenario and price accordingly.   In those cases it is often in the best interest of the customer to proceed on a “time and materials” basis, so that they only pay for those ‘unknowns’ that actually cause trouble.  We have found that for most smaller-scale renovations and additions, and particularly those in older or historic homes, this is the best way to go.  We will provide you with a “target price” so that you have a feel for what you are undertaking, and we can keep that target updated throughout your project.

In our experience, every dollar you spend on planning and analysis up front, is recouped in a quicker, more cost effective job and a more satisfying final product.  It may seem like a costly outlay, but spending five to ten percent of the job cost up front on a good architect delivers real value, even on smaller projects.  If you prefer to “wing it” a bit and design as you go (which certainly has it’s own benefits in terms of starting quickly, avoiding up-front costs, and choosing finishes once you have a feel for the space, we are happy to work with you on a time and materials basis and will provide detailed reports of every hour worked and every expenditure made on your job in our weekly billing.

Fixed Bid (Option ‘b.’ below.)

If you are looking to build new, or are doing work that is more cosmetic and doesn’t impact structural elements, a fixed bid is a clean and simple way to get through a project.  It generally requires that you make all of your decisions about finished and fixtures up front, but if you would prefer certain choices can be left until later and we can simply determine a fixed allocation for those purchases.  If you choose to spend more you will pay the extra amount yourself, and if you choose to spend less you will get a credit for the savings.  Keep in mind, however, that even with a fixed bid your finish choices can impact those costs and other surprises can arise.  In those cases, you may still be responsible for the cost of that additional work according to the terms laid out in the contract.

With that in mind, here are links to our standards Residential Construction Forms:

1. Proposal Cover Sheet

2. Company Profile

3. Proposal Introduction

4. Job Specifications

5. Pricing and Acceptance

1. Time and Materials Option

2. Fixed Bid Option

6. Additional Terms

7. Form of Change Order

8. Lead Paint Acknowledgement