Question 1

What areas do you serve?

Accepted Answer

Longview, Kelso, Kalama, Castle Rock, and Woodland, plus the surrounding areas of Cowlitz and Clark County. My shop is on Confer Road in Kalama, so most of these towns are a short drive.

Question 2

Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Washington State contractor license JAMESHC764LM, UBI 603-050-462. Bonded and insured, and I can provide current certificates before work starts.

Question 3

How long have you been doing this?

Accepted Answer

Thirty years in the trade. I started at 18 after a year at Job Corps training as a cement mason, and I have been in business for myself for about nine years.

Question 4

Do you do the work yourself, or send a crew?

Accepted Answer

I do the work myself and I am on the job site. When a job calls for an electrician or a plumber I bring in licensed tradesmen I have worked with for years, which is what Washington requires for those trades. No surprises about who is showing up.

Question 5

Do you handle the permit, or do I?

Accepted Answer

I handle it. I pull the permit, submit the plans, and meet the inspector. On a recent Kalama deck job that meant filing through the Cowlitz County portal and paying the fees up front so the project could get into the review queue.

Question 6

Does my project even need a permit?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the scope. Replacing decking boards like for like generally does not require one. But guardrail work on a deck more than 30 inches above grade does, under the residential code. Structural changes, added square footage, and anything touching the load path need a permit. If you are not sure, ask me before you start and I will tell you straight.

Question 7

Why can't you tell me the permit cost up front?

Accepted Answer

Cowlitz County charges by project valuation, not a flat fee, and plan review adds another 65 percent on top of the permit fee. So the permit cost moves with the size of the job. Once the scope is set I can get you a real number from the county.

Question 8

How much does concrete cost?

Accepted Answer

Between 10 and 29 dollars a square foot, depending on thickness and finish. A basic four-inch slab with a broom finish sits at the low end. Thicker pours, stamped or exposed aggregate work, and anything needing significant grading and prep move up from there.

Question 9

What does a deck cost?

Accepted Answer

There is no useful per-foot number for decks, because the price is driven by things that vary enormously from one job to the next: square footage, how high it sits off grade, the material, and whether it needs stairs and railing. A ground-level pressure-treated deck and an elevated composite deck with a drink rail are not remotely the same job. I will walk the site and give you a real number.

Question 10

What decking materials do you use?

Accepted Answer

TimberTech is my default for composite and PVC decking. I also build in cedar and pressure-treated lumber. Which one makes sense depends on your budget, how much sun and weather the deck takes, and how much maintenance you want to do.

Question 11

Do you offer financing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through Acorn Finance. It is a soft credit check that does not affect your score to see your options.

Question 12

Are estimates free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Free estimates, and I aim to get them back to you fast. No pressure and no obligation.

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