The Kasten Process

We bring value to clientele by working directly with them from project conception through completion. By eliminating hand-offs and creating a line of direct communication, clients receive personalized service backed by the experience and dedication of the owners.

Our Pre-Construction Services are designed to help clients navigate the challenges of the design process. Most important in the process is the realistic feedback on pricing early on.  In addition to preliminary pricing, our value engineering and consulting on materials and detailing helps streamline the process, ultimately saving you time and money. Our Pre-Construction process is a free service if we build the project and includes but is not limited to:
  • Preliminary cost estimating
  • Value-engineering
  • Consulting on construction techniques, materials and detailing
  • Reviewing consultants plans for efficiency of construction
  • Story Poles & Permitting Assistance
  • On-site Discovery

First, we develop a preliminary line-item estimate from preliminary architectural plans, before the plans are fully complete and before structural, mechanical, electrical, and other similar plans are done. We usually do this in-house with no estimates from subs, but occasionally we seek informal input from subcontractors.

We develop the second line-item estimate at or around plan submittal time. This proposal usually contains firm sub bids for the building shell and basic site work, but uses allowances or in-house estimates for finishes. The final pricing package includes fixed costs for all major trades derived from multiple bids. Our final process consists of assembling the bid book and then identifying the subcontractor that will be used for work within each trade.

We employ a full-time Site Superintendent and or Foreman on each of our projects. Our superintendents are responsible for the day-to-day job site activities, including job site safety & security, sub scheduling and supervision, material ordering, and employee supervision. In addition to our superintendents, either Denny or Pete will be your project manager. They are responsible for project paperwork, including site meeting minutes, change orders, RFIs, bid solicitations, subcontracts, etc. Denny and Pete attend regular site meetings and do any re-budgeting and schedule revisions using (in part) information provided by the superintendent. The project manager generally bills between 5 to 20 hrs per week depending on project size and complexity. In addition, we suggest a team of subcontractors we know will give you great service and value.

Scheduling and timelines is a major component of each project. We aim to keep an open line of communication when it comes to your project timeline.

We use Microsoft Project software for scheduling as well as procurement logs. Each project schedule consists of important milestone dates to be met by the crew as well as design decisions and choices to be made by the client and deadlines for making them. This schedule is updated from time to time, most often when the scope of work changes significantly or when progress is not tracking to the published schedule.

When your project is near completion, we create an in-house punch list and work to complete it. Once we have completed as much of the list as we can, we ask you (and/or your architect) to walk through the job with the superintendent and draft a punch list to compare with ours. We then complete the work remaining on both lists. We provide you a binder with all appliance specs, operating manuals, and subcontractor contacts for future use.

Final specialty cleaning is the last step before handing you the key. It is our goal to under promise and over deliver a service and product that leads you to refer us to your friends and family members.

Recommended Builders and Affiliates

We work hard to please our clientele. We trust the most skilled and reliable subcontractors and partners in the architectural, interior design, construction, and real estate industries.