Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for remodeling contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Clarity Home Builders, Inc., the key to keeping clients happy is simple: take the time to listen to their ideas and incorporate them into their projects as much as possible. “Our favorite part of the process is meeting new clients because we get to hear about their dreams and visions,” says co-owner Trevar Shyshka. “At the end of their jobs, they get to live in beautiful homes that fulfill their needs, and we love playing a big part in creating those sanctuaries for them.”

Clarity Home Builders has been providing remodeling services for residential and commercial clients throughout Santa Clara County and the Peninsula since 2017. In addition to working on everything from custom homes and room additions to kitchen and bathroom remodels, the company has the training and equipment to handle specialized aspects of the construction process like concrete, framing, and finish carpentry.

Unlike less experienced remodeling contractors that focus all their efforts on one aspect of the trade, Clarity Home Builders utilizes the wide-ranging expertise of its two owners to offer a variety of services. “Joe [Squatritto, co-owner] and I each owned our own company before this, but we decided we’d do even better as a team because we have complementary skill sets,” explains Mr. Shyshka. “Merging our styles has allowed us to do better work and stay on schedule and budget because we have more eyes looking at every project. We’ve also been able to refine our administrative processes and systems, which helps us give each client a better outcome.”

Ultimately, Mr. Shyshka sees Clarity Home Builders’ ability to take complete control of every project as its most important attribute. “We get the job going and control the schedule from start to finish, which sets everybody up for success,” he affirms. “We also streamline the process by communicating about every issue that could possibly come up, and we use technology to track our schedules so all subcontractors and vendors are on the same page.”

Great things take time, including custom home construction.
Homeowners who commission the building of a custom home often know what they want and would prefer to get it right away, but that’s not the way construction works. In fact, the more customized a home is, the longer it can take to build, and it’s important for homeowners to understand all of the steps and procedures involved in constructing a dream house. The best companies will be honest about the amount of time it will take to plan, design, build and finish a custom home, and you need to be sure you’re asking the right questions and not expecting too much.

Trevar Shyshka, owner of Clarity Home Builders, Inc. in Campbell, says one of the first questions potential clients ask is, “When can we start?” And while he says that’s a fair question, he admits that the answer isn’t always what they hope for. “As much as people want to hear it, the answer to that question is never, ‘Right now!’ There’s an entire process to go through, and it’s much smarter to work through the process correctly rather than rushing to get started.”

Rushing usually leads to incomplete or incorrect plans, missed steps, delayed materials and an overall longer job. Mr. Shyshka says every remodeling step has its own timeline. “It can take six months to get permits, and architectural work and engineering takes time. Material delays also can dictate the pace of the project.”

Mr. Shyshka explains that it’s important to call your contractor as soon as you start considering a remodeling project. That way, you can work with them during the early stages of planning to ensure nothing get missed. By coordinating through the design, permitting and material ordering processes, the job can go more smoothly and the contractor can pencil you into their calendar so they’re ready to go when it’s time for construction to begin.

Mr. Shyshka says the average timeline for building a custom home is 12 to 18 months, with time fluctuating depending on permitting and architectural schedules. “[Contractors are] pretty good at estimating time, so you should have a good idea of how long your project will take once they know the scope of the work. Clear communication with your contractor is the best way to set realistic goals for creating your dream home.”

Q: How much will my remodeling project cost?
A: It depends on the scope of the work, but by knowing your budget limits upfront, we can set realistic expectations and get you what you need.

Q: When can you start working?
A: It depends on several factors. For example, it can take six months just to get the permits, and material delays can also dictate the pace. That’s why it’s important to call us as soon as you know you want to start a project. We’ll get you on our schedule and design your job based on a specific timeline.

Q: How long will it take to complete my project?
A: Once we know the scope of the work, we’ll be able to give you a good idea of how long it will take. For example, if we’re building a spec home from the ground up, it can take 12 to 18 months. Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom usually takes two to three months. Square footage additions and whole-house remodels can take six months to a year.

Q: How long will it take to get the materials for my job?
A: Once we enter into a contract and start building, we’ll have a list of items that need to be ordered, such as windows, doors and appliances. The time for arrival varies depending on several factors, but we’ll order everything right away and store them until we need them so we can keep the job on schedule.

Q: How hard is it to build an ADU?
A: There are new legal rulings that make it much easier to plan and build accessory dwelling units because of the housing shortage. Even multifamily dwellings are easier to build now.

Q: Do you utilize any eco-friendly remodeling practices?
A: We offer deconstruction for recycling services. With this method, we’ll take apart your home piece by piece and either repurpose or recycle it. It takes longer and it’s more labor-intensive, but you’ll get a big tax break that will help offset the labor costs and you’ll feel good about not contributing to landfill space.