Behind the Curtain Blog

Not every part of construction is beautiful. It’s costly, dirty, time consuming, and stressful at times. The only way to make it better is to take a long hard look at the tough parts right away. That’s the path to a simplified experience and to beautiful after photos.

This industry has a reputation for concealment. We believe candid, honest conversations are an important part of honest business. You are looking for real answers, so having the tough conversations, and giving you the bad news first is an important part of respecting you and your time.

Keeghan Semans 6/20/25 Keeghan Semans 6/20/25

Residential Code Update

Technically, the Michigan government is supposed to adopt a new Residential Building Code every three years. Well… we’re still working under the 2015 code. There have certainly been some hurdles in the last 10 years, and there are some more coming for the next code update.

Keeghan Semans 5/10/25 Keeghan Semans 5/10/25

What does it cost?

Most people that are seeking to build or renovate have hired contractors, or General Contractors, for a project or two at minimum, but some are pursuing help on their first project. If you haven’t hired contractors for a project in 10+ years, it may feel like you haven’t before when you hear the costs today.

Keeghan Semans 9/19/24 Keeghan Semans 9/19/24

Fixed-Cost vs. Cost-Plus

There can be a bit of muddy water to wade through when receiving estimates from contractors for your home’s project. Each company has unique ways of presenting information and compiling their costs. Let’s clear that up.

Keeghan Semans 7/22/24 Keeghan Semans 7/22/24

Construction on the Lakeshore

Throw a rock in West Michigan and you’ll hit water. Make sure it doesn’t displace any sand or dune-grass though… We joke, because we know how restrictive it is to work near the water. Years of working, and living, on the lakeshore has shown us how critical our dunes are.