Frequently Asked Questions
Homeowners across Santa Ana call us with the same handful of questions before they hire anyone: what will it cost, who’s actually doing the work, and can one contractor handle the roof, the kitchen, and the fence without handing the job off three times. Here are the answers we give most often, grouped so you can find yours fast. If you don’t see it, our number is at the bottom of the page.
What makes Framework Contractors different from other Santa Ana contractors?
We’re a licensed general contractor that handles the whole envelope of your home under one contract, from interior finishes to roofing, windows, fencing, and hardscape. Most Santa Ana contractors stick to one or two trades, which means you end up coordinating a cabinet installer, a roofer, a window crew, and a concrete guy yourself. We work with 50+ named product brands across every major home system, so you pick the materials you want (KraftMaid or Wellborn cabinets, Cambria or Caesarstone counters, GAF or Owens Corning shingles, Belgard or Techo-Bloc pavers) and we install them. One point of contact from the first walkthrough to the final punch list.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does construction service cost in Santa Ana?
There’s no single price for construction in Santa Ana because scope drives everything, but here’s the honest structure: material choice and structural condition set the range, and labor follows. A bathroom refresh that reuses the existing layout costs far less than a full gut where we’re moving a drain line in a 1950s ranch house off Main Street. A roof replacement depends on square footage, pitch, and whether we’re tearing off one layer or three. Instead of quoting a number that means nothing without seeing your home, we walk the property, take measurements, and give you a written line-item estimate with materials named. That way you’re comparing actual scope, not a vague ballpark from a competitor.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free. We come out, look at the actual conditions (not a photo or a description over the phone), talk through your material options, and put a written estimate in your hands. For a multi-scope project like a kitchen plus roof, we’re pricing both under one number so you can see the whole picture at once. Call (844) 681-3590 to set up the visit.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace?
It depends on the age and condition of the component, and we’ll tell you straight which way to go. A single failed shingle or a cracked windowpane is usually a repair. But a roof past its service life with granule loss across the field, or a window with failed seals and fogged glass on every south-facing unit, is throwing good money at a losing proposition. Santa Ana’s dry heat and strong afternoon sun age exterior materials faster than a coastal climate would, so we lean on what the material is actually telling us rather than a hard rule. We’ll give you both numbers and let you decide.
Do you require a deposit?
We use a standard deposit at contract signing to lock in materials and scheduling, with payments tied to project milestones rather than a lump sum up front. Exact terms are spelled out in your written agreement before work starts, so there are no surprises mid-project. Ask us about the schedule during your estimate and we’ll walk you through it.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept common payment methods including check, major credit cards, and bank transfer. Your contract will specify acceptable forms of payment and the milestone schedule. If you have a specific financing question tied to your project, ask when we’re out for the estimate and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Licensing & Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, Framework Contractors is a licensed general contracting company and we carry insurance. California requires a contractor’s license for any project over $500 in labor and materials, and Santa Ana pulls permits on most remodels, so working with an unlicensed contractor puts you on the hook for failed inspections and cost overruns. We can provide our license and insurance documentation on request before you sign anything. That’s a normal thing to ask for, and any contractor worth hiring will hand it over without hesitation.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, we stand behind our workmanship. Specific warranty terms are documented in your project agreement, and manufacturer warranties on products (roofing materials, windows, cabinetry, fixtures) carry separately based on the brand you choose. We don’t hide behind a manufacturer’s warranty when something we installed wasn’t done right. If an installation issue comes up, we come back and fix it.
Do you pull permits?
Yes, we pull permits for the work that requires them. Santa Ana requires permits for structural changes, roofing, electrical, plumbing, window replacement in most cases, and any ADU construction. Pulling the right permits protects your resale value and keeps your insurance intact if something goes wrong later. We handle the paperwork and the inspection scheduling so you’re not chasing the building department yourself.
Can one contractor really handle my whole project?
Yes, and that’s the point of hiring us. A single-source general contractor means the person who installs your cabinets and the person who installs your roof answer to the same project manager and the same schedule. When a window delivery slips and it affects the interior trim work, we’re adjusting both on one calendar instead of you mediating between two subcontractors who’ve never met. Full-scope accountability is the reason most of our clients hire us over a specialist.
Service & Scheduling
How fast can you respond?
We typically respond to new inquiries within one business day and schedule estimates within a few days, sooner for active projects. Construction isn’t an emergency service in the way plumbing or electrical is, but we know a leaking roof or a broken window before a storm isn’t something you want to wait a week on. Tell us the urgency when you call and we’ll prioritize accordingly. For an active project, your project manager is your direct line and responds the same day in almost all cases.
Do you offer emergency construction service?
We respond to urgent situations like storm damage, active roof leaks, or a compromised window or door, and we’ll get someone out to assess and stabilize as fast as we can. What we don’t pretend to be is a 24/7 emergency plumber or electrician. If you have a gas leak or live wiring issue, shut off the supply and call the utility or a licensed emergency trade first. For structural or exterior damage, call us and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s something we can address right away or what needs to happen first.
How long does a typical remodel take?
A bathroom remodel usually runs a few weeks, a kitchen several weeks longer once cabinets and countertops are in the schedule, and a full interior renovation or a roof-plus-exterior project takes longer still. Prefab ADUs are on a different timeline entirely, often measured in months from permit to move-in, depending on the manufacturer and site prep. We give you a realistic schedule in the estimate and update it as the project moves, rather than a number designed to win the bid.
What’s the process for starting a project with you?
Here’s how it works, start to finish:
- Call or request an estimate. Tell us the scope, even if it’s several systems at once. Reach us at (844) 681-3590.
- On-site walkthrough. We measure, check existing conditions, and talk through material options from the brands we carry.
- Written line-item estimate. Materials named, scope defined, no vague allowances.
- Contract and deposit. We finalize the agreement, set the milestone schedule, and lock in materials.
- Permits pulled. We handle the paperwork and the inspections.
- Construction. Your project manager runs the trades, keeps one calendar, and keeps you informed.
- Walkthrough and punch list. We finish what’s on the list before we call it done.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Santa Ana and the surrounding Orange County area. If you’re nearby and not sure whether you’re in range, call and ask. Our General Contractor in Santa Ana page walks through the local work in more detail, and you can start at our home page to see the full scope of what we handle.
Specific Services
Do you handle kitchen remodeling?
Yes, kitchen remodeling is one of our core services. We install KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry, Cambria and Caesarstone countertops, and fixtures from Kohler, Grohe, Moen, Delta, Blanco, and others. Because we carry several cabinet and countertop lines, you’re choosing from real options rather than being steered into one manufacturer’s catalog. We also handle the plumbing and electrical rough-in that a kitchen remodel requires, so you’re not hiring those out separately.
Do you handle bathroom remodeling?
Yes, we do full bathroom remodeling, from a simple fixture and tile update to a full gut with a relocated layout. Premium fixture access matters most in baths: Toto and Kohler for the toilet, Grohe and Moen for the shower valve, Blanco for the vanity top if you want one. If your bathroom sits over a 1950s crawlspace or has the original cast-iron drain, we’ll flag it during the walkthrough because that changes the scope and the schedule.
Do you handle roofing?
Yes, we install roofing through six major shingle manufacturers: GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, and Tamko. That range means you can match a shingle to your home’s style and your budget without being limited to whatever one supplier pushes. Note that roof work is genuinely dangerous, and we don’t recommend homeowners get on the roof to inspect or repair it themselves. If you see missing shingles, granule buildup in the gutters, or water stains on the ceiling, call us and we’ll assess it safely.
Do you handle windows and doors?
Yes, our window and door replacement program draws from seven manufacturers, including impact-rated PGT, CGI, and ECO Window Systems, plus Therma-Tru for entry doors. Santa Ana’s sun exposure makes glass performance a real consideration, so we’ll talk through ratings rather than just handing you a catalog. Window and door installation is also a place where a sloppy job shows up fast as air leaks and water intrusion, so we treat the flashing and sealing details as seriously as the product itself.
Do you build ADUs?
Yes, we build ADUs through partnerships with Abodu, Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, and Plant Prefab. That’s a capability most local remodelers simply don’t have, and it lets you compare prefab options against a site-built approach with one contractor accountable for both. We’ll help you think through site prep, utility connections, and permitting, since those are usually where ADU timelines slip.
Do you install fencing and hardscape?
Yes, we build fencing and hardscape with Belgard, Unilock, Tremron, Techo-Bloc, and Cambridge Pavers. That includes patios, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls, done alongside interior work if you’re renovating the whole property. A single project relationship that runs from the curb to the kitchen is exactly the kind of job we’re built for.
Can I choose my own materials?
Yes, and we encourage it. Our model is your materials, our craftsmanship: you select from the brands we carry across cabinetry, countertops, roofing, windows, plumbing, fencing, and hardscape, and we install to spec. Having 50+ manufacturers available means you’re not locked into a single line for any one system. If you already have a brand in mind that we don’t list, ask anyway.
Do you work with insurance claims?
We work with homeowners on insurance-related repairs, typically for storm or water damage affecting roofing or exterior systems. The process works best when you’ve filed the claim and have an adjuster’s scope in hand, because we can then build our estimate to match the documented damage. Call us and we’ll walk through what documentation you’ll need before we come out.
How We Handle Materials and Brands
Most of the questions we get about brands come down to one thing: can you get the product I want, and will you install it correctly. The answer to both is yes, and here’s how that works in practice.
Which brands do you actually work with?
We work with 50+ industry-recognized manufacturers across every major home system. The ones clients ask about most:
- Cabinetry: KraftMaid, Wellborn
- Countertops: Cambria, Caesarstone
- Roofing: GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, Tamko
- Siding: James Hardie
- Windows and doors: PGT, CGI, ECO Window Systems, Therma-Tru
- Plumbing and fixtures: Kohler, Grohe, Toto, Moen, Delta, American Standard, Blanco
- Hardscape and pavers: Belgard, Unilock, Tremron, Techo-Bloc, Cambridge Pavers
- ADU construction: Abodu, Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, Plant Prefab
That’s the short version. When you come in for an estimate, we’ll go deeper on the specific lines that fit your project.
Why does brand selection matter for a remodel?
Brand selection matters because the materials are what you live with long after the crew leaves, and builder-grade unknowns fail in predictable ways. A cabinet box made from particle board swells when a pipe leaks behind it; a countertop with poor stain resistance shows every spill; a window with a weak seal fogs within a few summers of Santa Ana heat. Naming the brand up front means you know what you’re getting, and so do we. It also means you’re not paying premium prices for mid-tier product disguised as custom.
What if I want a brand you don’t carry?
Tell us anyway. We have deep manufacturer relationships and can usually source what you’re after or recommend a comparable line we already work with. The worst outcome is you pick a material we can’t warranty or install to spec, so we’d rather have that conversation at the estimate stage than mid-project.
What to Expect on the Job
Will I have one point of contact?
Yes, you’ll have a project manager who owns your job from start to finish. That person is your call for scheduling, questions, and changes. You won’t be bounced between departments or hunting down individual crews. On multi-scope projects (kitchen plus roof plus windows), one PM keeps everything on one calendar and one budget.
How do you handle changes mid-project?
Changes happen, and we handle them with a written change order that shows the cost and the schedule impact before the work proceeds. No verbal “we’ll figure it out later.” If a wall opens up and reveals something unexpected, you’ll know what it means and what it costs before we move forward. That’s how a project stays on track instead of drifting.
What should I do before my estimate appointment?
Have a rough idea of what you want to change, any inspiration photos, and a sense of your budget range. If you already know which brands or materials you’re leaning toward, bring those too. The more specific you are, the more specific our estimate can be. We’ll handle the measurements and the technical assessment on-site.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Framework Contractors at (844) 681-3590 for a free estimate.