Construction Company in Downey, CA

What general construction means for a homeowner

General construction is the work that sits above any single trade: planning a project, sequencing the trades, handling the structure, and making sure each stage is finished and inspected before the next one starts. It is what a General B contractor is licensed to do, and it is the work Rigo built this company to take on after years of repair and handyman jobs.

For a Downey homeowner the projects that fall under this heading usually grow out of a need for space. A family that has outgrown a three-bedroom ranch house wants a larger living area, an extra bedroom, or a covered patio tied into the roofline. These jobs involve foundations, framing, roofing tie-ins and finishes, and they only go well if somebody is coordinating all of them.

We keep the scope honest. For each project we decide with you what is structural, what is cosmetic and what needs a permit, and we put that in writing before work starts, because most disputes on larger jobs come from a scope that was never actually defined.

When you need a general contractor, not a handyman

A single tradesperson can fix a single problem. These situations call for a contractor who runs the whole job:

• The project changes the structure of the house. Adding square footage, opening a bearing wall or changing the roofline all affect how the building carries its load.
• More than two trades are involved. Once framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall and finishes all have to happen in order, scheduling becomes the hardest part of the job.
• The work needs permits and inspections. Permitted work involves plans, inspections and a sequence the city expects to be followed. Someone has to own that process.
• You need one person accountable. When something does not line up, you want one phone number to call instead of arguing over whose trade caused the problem.
• The budget is big enough to protect. A written scope, a payment schedule tied to progress and a licensed contractor are how you protect that money.

How we run a construction project

1. Define what you want to build

   We start with your goals, your lot and your budget range, and look at what the existing house and property allow.

2. Plans, scope and permit path

   We establish what drawings are needed, whether an engineer or designer is required, and what the city will want to see before work can begin.

3. Site preparation and foundations

   The area is cleared and protected, and any footings or slab work is formed and poured before the structure goes up.

4. Structure and rough work

   Framing, roof tie-ins and weather protection go in first, followed by the systems that run inside the walls, with inspections at the stages the city requires.

5. Finishes and closeout

   Drywall, flooring, paint and trim finish the interior. We walk the project with you, correct the punch list and make sure inspections are signed off.

What affects the cost of a construction project

Construction costs scale with the size and complexity of the work. These are the main drivers:

Why RH Construction And Renovation for larger projects

Rigo got his California General B license (#1162715) to take on the projects that a handyman license could not, and larger construction is the direction he wants this company to grow in. You are dealing with the owner, who has a hands-on background in framing, block work, tile and finishing, not just someone who subcontracts the whole job.

Specialty trades that fall under another license class are identified at the planning stage, so you know before the contract is signed who is doing what and under which license.

Where we do this work

We take on construction projects in Downey and neighboring cities such as Norwalk, Bellflower and South Gate. Lots in Norwalk and Bellflower often have the side-yard and backyard space for additions that tighter parcels in South Gate do not.