G Family Construction, Inc.
“I’ve done three major remodels, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that choosing the right contractor makes all the difference.
After my first major remodel, I was firmly in the “never again” camp. There’s a steep learning curve, and there are always unexpected issues. Once you’ve gone through it, you understand why people say remodeling is not something they ever want to repeat. But about a decade later, I decided to take on another major project—and this time I knew I wasn’t going to choose a contractor based primarily on price. I once saw a sign that said, “Only rich people can afford to hire a cheap contractor, because they’re the only ones who can afford to do it twice.” There’s a lot of truth to that.
What you’re really paying for is knowledge, experience, judgment, problem-solving ability, and communication. I’ve learned that finding a contractor who is truly good at all of those things is rare. That’s why I hired G Family Construction. Jon Grabham is one of the smartest people I’ve encountered in the industry. He has extensive experience and runs a company large enough to have both the resources and strong relationships with vendors and subcontractors. Just as importantly, he is pleasant to work with and an excellent communicator—whether by phone, email, or by using technology to mark up plans and photos, submit documents for approvals, and keep a complicated project moving.
Jon is also extremely responsive and reliable. When you call or email with a question or problem, he gets back to you and talks you through the options. Construction inevitably brings unexpected issues, and Jon’s strength is that he finds solutions. If he doesn’t immediately know the answer, he knows how to find it and figure out a workable solution.
Most importantly, I trust him. I subsequently hired G Family Construction again to build a JADU and install an elevator, this time on a time-and-materials basis. To me, being comfortable doing that says a lot about the level of trust we had developed. Jon provided a budget, and although unexpected things inevitably came up, we worked through them. He was reasonable and, at times, flexible in helping me make the numbers work.
There’s another benefit to finding the right contractor that people may not think about: it can become a long-term relationship that extends well beyond the original project or warranty period. When something related or unrelated comes up, it’s incredibly valuable to have a trusted contractor you can call for advice.
For example, I recently had a very difficult-to-locate underground irrigation leak that was costing me thousands of dollars in water bills. My handyman thought we might have to start breaking up concrete to search for it. Instead, G Family Construction had specialized leak-detection equipment that many plumbers don’t even have. Jon worked with my handyman to locate the leak and get the problem resolved—saving us from unnecessarily tearing up concrete.
I highly recommend Jon Gragram and G Family Construction for remodeling and construction work. I have found Jon to be knowledgeable, resourceful, responsive, and trustworthy.”
