Is this going to cost me more than what the contract says?

There are three circumstances under which a client may end up paying more for their project than is listed in their contract:

• The single biggest contributor to projects costing more than originally anticipated is client-driven change orders. “While they’re here, maybe we should have them change out that window in the bathroom…” We get a lot of those.
• Unforeseen conditions. Sadly, we do not have x-ray vision. Until a space is gutted open, we cannot know about the rotted sill or the termite infestation or the improperly vented drain-line. When we discover those things, it is our legal obligation to bring them to the attention of our clients. If additional work is needed to correct the situation, a change order will be written and presented to the client for consideration before proceeding.
• “Escalation” refers to a sudden, unforeseeable, and dramatic increase in the cost of a commodity-type product due to circumstances beyond our control. Such occurrences are rare but well documented. For instance, a few years ago, the cost of plywood doubled in the space of a few days due to Hurricane Katrina. Under such circumstances, we are forced to share the burden of the added expense with our clients.

With the exception of the aforementioned items, Blackdog fervently holds to its quoted pricing and assumes responsibility for an accurate and thoughtful assessment of every project from its inception to its completion.