Ask the Builder
“Ask the Builder” features Andy Stauffer’s answers to questions submitted by clients and blog readers. To submit your own question, contact us and we will respond right here on the blog with an answer.
Ask the Builder: What Are The Red & Blue Pipes In My House?
If you live in a home that was built more than 20 years ago, odds are if you peek under your kitchen counter, you’ll see copper pipe coming up from the floor and supplying your faucet. This has been the standard for plumbing fixtures since the 1920s. If,...
Ask the Builder: “What is Design/Build Contracting?”
When a home owner is researching and interviewing builders, the subject of how a builder approaches the building process is very important. These days, there are two main ways a builder can approach the custom home building process: either via the Design-Bid-Build...
Ask the Builder: “What’s the Difference Between Log & Timber Homes?”
One question we hear frequently is: “why should I choose timber over log or contemporary stick framing?” There are many differences between timber and log homes or contemporary stick-framed homes. Consider the following: Timbers are logs taken one step further: we...
Ask the Builder: “What Was Your First Job?”
Looking back on the construction company I run now that I started 15 years ago, it’s kind of funny to think back on how and when I actually got started in business. I had lots of odd jobs in my teens: I worked weekends at a flea market; I worked at the college...
Ask the Builder: “Can I Build My Own Home?”
One question we hear from time to time when discussing home building is: “Can I save money by building my own home?” While it’s a fair question, it’s usually asked as the result of a homeowner seeing an infomercial for a “do-it-yourself...
Ask the Builder: “Where Are You Licensed to Build?”
A: We are licensed as a General Contractor (“GC”) in the following Colorado counties: El Paso County Teller County Pueblo County Park County Las Animas County Douglas County Stauffer & Sons Construction is always open to building in new places, we are...
Ask the Builder: “Do I need a permit to remodel my own home?”
Just about any work that can be done on an existing home will require a permit. Homeowners need to be aware that there is a huge cost associated with remodeling a home without a permit! Sometimes people want to skimp when remodeling their home, especially if the...
Ask the Builder: “Does Colorado Have Bad Soil?”
This question brings up a complex issue, but the answer is fairly simple. Soils in Colorado can indeed be very tricky. Colorado Springs’ terrain is technically classified as a “high desert,” but if you drive west for five minutes, you’re on a...