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Questions and answers

Houston General Contractor FAQ

Sixteen questions Houston property owners actually ask, answered without the sales language.

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Below are the questions Houston property owners ask most often, answered the way we would answer them on the phone.

If yours is not here, call (832) 732-0315 during business hours, Mon-Fri 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM or Sat 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. You will get a direct answer rather than a callback form.

For service-specific questions, each service page carries its own set: kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home remodeling, additions, electrical and plumbing are the ones people ask about most. The full sequence of a project is on our process page, and coverage is listed on service areas.

Every detail matters. From the foundation to the finish, quality is never an accident.
Years of experience
28+
Trades under one contract
11
Communities served
11
Building since
1998
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Getting started

How do I start a project with LL General Contractor?
Call (832) 732-0315 or send your project details, and we set a walkthrough at the property. The visit is free and takes 30 to 60 minutes for a single room. You do not need drawings or finish selections to start. A rough scope and an honest budget range are enough to make the first conversation productive.
Do I need an architect or designer before calling a contractor?
Usually not for a remodel that stays inside the existing footprint. Kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and interior updates can be scoped directly from the walkthrough. Additions, structural changes and new construction are different: those need drawings, and load-bearing changes need an engineer's stamp. We will tell you which category your project falls into at the first visit.
Can I live in the house during a remodel?
For most single-room projects, yes, with dust containment and a plan for water and power interruptions. Whole-house remodels and additions are harder to live through, particularly when the kitchen or the only bathroom is out of service. We will be straight about which weeks are genuinely disruptive so you can plan rather than improvise.
Do you take small jobs?
Yes, though small work is scheduled around larger builds. Drywall repair after a leak, one room of flooring, a single bathroom or a panel replacement are all normal work. If a job would be better served by a specialty crew, we will say so instead of accepting it and letting it sit at the bottom of the schedule.
Bathroom remodel completed by LL General Contractor in Houston

Pricing and timeline

How much does a remodel cost in Houston?
No honest contractor can answer that before seeing the space, because the same square footage can vary several times over based on scope. Moving plumbing, upgrading electrical, replacing subfloor and changing structure are the four things that move a number most. The written estimate you receive after the walkthrough is specific to your house, not a range from a chart.
What is a material allowance?
An allowance is the dollar amount carried in the estimate for a material you have not selected yet, such as tile, fixtures or countertops. It keeps the bid honest before selections are final. If your chosen tile costs more than the allowance, the difference is added transparently. If it costs less, that works in your favor.
How is payment structured?
Payments follow phases of completion rather than a single sum collected up front. A contractor asking for the full amount before work begins is a warning sign worth walking away from. The closing payment stays outstanding until the punch list from the final walk is finished, which is the leverage that makes the punch list get done.
Why do bids from different contractors vary so much?
Almost always because the scopes are different, not because one crew is cheaper. One bid includes updating the electrical to code, another leaves it out. One includes floor leveling, another assumes the slab is flat. Compare the exclusions section of each bid before comparing the totals, and the gap usually explains itself.
Bathroom remodel completed by LL General Contractor in Houston

Permits and compliance

Do I need a permit for my remodel in Houston?
Structural changes, additions, and most electrical and plumbing work require permits, while cosmetic work such as paint, flooring and cabinet replacement generally does not. Because Houston has no traditional zoning, projects are governed instead by Chapter 42 development rules and by the deed restrictions recorded on your subdivision. We confirm both before design is finalized.
Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor?
We pull it in the company name and meet the inspector on site. Be cautious with any contractor who asks you to pull an owner permit, because that shifts responsibility for the inspection and the workmanship onto you as the property owner. It is a common way for work to get done under a homeowner's name without the contractor carrying that responsibility.
Does my HOA or subdivision have to approve the work?
For exterior work in master-planned communities, yes, and the approval comes before the permit is worth applying for. Cinco Ranch in Katy, Bridgeland in Cypress and The Woodlands all run architectural review with real enforcement. Those windows commonly add weeks to a schedule, so they belong in the plan from day one.
What happens with unpermitted work already on my house?
It has to be evaluated before we build on top of it, because we will not certify somebody else's uninspected work. Unpermitted additions are common in older Houston neighborhoods and they surface during a sale, when the buyer's inspector and the appraisal district both notice the square footage mismatch. Sometimes it can be permitted retroactively, sometimes it has to be corrected.
Bathroom remodel completed by LL General Contractor in Houston

After the job

What is a punch list and when does it happen?
A punch list is the written record of every item still needing correction, created when we walk the finished work together. It happens before the final invoice is due, not after. Nothing on that list is too small to write down. Paint holidays, a door that catches, a caulk line that is not clean: all of it goes on the list.
What paperwork do I get at the end?
You receive the closed permit record for any permitted work, manufacturer manuals and warranties for equipment installed, and the specifications for paint and materials used. That last item matters more than people expect. Two years later, matching a touch-up is straightforward with the spec sheet and guesswork without it.

Our services

What services does LL General Contractor offer?
Eleven trades: kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home remodeling, commercial remodeling, painting, drywall, additions, home building, custom cabinets, wood and tile flooring, electrical and plumbing. Running them under one contract means one schedule and one point of contact, rather than a homeowner coordinating six companies that do not answer to each other.
What areas do you serve?
Roughly 30 miles around Houston, covering Pearland, Katy, Tomball, Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands, Jersey Village, South Houston, West Houston and North Houston. The radius is deliberate. Crews sitting in traffic are not on your job, and warranty calls need answering the same week rather than whenever a truck is next in the area.

Houston General Contractor FAQ

Request a free estimateCall (832) 732-0315

Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Saturday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Sunday: Closed | Holidays: Closed

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