Frequently Asked Questions
How much will my project cost?
How much your project will cost ultimately depends on a multitude of factors!
What level of build quality
do you desire - are we talking “I want my house to be modest, but comfortable”, or is it more like “I want the
best house in the neighborhood?”
In addition to that, the following questions will affect the price?
How easy will it be to build on your site?
What appliances do you want in your kitchen? How many bedrooms and bathrooms is it?
All of these things, and more, will weigh into the final cost of your build.
We encourage you to give our online
estimator a try to get a general estimated cost range for your project based on three levels of build quality.
How long will construction take?
This question also has a lot of things that can affect the answer! For a client who already owns land but
doesn’t have a house designed yet, I would say plan to be in the design phase of your project for about 3-6
months, then, depending on the complexity of your build, plan to be in pre-construction for about that same 3-6
month time frame. Once pre-construction is complete and your builder is ready to break ground then you
should plan to be “under construction” for about a year. Again, many things can affect this timeline! Learn to
be flexible, but also try to make all of the decisions you can up front - once you have started all of those
changes really take a toll on the schedule and your budget!
Do I need architectural plans before contacting a builder?
No, you do not! If you already have plans, that is great! We are happy to work with other designers’
plans and build our clients their dream home. If you don’t have plans yet, then our talented design team will
work with you to develop exactly what you want within your stated budget and quality level. We can handle
anything from a simple bathroom remodel or addition all the way through the most customized of high-end
home!
Can you help with the design of the project?
Yes, we absolutely can help with the design! We have a talented design team on staff as well as an
assortment of other designers that we work with when the situation calls for it. Whether you need a general
floor plan or an extensive interior design, we have the right team for the job!
What is included in your estimate?
First, I recommend that you go to our blog and read the article titled “What is the difference between an
estimate and a quote”. At Fusion Master Builders, an estimate is exactly what it says - an estimate. This is
simply a ballpark figure to see if you are comfortable taking the project further into the next phase. If your max
budget is $500,000.00 and our estimator gives you a projected range of $750,000 - $600,000, then you need
to consider what changes need to be made to get your project back within your desired budget! This could
mean less square footage, it could mean a semi-custom instead of a full custom home, or it could mean that
you decide to borrow a little money to add to your budget. Now, that isn’t really what you were asking, is it?
At Fusion, our estimates include all of the work that we typically encounter on a normal project, based upon our
years of experience in building in this area and upon three distinct “grades” of quality. Just remember, this is
for educational purposes only!
What factors affect the final cost of a project?
Many factors affect the final cost of a construction project, including:
Quality level and complexity of the build
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Site conditions and accessibility
- Windows, doors, siding, and roofing type
- Kitchen appliances, cabinets, and countertops
- Quality and completeness of your plans
Utilities — septic, well, or city permits
Site work — driveways, sidewalks, etc.
For remodels: where you'll live during construction and your ability to commit to pre-made design decisions (changes during construction add up fast!)
This isn't a comprehensive list, but it gives you a good idea of what goes into pricing. We encourage you to try our online estimator for a general cost range based on three levels of build quality!
What permits are required and who handles them?
When working with Fusion Master Builders, all permits will be handled by our team. What permits are
required will vary from project to project. Many of our projects have been on acreage outside of the city limits.
For this type of build, you will need a permit for your septic system and your water well. Beyond that, no
permits are required in Gillespie county at this time, but that is subject to change at the whim of the county
leadership!
In town, you will need a general building permit, plumbing, and electrical permits. If a fence is part of
your project, then you will need a fence permit. If your property is in the historic district, then this requires a
separate type of permit, as well as attending a Historic Review Board meeting and explaining and/or defending
your project to the board. There may be other permits needed for your project, but these are the typical ones
that are needed.
How do you manage changes during construction?
We work a bit differently than many of our competitors here in the Hill Country. Our estimates give you
that “ballpark” number, but our quotes are produced over time and with the involvement of not just our team,
but our subcontractors, all teaming together to create an accurate cost to build your project! Our contract will
include a detailed scope of work of what is included for the price specified, and if nothing changes, then that is
the price that you will pay! However, on most projects, some things will change. When those things happen,
Fusion Master Builders will give you a changeorder that describes the change being made, creates a scope of
work for this change, and also gives you the price to make this change into reality. You approve the
changeorder digitally through our construction management software, and that amount will either be invoiced
immediately (for larger changes) or on the next regular invoice for smaller changes.
What types of projects do you specialize in?
Fusion Master Builders primarily specializes in whole-home remodels and custom homes. We also
work on kitchen and bathroom remodels, as well as outdoor spaces such as screen porches and decks.
Can you provide examples of similar projects?
Please visit our gallery of projects here: https://www.fusionmasterbuilders.com/our-work-fusion-master-builders/
We are constantly updating photos on the website, so if you don’t see what you are looking for reach
out to us and maybe we have some new photos that will fit what you are looking for!
What happens if there are delays?
Plan on some delays — weather, sick subcontractors, a dripping faucet fresh out of the box. It happens. But don't let that worry you!
At Fusion Master Builders, we schedule the entire project from start to finish and publish it online. When delays happen, we update the schedule and our software automatically alerts everyone affected — adjusted start dates, adjusted end dates, the works. The schedule stays intact; it just shifts.
And it's not always a straight shift. If your front door arrives two weeks late, we don't just stop — we might pull the tile installer in early to keep things moving. An interactive schedule gives us the flexibility to keep your build on track even when things don't go exactly as planned.
How do payments work?
Design & Development — We start with a 25% downpayment, invoice 60% once plans are near final, and collect the remaining 15% at completion. Clients who continue to construction receive 10% of design costs as a construction credit!
Quote — We don't do free quotes. They range from $1,500–$5,500+ depending on complexity, but if you hire us to build, you get 100% of that cost back as a credit. Our quotes are binding and fully detailed — no guessing what's included.
Pre-Construction — We nail down finish selections, subcontractors, permits, and your full build schedule. Payment is typically 50% upfront, 35% upon schedule publication, and 15% two weeks before construction begins.
Construction — This is where your vision becomes reality! Payments are generally structured as: 10% at contract acceptance, 10% four weeks before start, 25% on start date, 15% at dry-in, 15% at roof completion, 20% at substantial completion, and 5% at final walkthrough. Always review your contract for job-specific terms.
Warranty — We stand behind our work. Just reach out and we'll make it right!
Are you licensed and insured?
The state of Texas does not have a General Contractor’s license, so we are not licensed in any way
with the state. However, local municipalities often require a license to work within their jurisdiction. When this
is the case, Fusion Master Builders will either get the required license or already has it if it is required for a job.
For our area, we are licensed and bonded with the city and must renew annually.
We also carry a $1 million liability insurance policy, have workmen’s comp insurance, and will get a job-specific
builder’s risk policy for each of our projects. We also do our very best to hire subcontractors that carry their
own liability insurance, but when we can’t find them, our insurance policy covers their work!
How involved will I be during the project?
During the design & pre-construction phases we will need your involvement to make decisions and
make sure that we are getting you started down the right path. Once we have made it through those two
phases your involvement can be what you would like it to be really! Here is what we encourage.
Plan to come out for once a week walk-throughs with the project manager. Ask your questions, get answers,
see the progress, enjoy the space! On the other days, leave the details to us. We will update the schedule,
post progress pictures, put notes about how things are going, and in general try to update you via our
management software, which you will have access to, nearly every day! The only reason we wouldn’t update it
daily is if we just got too busy and ran out of time that day, but we would catch back up the next morning!
If something comes up and you need us to talk with you before that once a week scheduled time just reach out
to your Project Manager and we will schedule time with you ASAP!
What should I do before starting?
Before starting down this path, I encourage all of our clients to have a hard budget cap. Be honest with
the design team and the builder about what that number is. We want to help you build whatever your dream is,
but we can’t do that as well if you don’t share all the cards with us up front! If you want to spend no more than
$800,000, tell that to the designer first - they should have a pretty good idea what kind of house you can get for
that amount of money. Make sure to loop the builder in on that budget, especially when you have plans for him
to look at. Also, be willing to listen to their expertise. If the designer and builder are both telling you that you
can’t afford something, you should believe them! In my experience, the builders typically have a much firmer
grasp on actual cost than the designers, so favor their knowledge a little more.
Also, remember that the house may be designed to honor your budget, but what about the extras? That
$40,000 septic system you weren’t thinking of has a way of surprising people! Or, how about the well that you
thought was going to be 200’ deep that actually ended up being 500’ deep? Where does that money come
from if you are already maxed out with just the house?!
We can help you walk through all of this, so really, the best thing you can do before starting is to call us and let
us advise you through the entire process! We are here to help you make it happen, and we are looking
forward to working with you!