Vantage Construction Inc Company Profile

Few things are more frustrating for you the customer of a builder or remodeler than one that has no accountability—cost overruns that exceed your budget, a lack of communication about what they'll be doing on what days and when, an inability to get a hold of them when you need to, owners not personally involved on the job site, and short cuts taken in the construction, especially with the steps you don't see but which have expensive repercussions later when it's too late. Unfortunately, all of that is very common.

But we learned of a Sonoma County company Vantage Construction Inc in Santa Rosa CA that customers say has proven itself totally accountable with accurate estimates, thorough communication, reliability, and quality results that hold up long after the job is done.   We spoke to Jake Watson, one of the two brothers who own and run Vantage Construction to find out what that accountability means for their clients and how it translates into higher customer satisfaction. 

 
Vantage Construction in Sonoma County: Honest Pricing, Through Planning
Unlike companies where the owner disappears after the contract is signed, leaving everything to the work crew, Jake Watson stays involved in every project at Vantage Construction. "I'm on the site the majority of the time and I oversee everything to make sure it's done right and that the client is getting what they wanted," he says. "We also give the customer weekly progress reports and keep them up to date on what we did that week and what we'll be doing the following week."  This is a refreshing change from so many other companies that leave customers insecure, out of the loop, and left to wonder what's happening and how things are going.  "For bigger projects," says Jake, "we give them a written schedule with a detailed timeline of what we'll be doing at any moment throughout the entire project."

Too often, design plans leave out key details, especially if you haven't paid much for them. Other contractors use that as an excuse to bid low to get your contract, then address those missing details later with costly change orders that put you over budget. Or, they say nothing and proceed, technically according to the plan with its missing elements but actually building at a lower standard of quality.

Unlike those companies, Vantage Construction does everything possible to avoid change orders by pointing out design issues to the customer right at the outset. Jake says, "We go through the plans for the client and show where potential change orders would come in, and explain to them ways that they can save money before we even start construction." He gives an example of a medical clinic they recently finished. "I explained to the client up front about items left undecided in her plans that would be key cost drivers, and ways to cut those back and stay in her budget.  We do this a lot for clients, think through to the end product so we can anticipate all the cost drivers and let them decide those details ahead of time to stay affordable."

This attention to the detail and the customer's needs is something Vantage Construction insists on among all its staff, not just the owners. "Another thing that really sets us apart is our employees," says Jake Watson. "We're very particular about who we hire. Our crew are clean cut, dressed professionally and they conduct themselves as professional tradesmen. We've had people call us back to work for them again for that reason specifically."

 
Third-Generation Builders With Jake Watson & Vantage Construction in Sonoma County
Jake Watson is a third generation builder who grew up swinging a hammer, and he can remember helping clean up the job sites of his father and grandfather as early as age 5.  After high school he went on to earn a degree in Construction Management from Brigham Young University. Today Jake Watson lives in nearby Lake County with his wife and 15 month old baby girl, with another on the way. While he works long hours, he makes time for family too and enjoys camping and fishing, with Richardson's Grove one of his favorite relaxation spots.

He runs Vantage Construction Inc with his brother James Watson who's also married, with two sons and expecting another.  Family know Jake as someone dedicated to his work yet easy-going and down to earth.  Customers describe him as a punctual owner with attention to detail who can be counted on to make good on his promises and to stand behind the work of his crew.  

With so many disappointing contractors in the market place, customers say it's a relief that they found Vantage Construction Inc in Sonoma County as one that's accountable with complete communication that keeps clients informed at every step, that addresses all cost driving choices at the outset for projects that come in on budget and at the promised price, owners that stay involved to ensure quality at each step, and with crew that are held to high professional standards in appearance, behavior, and construction methods to get a finished result that holds up for years and makes customers happy.