Conrado Home Builders
Colleen Conrado Ferguson talks about working as a contractor.
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FAME: When was Conrado Home Builders founded and what does your company specialize in?
Colleen Conrado Ferguson, President ©Conrado
CC: Conrado Home Builders was founded in 1988 by Paul and Libby Conrado. They built the firm with the goal of building at the highest caliber and to create lasting homes and relationships. 35 years later, we are still committed to that same level of excellence, with a proven framework rooted in collaboration between clients, designers, and contractors.
FAME: Did you always know that you would become a contractor?
CC: Ha! It’s funny how these things work out. Growing up I loved being on our construction sites with my dad, watching the homes transform through the construction process.
In art school, I continued to explore that passion for architecture and became interested in furniture design as well. There’s an immense beauty in an architecturally aesthetic home – unified in its overall design, form, and structure.
I love waking up every day with an opportunity to build something beautiful that has never existed before, and I’m grateful for the trust our clients give us to bring their vision into existence.
FAME: For any clients reading this, can you describe what a contractor does?
CC: We take your designs and plans and transform them into your dream home!
The contractor is like the quarterback. The overall vision and plans are designed by the owners and architects, and we are calling the plays on the field and coordinating the action to bring it to life. In homebuilding, there are so many specialty roles and tradespeople that focus on each specific element of a home. The contractor brings all these “players” together, managing the schedules, the budget, and the work quality and output of the whole team.
To get into the details, we do everything from working with your design team and local municipality to ensure your home meets the design requirements as well as the current building code standards. We also build and manage a detailed project schedule to coordinate the work. Finally, we order materials and manage the budget, to ensure we keep our fiduciary commitment to you amidst a whirl of ever-changing design and market conditions.
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FAME: When is the best time for clients to bring a contractor on board a project and why?
CC: As soon as you know you want to build a house. We work best when we are brought in early and can work closely with the clients and architects throughout the design and estimating process.
Being a part of the design meetings from the beginning allows us to understand our client’s ideas and values. As we get to know them, their personalities and approach, that information helps us tailor the project management to fit their style and overarching vision. Practically, we can help provide feasibility and cost analysis during the design phase and help the architect team coordinate for permitting and entitlement. This can prevent unnecessary delays and expenses.
FAME: What makes Conrado Home Builders special?
CC: There are so many things that make our company exceptional! From the get-go, we put a lot of care and effort into our pre-construction services. When clients engage us, they can expect a deep and careful process to curate the work and estimate costs. About 500 hours of work goes into each budget we prepare. This level of preparation is unique in the industry but results in a high level of reliability that gives our clients confidence in their decision-making.
That level of care continues even after the build. Our unique HomeCare service provides evergreen maintenance and remodels, so our homeowners can protect the value of their investment. We have been caring for some homes for over 20 years! And it’s a testament to the deep, lasting relationships that we’ve built with our clients.
Finally, I’m proud that Conrado is a woman-owned and operated construction company. Only about 3.5% of jobs in the construction industry are held by women. We’ve worked hard over the years to buck those stats. Our team is nearly 50% women.
FAME: What are three things clients should know before starting a home remodel or new home project?
CC: Decisions, decisions, decisions. I think clients who have never built a new home or have done extensive remodeling before underestimate the number of decisions they will need to make over the course of the project and the time commitment required to be part of the construction process. In the world of luxury, custom design-build, every detail is a decision and there is no template or “standard”. Thoughtfully considering and making these decisions can be fatiguing and time-consuming, though worth the investment because the final product is completely custom to you. We often hear from our clients after they move that they miss the team meetings, interacting with tradespeople, and watching all their decisions come to fruition.
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FAME: What should a client look for when hiring a contractor (i.e. What traits should a contractor have)?
CC: Capabilities and experience. Firstly, you need to have the confidence they can build to your expectations. What is the depth of their experience? Have they built projects of similar size, scope, and level of detail? Do they have strong relationships with subcontractors, tradespeople, and vendors? Are they organized with a field staff and back office that can support the project? What does their post-construction care and warranty program look like?
Personal fit. This is so important. You will see and talk to your contractor at least weekly (if not more) for the life of the project. He or she should be someone who you can work with well, whose approach and personality are complementary to your own, and dare I say someone you enjoy spending time with. Like all partnerships, the best outcomes result from respect and trust on both sides, which cannot be understated.
Shared vision. Your contractor is taking your design and plans and transforming it into a physical home, so they need to share your vision for the project and understand what is important to you. Do they “get it”? Do you want an extremely environmentally conscientious home? Do you want to future-proof the technology in the home? Are you trying to achieve a specific architectural aesthetic? A custom home is the product of a unique and personal vision, and only a partner who understands your vision will be able to build your perfect home.
FAME: Construction projects are a team effort with the architect and contractor working closely together. Do you have any ‘words of wisdom’ on this? Or what makes for ideal teamwork?
CC: The best projects come from a collaborative team-based approach, especially when clients trust the contractor and design team to make decisions on their behalf. This works best when the client sets the strategy and the contractor and design team figure out “the how”. Each person on the team has a role to play in building your home. When they are empowered and given the right level of responsibility, they all take their jobs very seriously and advocate for the best outcome for your project.
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FAME: Is constructing modern homes different from constructing traditional ones?
CC: Each project brings its unique construction challenges, but modern homes are less forgiving. The materials in most homes are assembled by hand and have specific, material tolerances. Even large, steel beams are engineered to bow under the home’s weight. In a modern home, construction quality is always on view. With large, floor-to-ceiling windows, open floor plans, and linear elements, an untrained eye will notice even a half-inch bow as an imperfection. Whereas in a traditional home, the interior trim and detailed millwork can disguise these natural variances. It becomes paramount then to have a contractor and build team that can provide the highest level of precision.
FAME: What is your favorite type of project to take on?
CC: With a background in design, I’m always interested in projects that push our technical and engineering skills or have a unique design. If I could wave a magic wand, we’d find architecturally interesting projects for clients who share our value of building enduring homes and relationships. We work closely with our clients before, during, and after construction, so strong and lasting relationships really matter.
My hope is that the homes we build will still be standing in 100 years. It takes great design, great construction, and great teamwork to make that happen.
FAME: Give us a fun fact about yourself!
CC: I love to backpack in the mountains! When I’m not busy building homes, I’m usually playing with my daughter and rescue greyhound. But on the rare occasion when I really get away, you might find me sleeping in a tent above the treeline. Probably my favorite adventure was hiking the Sierra High Route with my husband in 2020. It was about 200 miles overland (almost no trails!), 55,000 feet of vertical, over 30 mountain passes, and 19 blissful nights under the stars. If you’re interested, check out our blog post about it: https://thesierrahighroute.com/
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