Ask a Professional - January 2008

Article about us

Can I really get a good deal with a contractor without getting ripped off?

You’re looking to build that new deck or perhaps you need to add more room to your home but like most people, you’re on a budget. Since money is tighter these days, you’re looking for that elusive good deal, but you also want a good job. Well, once upon a time in the not so distant past, you could do business with nothing more then a handshake and you knew the job was done right and if there ever were any problems they were taken care of without any problems. Back then the motto was: “The customer is king”. Trust was considered sacred.

Boy, have things changed; today, everything is in writing and unfortunately trust is just a word that comes before “and loan”. Also, a “good deal” usually comes with strings or worse yet, an unqualified contractor. Now a days in order to get that good deal and not get ripped off, you’ll have to do your homework! So how do you do that? One way is to check the contractor out. Check their license status, insurance, references and don’t forget to find out about what it will cost. You want to know if you can afford it.

That sure seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t it be nice to find a contractor that was willing to go out of their way and do some of that legwork for you?

My name is Bruce Greenberg (owner and founder of Greenberg Construction). My wife Jenefer and I have lived and worked in Tehachapi since April 2004. We service all of Tehachapi and all surrounding areas including Lancaster and Palmdale.

First of all as for myself… I have been in the construction trades for over 35 years but unlike many general contractors what seems to make me unique is that I have hands on experience in many of the trades that make up building a home as well as working in the commercial sector. Almost all general contractors know about the framing and foundations but what about the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, tiles, masonry, yes even the planning stages. Even though its true that these sub-contractors are hired by the general its nice to know that your general contractor has the same type of hands on experiences that the subs that they hire so if anything does goes wrong or if problems come up, the general can handle it without too much fuss.

As of this writing (March, 2008) we have completed quite a few projects in the Tehachapi area. You can physically see some of our work just by walking into the “Fuller and Fuller” gift shop (btwn. The “Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory” and the Bakery) on 125 W. Tehachapi Bl. We remodeled the left hand side of the gift shop by installing a stairway with a hidden closet underneath using slat board for retail space with drywall upper to the trelace work at the top. We enjoy this area and people here and we are very much in tune with the real estate market.

Go to: www.greenbergconstruction.com. We’ve spent countless hours putting key information in your hand with the click of a mouse! Please check out the “Costs” section of this website where you’ll get a good idea of about how much the costs are to build. There are 4 different categories and this section is updated every 6 months to every year depending on amount of the changes that have taken place since the last update. Were BBB and Chamber members in good standing. To get a more detailed estimate, please use the secured “Request a Quote” section of the website and we’ll give your estimate within a few days along with some professional designer ideas at no charge!

We also write a question and answer piece in the “Ask a Professional” section once a month in the Tehachapi News that are of concerns to Tehachapi residents. When you hire us to complete whatever project/s you have, from a complete new home to a room addition / remodel, the quality of materials and craftsmanship is as if it is our own. Our flexibility gives you the options as to whether you want a “turn key” project in which we handle everything from plans to final or a money saving option of letting you do some of the work yourself. All of our insurance, workers comp and contracts are up to date and all agreements are transparent, (All line itemed knowing exactly what is included and what is not included). There are no surprises. For those who want to talk to us on the phone, please call.

The office number is: 661-823-7496, Cell: 661-549-3252 and the fax: 661-362-4132.