Frequently Asked Questions

A clear scope, drawings and specifications, a price structure, a payment schedule, start and completion dates, a change order process, warranty terms, insurance details, and how any disputes get resolved. Verbal understandings belong nowhere in a construction agreement.

A development permit confirms your intended use and where a structure may sit under local planning rules. A building permit confirms the construction itself meets code. Most new construction in Prince Edward Island requires both before any work begins.

Usually yes. A current survey establishes boundaries, setbacks, easements, and grade, all of which determine where a building may legally sit. Building from an assumed property line is among the most expensive mistakes an owner can possibly make.

Bearing capacity, water table, and soil type together determine footing size, foundation type, and drainage design. Poor soil may require engineered footings or piles. Testing early is far cheaper than discovering the problem once excavation is already open.

The owner generally applies for the service connections, while the contractor coordinates timing, trenching, and site access so crews are never left waiting on one another. Applying early matters, because utility scheduling rarely bends to a construction calendar.

Provincial lien legislation requires a percentage of each payment to be retained for a set period after substantial completion. The holdback protects owners against unpaid subtrades and suppliers, and the money is released once that statutory period expires.

Payments follow completed stages such as foundation, framing, lock-up, and completion, or they follow monthly progress claims. Either approach keeps money aligned with work actually finished, which protects both the owner and the contractor throughout the project.

Windows, cabinets, trusses, and specialty equipment often need ordering several months ahead of installation. A schedule that ignores lead times looks tidy on paper and collapses on site, so ordering dates belong in the plan alongside construction dates.

We identify substitutions of equivalent quality, resequence the work so crews stay productive, and tell you immediately rather than letting the schedule quietly slip. Decisions about any substitution always come back to you before anything gets installed in the building.

One party controls the site, sets access rules, maintains fall protection and housekeeping, and coordinates who works where and when. Crowded, disorganized sites cause most construction injuries, so organization is a safety measure rather than merely good manners.

Look past the finishes at the details: consistent trim reveals, tight joints, level floors, straight walls, and tidy mechanical work. Then ask the owners about communication, schedule, and how problems were handled once the work was already underway.

Warranty terms come from your contract and from any third party program the builder participates in, typically covering workmanship for a defined period and structural elements for longer. Confirm the scope and duration in writing before signing anything.

Larger builds usually need booking several months ahead, since design, permitting, and material ordering all precede construction. Advanced Builders schedules projects across Summerside, PEI well in advance, so early conversations give you far better date options.

Yes, provided the crews and the supervision genuinely have experience in both. Commercial work brings heavier code, accessibility, and inspection obligations, while residential work demands finish quality. A builder doing both keeps skilled people busy through seasonal swings.

Carpentry, framing, and finish work typically stay in house, where direct control protects quality standards. Licensed trades such as electrical, plumbing, and heating are subcontracted to qualified partners who carry their own certification, insurance, and inspection responsibilities.