Christopher Wells Construction, Inc. provides a variety of residential remodeling services for clients throughout San Francisco and San Mateo County. The company focuses on building room additions and remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, decks, foundations, and more.
Owner Christopher Wells has been involved in the construction industry since he was 14 years old. He began his career as a carpenter and spent many years as a home inspector, where he evaluated more than 3,000 structures and gained a thorough knowledge of Bay Area residential construction issues. Mr. Wells founded Christopher Wells Construction in 1984 after earning his general contractor's license.
Christopher Wells Construction stresses communication through all phases of its projects. If clients have any questions or concerns, the company's foreman is either onsite to immediately address them or is available by phone.
“We take a simple approach to building and remodeling: Make sure the job is done right the first time, and be truthful about costs and upfront with every detail. We put a great emphasis on communication; our clients don't have to worry about when their jobs will be finished, because they already know the details.”
To keep your home in good shape, be aware of water intrusion and the damage it can cause.
According to Chris Wells, owner of Christopher Wells Construction, Inc. in Brisbane, water intrusion is one of the most important problems for homeowners to address. “Whenever you see any signs of water—staining or water dripping—bring in a general contractor or roofer as soon as possible,” he says. “They’ll be able to determine what’s happening. The longer you leave a water intrusion problem, the bigger the repair bill will be.”
If your basement becomes a victim of water intrusion, there’s a good chance that mold is thriving in the affected areas. When mold grows in a basement, it’s imperative to treat it aggressively—it can be a health hazard and can cause damage to walls, floors, and items such as furniture and appliances. Consider these basic steps and precautions to treat basement mold:
• Find the source of the mold. Check for things like leaking pipes or water seeping in through walls or the floor. Immediately remove any water and use dehumidifiers or fans to help dry the area.
• Wet the affected area with a sponge or rag. Wipe off as much mold as possible.
• Use a spatula to scrape off any visible, remaining mold. Use a non-metallic spatula if you’re worried about scratching a surface, such as a finished wood wall.
• Mix a solution of water, chlorine beach and laundry detergent. For concrete mold, mix 1 cup of bleach and 1/2 cup of detergent for each gallon of water. For wooden walls, use 1/2 cup of bleach. Test the solution on a small part of the wall. If the wood changes color, use a solution of water and detergent only. A wood-cleaning product can also be used on a wooden wall.
• Thoroughly scrub any area or item that has mold. Use a sponge or rag for wooden walls and a sponge, rag or bristled brush for concrete. Scrub as hard as possible to help remove mold from its roots.
• Rinse the area thoroughly and dry it with a fan or humidifier.
• Treat the basement with a commercial mold-killing product.
• Place the mold in garbage bags and take them outside immediately.
If your water intrusion problem becomes too serious to treat by yourself, it’s important to bring in a general contractor or roofer to assess the situation. Mr. Wells advises to choose a company that carries a sufficient liability insurance policy. “If the contractor doesn’t have insurance, you may be liable for any damage or injuries incurred on the job.” Although contractors are required to carry both workers’ compensation insurance and a bond to cover payroll in case they default, Mr. Wells says some let their insurance lapse in order to save money. “It’s an overlooked part of the business. You need to confirm the validity of their insurance policies.”
Christopher Wells Construction, Inc. has been remodeling and repairing San Francisco and San Mateo County homes since 1984. The company builds additions and works on bathrooms, kitchens, decks, foundations and more. Owner and company namesake Christopher Wells started his construction career as a carpenter and has been gaining hands-on industry experience ever since.
Mr. Wells personally handles the estimates, proposals and sales work for most of his company's projects. "One of my employees doubles as an estimator and project manager when things get really busy," he says, "but I'm usually the one doing all that work." Mr. Wells says it's important for customers to have the person who puts their proposal together also supervise their project. "If not, the process suffers. I've always said that whoever goes out and looks at the job should be the one who makes sure things are done correctly."
Christopher Wells Construction's crew members are all experienced journeymen with a minimum of three years with the firm. "We take pride in the amount of experience we provide," says Mr. Wells. "In fact, our foreman has been with us since 1987." The company uses the same crew for every job, so its members have learned to function effectively as a team. It also prides itself on its communication skills–if homeowners have any questions of concerns, the foreman is either onsite to immediately address them or is available by phone.
Mr. Wells says many contractors use different teams of subcontractors for each phase of a project, which can lead to communication gaps and drops in quality with every handoff. "I only use subcontractors for specialized, non-carpentry work. I'm not a ‘paper contractor.' Basically, everyone on my team works for me–they've seen every detail of a project from beginning to end."
