Straight answers.

Cost depends on site, size and finish level far more than on any per-square-foot number. [CEW TO CONFIRM — typical starting range and what it includes.] We give you a scoped budget before construction starts, not a guess.

[CEW TO CONFIRM — typical timeline from contract to handover, and how a Saskatchewan winter start affects it.]

Yes. We coordinate design so the plans that get drawn are the plans that can actually be built to your budget. [CEW TO CONFIRM — in-house or partner designer.]

No. We can look at lots or acreage with you and tell you what a given site will cost to build on before you commit.

As involved as you want. Decisions we need from you are scheduled in advance so nothing gets asked for at the last minute.

Our sub-trades are long-standing, most of them build after build. We schedule, supervise and inspect their work. You never coordinate a sub-trade yourself.

In writing, priced, before the work happens. [CEW TO CONFIRM — change-order process.]

Our main area is the Lakelands: Christopher Lake, Candle Lake, Emma Lake, Waskesiu and the RM of Buckland. We also take work in Prince Albert and the surrounding area. If you are just outside that, ask anyway.

Yes. Most Prince Albert contractors handle one sub-trade. CEW works as the general contractor on the whole build — we hold the schedule, the sub-trades and the budget, and you deal with one company from permit to handover.

Yes. Renovations, additions, garages, decks, basement development, drywall and taping, and building demolition can all be booked on their own. If it is part of building a house, we can do it.

Ask for four things in writing before you sign: a current City of Prince Albert business licence, a Saskatchewan WCB clearance letter, proof of commercial general liability insurance, and for a new home, registration with a new home warranty provider. Then ask for two references from builds finished more than two years ago — problems show up after the second winter, not the first month. A contractor who hesitates on any of the four has told you something.

Saskatchewan does not license general contractors province-wide, so there is no single registry to search. Verification means checking three things separately: the municipal business licence held with the City of Prince Albert or the relevant RM, a WCB clearance letter requested directly from the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, and liability insurance confirmed by phoning the insurer rather than reading a certificate. For a new home, also confirm the builder is registered with a new home warranty program.

Yes. Kitchens, bathrooms, whole-home renovations, additions and basement development, in occupied houses as well as empty ones. Renovation quotes are written out line by line rather than given as a single number, so you can see what is scope and what is allowance.

Spend on the things that are expensive to change later — structure, envelope, plumbing and electrical locations — and treat finishes as the adjustable part of the budget. We will show you what each decision costs while the drawings are still on paper, which is the only point where changing your mind is free.

Yes. Re-roofs on existing homes and roofing on new construction, in asphalt shingle or metal, including sheathing repair, underlay, flashing and ventilation. Roofing can be booked on its own or as part of a full build.

CEW is a residential builder. Light commercial and agricultural buildings such as shops and outbuildings are possible — full commercial construction is not what this company is set up for, and we will tell you that rather than take the job. [CEW TO CONFIRM — whether light commercial should be listed at all.]

[CEW TO CONFIRM — typical $/sq ft range.] The variables that actually move the number are whether you are adding plumbing and a bathroom, ceiling height, and how the existing furnace and ductwork are laid out. We quote after seeing the space, never over the phone.

We reply, then set up a conversation about your site, your plans and your budget. No pressure and no cost.