The cost of restoring an eroding dune or investing in new beach stairs can feel overwhelming, especially when you're looking for a trustworthy company that actually delivers on time, on budget, and with outstanding quality. To help you get to know us better, here’s an overview of our process, from first contact to final inspection and beyond. If you have any questions about our work or want to contact recent clients, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re happy to help! 

Vision, Consultation & Proposal Process

• Share the Vision: You reach out to us by email, phone call, or text -- we’re excited to hear from you and start this journey together.  Like a first date, we will ask lots of questions (e.g., lifestyle & property-use goals, problems you'd like solved, amount of vegetation on the dune) and are happy to answer all of yours. 

• On-Site Consultation: We come ready to measure, take pictures, and evaluate important dune features like its slope, soil type, vegetation growth, and drainage.   If you're unable to meet us on site, we'll call to discuss the geological and ecological features we saw, learn more about your particular concerns, and answer your questions. After reviewing everything, we'll give you our free ballpark estimate--within 30% of the final number—so you have a sense of what to expect.

• Storing info: Your name, contact details, site photos, and dune measurements go into our confidential office database to help us stay organized.

• Diving in: If you feel good about the ballpark estimate, we'll develop a detailed proposal that complies with the Michigan Building Code & with Michigan's Critical Dune Area Program (EGLE).  For complex or multi-part projects, we recommend an initial Project Development Contract (around $2500). That typically includes consulting an engineer or architect, creating permit-ready drawings, or developing the details for a new/unique service. 

• Proposal: We’ll email our best prediction of the project's scope, costs, and expectations. For our typical fixed-price contract, we normally ask for a 30% down payment to secure the contract and purchase materials; 40% when we get started, and 30% when the project is complete. 

Time to Work

• Kick-off: When we receive your project acceptance and down payment, we schedule your project, order materials, and apply for all the needed permits. We'll also reserve site essentials, like a portable toilet and dumpster.

• Site visit: Our sales and operations teams may visit the site together and carefully review the plan to avoid mistakes and miscommunications.

• First day moves: We move our tools, equipment, and materials to the site, and the project manager orients the crew to the site, project, and assigned tasks. If needed, we'll you send a gentle reminder that the second payment is due. 

• Site oversight: Our foreman is on site 100% of the work time, and our project manager is on site almost every day to answer questions and oversee quality. One or both of the owners will also stop by a few times to check in with the crew and monitor progress.

• Updates: We take photos every day and send you regular progress reports so you can follow along and ask questions. If you ask for any changes to the project, we'll document them in an email so everyone is on the same page; change order payments are normally due immediately. 

Wrapping Up

• Last day: We handle all the final details like making the site spotless, taking pictures, and scheduling any inspections that might be needed. We'll remove our equipment and call for the toilet and dumpster to be removed ASAP so you can enjoy your home in peace.

• Time to celebrate! We’d love to meet you at site to show you the finished work and make sure you're happy with the results. Behind the scenes, we have a small crew celebration and a quick review of our wins and lessons learned. 

• Final invoice:  Our office will email your final invoice.

• Show and tell: We’ll share project highlights on social media and update our website gallery, but we won't mention your name or address without your prior permission. If you’re satisfied with our work, we'd love your testimonial for the website or a Google review to help others find us, too.

• Follow-up call: A few months after the project is complete, we’ll call to make sure all’s well. If anything needs a second look, we’ll schedule a visit to make fixes promptly.

• Looking ahead: We look forward to assisting with any future lakeshore services you might need.  Keep in mind that we offer a 1% referral gift to thank you for connecting us to a new client.