A finished sunroom addition completed by GiGi Homes & Construction in Chantilly, Virginia

The Process · Five Phases

Calm from day one.

Most remodels feel stressful because no one explains what happens next. Here is a full walk-through of what happens next — every phase, every deliverable, and every thing we will ask of you.

Start From Phase One↓
Alex BautistaFounder

350+

Homes transformed

10+

Years in Northern Virginia

4.9

Google rating

Class A Virginia ContractorFully Licensed & InsuredFixed-Price ProposalsDesign + Build Under One RoofOne Dedicated Project ManagerWeekly Client WalkthroughsFeatured on HGTVFeatured on The Alimond Show
  1. ConversationThe first hour
  2. DesignTwo to six weeks
  3. EstimateOne reveal meeting
  4. BuildSix weeks to eight months
  5. HandoverFinal week and years after
01The first hour

Conversation

Alex or a senior designer meets you at your home, at a time that works around yours. There is no sales rep, no tablet demo, no packages to pick from. Someone who will actually be involved in your project is the person walking the space with you.

We look, we listen, we ask. What isn't working, what you love, who lives here. How you cook, how you host, how the mornings run. Where the money is meant to land, and — just as usefully — where it isn't. The answers shape everything downstream.

You leave the meeting with a clear next step, not a hard sell. If a design engagement makes sense, you will know what it costs, how long it takes, and what it produces before you decide. If it doesn't yet, we say so — and tell you what would change that.

What you walk away with

  • A written summary of what you told us
  • A ballpark budget range for the project
  • A design proposal — fee and timeline — if you want one
  • A next step you feel comfortable saying yes or no to

What we'll ask of you

  • An honest budget range, not a public one
  • The list of everything the current space gets wrong
  • Everyone who will help decide on the project
02Two to six weeks

Design

We measure the space as it actually exists, not as the original plans said it should. Every wall, every window, every duct, every out-of-square corner. This is the drawing that keeps the estimate honest, because everything else gets built on top of it.

Then the design work: concept, layouts, elevations, materials. You see the new space in 3D before you buy any of it, and you hold physical samples of the finishes that matter most — cabinet doors, stone slabs, tile, hardware — in the light of your actual home.

Design ends with construction drawings a builder can actually build from and a permit office can actually stamp. Not a mood board that leaves the hard questions for the crew to figure out mid-demo. Every decision that should be made on paper is made on paper first.

What you walk away with

  • Measured drawings of the existing space
  • 3D renderings of the new design
  • A material board with real, physical samples
  • Construction drawings that are ready to permit

What we'll ask of you

  • Decisions in the order we ask for them
  • Access to the space for a site measure
  • Feedback within a week on each design round
03One reveal meeting

Estimate

Once the drawings are done, we go get real prices. Real subcontractor bids for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and framing. Real material quantities taken from the actual construction drawings. Real allowances for anything you have not chosen yet, priced honestly and marked as an allowance.

The number is presented in person. A single fixed-price proposal, signed by Alex, that holds from the reveal meeting through handover — as long as the scope does not change. Any scope change goes through a written change order that you sign before the work proceeds.

Nothing about the price is a mystery, but nothing about it is a menu either. You are hiring a firm to be responsible for the total outcome — the price reflects the whole responsibility, not a spreadsheet of parts you would have to reassemble yourself if something went sideways.

What you walk away with

  • A fixed-price proposal, signed by Alex
  • A written scope of work in plain language
  • A change-order process spelled out before day one
  • A production start date on the calendar

What we'll ask of you

  • Time to actually read the scope before you sign
  • The awkward questions asked now, not on demo day
  • A signed contract and initial deposit
04Six weeks to eight months

Build

One dedicated project manager owns your job from demo through handover. The same person every week, walking the site with you. Not a rotating cast, not a call center. When you have a question, you have their number, and you get an answer that same day.

The site is treated like it belongs to you, because it does. Broom-clean at the end of every day, dust containment at the work zone, photo updates on the days you are not on-site. A living schedule you can actually read and hold us to, updated as reality moves it.

Change orders and unforeseen conditions get handled the same way every single time — described in writing, priced fairly, signed by you before the crew touches it. You are never surprised by a line on the final invoice, because the final invoice was written down as it happened.

What you walk away with

  • Weekly walkthrough with your project manager
  • A living schedule with real dates and dependencies
  • Daily broom-clean and dust containment on-site
  • Photo updates on the days you are not there

What we'll ask of you

  • A staging plan for the parts of the house still running
  • Decisions on any late-round finish selections
  • Sign-off on every change order before work continues
05Final week and years after

Handover

The last week of the job is the punch list. We walk the space together, room by room, and you flag anything that is not right — the trim that is not tight, the paint that missed a corner, the drawer pull that sits half a hair off. It stays open until you say it is closed.

We hand over a homeowner's binder. Every product, every spec, every paint color, every appliance manual, every subcontractor's contact. If you ever need to touch up a wall or match a tile in year eight, you have the exact answer already, in one place, on your shelf.

Then the warranty starts. Five years of workmanship coverage on the labor we performed, plus every manufacturer warranty on every product installed. If something goes sideways in year three, you call the same number you called on day one and reach the same firm that built it.

What you walk away with

  • A punch list closed with your sign-off
  • A homeowner's binder with every product and spec
  • A five-year workmanship warranty on the labor
  • Manufacturer warranties on every installed product

What we'll ask of you

  • A walk-through with the project manager
  • Anything that feels off, flagged in the moment
  • A call to us when something needs attention later
A finished kitchen remodel by GiGi Homes & Construction in Reston, Virginia

Why the process is this way

Every phase is here because its absence has hurt someone.

The five phases above are not a marketing framework. They are the specific things Alex found missing on the projects he watched go wrong before he started GiGi in 2015 — the estimate that moved, the crew that stopped answering, the punch list that never closed, the paint code that no one wrote down.

Each phase exists to remove one of those failure modes at the earliest point it can be removed. That is the whole system. If a step feels obvious, that is the point.

Alex Bautista

The Honest Questions

What happens when it isn't textbook.

Every remodel throws at least one curveball. Here is how each of the common ones actually gets handled — in writing, with your signature, before it costs you a dollar.

It goes through the same change-order process every other scope change goes through: we describe what was found, price the fix, and you sign before we proceed. Old houses hide things — the contract accounts for that path, and the schedule does too.

You can. A change order gets written, priced, and signed before we act on it, so you always see the cost and schedule impact before you commit. We would rather stop for a day and get the decision right than build the wrong thing quickly.

The schedule lists dependencies as well as dates — if a permit or a material push moves a milestone, you see why, in the same schedule you have been reading all along. We do not silently absorb slips; we tell you and we tell you what caused it.

An initial deposit at contract signing, progress payments tied to specific construction milestones spelled out in the contract, and a final payment at handover after your punch list is closed. Every payment maps to work you can see finished on site.

Bring it up. Some finishes read differently under real light than under a showroom lamp. A swap is a change order, priced honestly — sometimes it is a wash, sometimes it costs a little more — but the option is always on the table before the finish gets installed.

You call the number you have called from day one and reach the same firm that built it. Labor sits under a five-year workmanship warranty; every product carries the manufacturer's coverage on top. Both get honored — we do not disappear at handover.

As Featured On

The work
gets noticed.

Two conversations about what happens when a design-build firm actually keeps its promises. Watch, then decide who to call.

Verified Google Reviews

The best proof
is a happy home.

4.9 out of 5 · 90+ reviews

The finished kitchen matters. So does everything before it — the months we spend in someone’s home, the questions we answer at nine at night, the calls we return the same day. These are the words of people who lived that with us. The experience is the work.

“Alex is an absolute pleasure to work with! I had a great experience. Alex doesn't just do the job, he does it with care, precision and attention to detail — almost like he is taking care of his own home. Alex and his team are professional and polite. He even brought back my trash cans in (it was trash day) before he left, which he didn't have to do at all! If you want a reliable contractor, Alex is your man!”

S

Somaiya Shameem

Home renovation · 2 months ago

“Top-notch workmanship and an outstanding work ethic. We used GiGi Homes and Construction for an extensive renovation, and the quality of the materials and final finish exceeded our expectations. Alex is knowledgeable and helpful, even when we had several last-minute changes to the project scope. They finished the project on schedule and were a pleasure to work with from start to finish.”

I

Imelda Campa

Extensive renovation · 4 months ago

“I had the pleasure of working with Alex from GiGi Homes on my home closets. He did an amazing job designing them and guiding me through the entire process. He made everything feel easy and comfortable from start to finish. I would highly recommend GiGi Homes for any home remodeling services!”

A

Abigail Jimenez

Custom closets · 4 months ago

“Had renovations done to my bathroom and kitchen last month. From beginning to end, I had a great experience. Mr Bautista was patient as I was indecisive. He walked me through each step of planning. The contractor and crew paid attention to detail, worked efficiently, and cared about keeping the remaining spaces useable. The final results were beautiful — better than I ever imagined. It all came within the budget we discussed. Plan on using them for finishing my basement. Would highly recommend.”

C

Costanza Rutland

Kitchen & bathroom · 4 months ago

“We've had a great experience with GiGi Homes. They are extremely reliable and professional. With the heavy snowfall we received, the parking lot at our office was completely covered. Alex and his team worked quickly and diligently to clear the lot so we could proceed with normal office operations. The job is done thoroughly every time, with attention to detail that really shows. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for dependable, high-quality work.”

S

Saige Barraclough

Commercial snow removal · 7 months ago

“Highly professional company that recently helped with renovations in our basement. They delivered clean, high-quality work, were always responsive, and offered creative ideas throughout the process.”

A

Ashley Alvarado

Basement renovation · 7 months ago

“GiGi Homes is very professional, creative, and a great choice when it comes to anything to do with upgrading your home. I would definitely recommend his team to my friends and family!”

L

Liliana A

Bathroom remodel · 8 months ago

“I'm extremely pleased with the remodeling work done on my home. Alex was professional, respectful, and clearly skilled at what he does. The craftsmanship and attention to detail really stood out, and the project was completed smoothly from start to finish. My home looks amazing, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for high-quality remodeling work.”

G

Gabriela Escamilla

Home remodel · 8 months ago

“I recently hired GiGi Homes to remodel my bathroom, and I couldn't be happier with the results. From start to finish, the team was professional, detail-oriented, and easy to work with. They helped me choose the right materials, stayed on schedule, and made sure everything was done to perfection. The workmanship is excellent, and the bathroom looks stunning — modern, clean, and exactly how I envisioned it.”

Y

Yassine Aitelmadani

Bathroom remodel · 11 months ago

“They provide a very good service with the customer's goal in mind. Alex and his team are very kind and very professional. I would highly recommend them.”

K

Kourosh Kianpour

General renovation · a year ago

Read all reviews on Google

Let's build together

Every great home
starts with a conversation.

Tell us about your project. Alex or a lead designer will follow up within one business day to schedule a walk-through of your space. First conversation is free.

Call

(571) 500-2197

Email

info@gigihomesllc.com

Headquarters

Centreville, VA

We reply within one business day.