What Happens After You Call Us: The Red Umbrella Process, Start to Finish

One of the things I've noticed over the years is that people put off making that first call — not because they aren't interested, but because they aren't sure what they're walking into. What happens next? How long does it take? Am I committing to something the moment I pick up the phone?

The answer to that last question is no. Here's exactly what working with Red Umbrella looks like from the very beginning.

The First Conversation

When you call or reach out, you're talking to me — not a salesperson, not a scheduler, not someone who takes your name and passes it along. We'll talk about your property, what you're thinking about building, and what's driving the decision. That conversation takes as long as it needs to. Sometimes fifteen minutes tells us everything we need to know to take a next step. Sometimes it raises questions worth answering before we go further.

Either way, nothing is on the clock and nothing is on the table until you say so.

The Site Visit

If the initial conversation suggests your property is a good candidate for an ADU, we'll schedule a time to come out and take a look. This is where the real assessment happens — lot dimensions, setbacks, existing structures, utility connections, access points, and any site conditions that will affect what's possible and what it will cost.

I've been walking properties in Lane County for decades. A site visit typically gives me a clear picture of what will work, what won't, and why — information that shapes everything that comes after.

The Proposal

Based on the site visit, I put together a detailed written proposal. Scope of work, timeline, and a clear cost breakdown — no vague ranges designed to get a signature and expand later. If the electrical planning, permitting, or site conditions warrant specific attention, that's in the proposal too, not buried in the fine print.

You take that proposal home, read it, ask questions, and decide. There's no pressure and no expiration date designed to manufacture urgency.

If what you've read so far sounds like the kind of process you were hoping for, we'd be glad to hear from you. A quick call is all it takes to get started.

Once You Say Go

Permitting comes first — and we handle it. Once permits are approved, construction follows a sequenced schedule that we walk you through before we break ground. You'll know what's happening, when it's happening, and who to call if you have questions at any point during the build.

Communication isn't something we do at the end of a phase. It's ongoing, direct, and in plain language — because this is your home and your investment, and you deserve to know exactly where things stand.

That's been our approach since the beginning. It's not complicated. It's just how we think this work ought to be done.