Frank Ortega
Owner, B general contractor
Twenty-two years building in San Benito County. Walks every bid himself and signs every change order.
Who you're hiring
Same crew, start to finish.
Twenty-two years building in this county. The owner walks every bid, one superintendent runs your job, and the office answers when you call.
Since 2002
A contractor you can find in town.
We started with bathroom remodels and a single truck, and most of what we build now still comes from someone who saw our crew on their neighbor's street. That's a good reason to leave a site swept every afternoon.
We hold a B general building license, carry general liability and workers' compensation, and hand over certificates with every contract without being asked. Ask that of anyone bidding your project — if a worker is hurt on an uninsured job, that exposure can land on the homeowner.
CA General Building Contractor · B License #000000 (sample) · Bonded and insured
The people
4 names, not a call center.
Dana Whitmore
Project manager & permits
Runs the schedule and the paperwork — plan check comments, inspection windows, and the Friday update you actually read.
Luis Carrasco
Field superintendent
Framing, structural, and finish carpentry. If the layout is wrong, everything after it is wrong — that's his whole philosophy.
Bethany Cole
Estimator & selections
Builds the line-item bid and walks you through finish selections before ordering, so allowances mean something.
How a build runs
The process, written down.
You get a written update with photos every Friday, whether there's good news in it or not.
1. Walk the property
Free on-site visit inside our service area. We look at what's there, what's behind the walls if we can tell, and what your budget actually buys before anyone draws anything.
2. Design and firm bid
Plans through our design partner or yours, then a line-item bid with real allowances. Labor, materials, permits, and contingency are separate lines so nothing hides in a lump sum.
3. Permits and scheduling
Our office files with the city or county, tracks plan check comments, and builds the calendar around inspection windows instead of guessing at them.
4. Build and weekly updates
One superintendent, the same crew, and a written update with photos every Friday. Change orders are priced and signed before the work happens, never after.
5. Punch list and closeout
We walk it together and fix the list before final payment. You get warranties, manuals, as-built notes, and the final inspection card in one packet.
6. Warranty year
One phone number for the first year. Drywall cracks and door adjustments from normal settling are ours to fix, not yours to live with.
Owner references
What clients say afterward.
“The bid had actual dollar amounts for the tile and the cabinets. Every other bid we got was one number and a shrug.”
“They pulled the permit, dealt with plan check, and told us what was happening every Friday. We never had to chase anyone.”
“Historic review scared us off for 2 years. They got it approved on the first pass.”
“Poured our shop pad in the rain window and it hasn't moved. That's all I wanted.”
“We opened on the lease date. In this business that's the only review that matters.”
“Two change orders on a nine-month job, both signed before anyone swung a hammer. That's unheard of.”
Builder questions
The questions worth asking any contractor.
Who is the main point of contact at the job site each day?
A dedicated superintendent is assigned to your site from start to finish. While the owner handles the initial bid and high-level questions, you won't have to deal with a revolving door of contacts while we work on your property.
Which trades are subcontracted on a build?
For plumbing, HVAC, and specialty trades, yes — the same licensed crews we've used for years. Framing, carpentry, and concrete are our own people.
How long has this builder worked in San Benito County?
Twenty-two years in this sample, with most work coming from repeat clients and their neighbors.
Is your construction crew bilingual?
Yes. To better serve our diverse community across San Benito County, all contracts, project walk-throughs, and daily crew communications are available in both English and Spanish.
Is your crew covered by workers' compensation and liability insurance?
Yes, we carry both workers' comp and general liability. We encourage homeowners to ask for certificates from any contractor bidding in San Benito County; an injury on an uninsured job creates significant financial risk for the owner.
How is a construction project billed and paid?
A legal deposit, then progress payments tied to completed phases with a final payment held until the punch list is cleared and inspections are signed.
What if I discover a problem after the crew leaves the site?
You call our local office directly. Because we are based right here, any workmanship issues appearing within the first year are scheduled for a fix just like any of our active job sites near Highway 25.
First conversation
Let's walk the project.
Free walk-throughs inside our service area, and a written scope before you're asked for a deposit.