Pledge General Contractors

Aug 2017

A picturesque property located in McKinney; this is an amazing home situated on a gorgeously landscaped lot in Hidden Creek. This beautiful home has an incredible negative edge spa with walk-in sun bathing bed. It is located in a quiet neighborhood, and has amazing views of mature and vibrant foliage. All of this plus new curb appeal, thanks to PLEDGE GC, makes the Green's culdesac property a prime location to showcase the comprehensive restoration, pride and workmanship that goes into every one of PLEDGE General Contractors projects. This claim was originally estimated at approximately $22k, and after thorough supplementation and justified repairs the total claim ended up just over $46,000, more than doubling the original claim amount. Claim increases of this magnitude are not uncommon when properly addressed by a professional estimation and restoration team such as ours. We began repairs with the roof and gutters, keeping a Lifetime composition shingle while upgrading the ridge to High Definition GAF Z-Ridge, to make this roof stand out amongst the neighbors. We also happily removed the builder grade motor-less attic vents and installed (4) 1500 CFM Power Vents for proper ventilation and longevity with the roofing system. While replacing the full wrap around gutters we ran into a snag while trying to remove the gutters protecting the back porch area. The customer has a baroque Pergola measuring 16' x 20' with (5) 4"x12" perlin girders built snug against the 5" gutters. The fit was so tight that even when we tried to remove the gutters using bolt cutters to snip out the 8" gutter spikes we still couldn't slide the aluminum gutters out away from the cedar girders. After a re-inspection by the insurance, the scope was complicated enough that they assumed our estimate to be the most comprehensive and thorough, awarding an additional $10,000 to detach and rebuild the structure. After removing 15 rafters and girders weighing over 100 lbs each, a few of the rafters along with the (54) 2"x2" rafter stays had to be replaced as they did not survive the demo. Thanks to our valued partner Binford Supplies we quickly engineered new 18' decorative scrolled tail girders, rafters and top ties. Our masterful carpentry team re-constructed the Pergola after getting the gutters replaced. During this vexing process we also replaced all of the 1x4 trim on the chimney with new TruWood composite trim. This trim is another standard for Pledge GC, as we continue to make convincing statements about our standards and quality with the materials we choose. Choosing durable and weather-resistant, sustainable and green materials that offer a versatility of textures and tooling for workmanship and aesthetic is a no-brainer. It's these meticulous details that help us retain the trust given to us by others. Some upgrades are economical, others are lavish; but we always help recommend wise investments and affordable solutions for our clients and partners. We didnt have to replace the chimney trim but we also couldnt walk away from the project looking at it. Further to that note, as is often the case in insurance claims, the fence allowance was under non-recoverable depreciation. We stained the entire fence with 10 gallons of Sherwin Williams Super Deck concentrated stain - Riverwood semi-transparent color in case you like the pictures... We used our Graco Ultra Max II 1095 Pro spray rig, delivering 1.2 gallons per minute of gorgeous brown chromaticity! The spraying power of this rig compared to a pump sprayer isnt even fair. It offers an incomprehensible increase in depth of pigment and years of starch acid rain resistance (as is necessary in central Texas for soft woods like Cedar). Even though we gave away half of this fence job, we didnt cut any corners and we cant justify anything other than our best! Moving to the interior repairs, we tried our best to be quick and neat about it, minimizing the time and inconvenience for the customer. In all five ceilings had to painted; including the dinging room, living room, game room, upper bedroom and master bath. Twenty foot scaffolding was needed to paint the game room ceiling, and we brought in a professional team to safely move the 1" solid slate billiard table out of the way. The rest of the interior was a breeze, as Mario and sons were in and out in 3 days. After all of the renovations were complete the Greens were kind enough to invite us to a party celebrating our mutual success and friendship. So we had to add a few pretty pictures of the pool, spa and firepit we got to enjoy and relax in/near. After all, life isnt all about "construction projects", sometimes it's about "constructing friendships"...

$45k

McKinney, TX

May 2017

This commercial facility in Royse City screams heavy machinery! A production facility which manufactures axels and other large steel parts. Heavy grinding, cutting, torching and spinning forklifts are loud enough...add 16 sf commercial exhaust fans on an aging building and its quite a clamor. Unfortunately for our client, the neighboring facility had a bay door facing these exhaust fans. The noise was obnoxious so they asked Pledge GC to discuss a solution to dampen it for their neighbors sake. Considering the temporary basis of this, we decided on a low cost solution to custom fabricate an exhaust shroud. This shroud was installed upside down to deflect noise upward. The metal ribbed panel siding allowed water to flow through without further changing the design. It was an easy solution and they loved it so much they installed it themselves :)

$1k

Royse City, TX

Mar 2017

This quaint home located in East Plano, exudes a loving family atmosphere. Candid religious messages and art adorn the home with joyful messages of peace and love. You cant help but want to do your absolute best when you walk into such a comfortable home. Pledge GC replaced the roof and upgraded the customer for free with a Lifetime GAF Roofing System (see pictures). Their 6' poplar fence was also collapsing on two sides, due to numerous repairs over the years, so we tore it out and rebuilt a beautifully beaming 8' custom cedar fence; complete with an extended fence line, 1x6 solid-rough hewn cedar cap and trim, 2x4 PTP base kickboards, 12' steel posts machine augered @ 3.5' depth with 80-120 lbs of concrete per post, retaining posts every 3' on the back slope because of land grading, beveled and boxed posts in the alley and 3 gates on only 2 sides...because that's how we do awesome fences at Pledge GC. Also threw in a rebuilt pony fence around the pool equipment with all of our spare materials, endurance and strength. Inside, the home was aging but the owners had certainly devoted a lot of blood sweat and tears to the various DIY repairs and updates done over the years. They didnt appear shy about swinging a hammer, and it was kept up quite nice. However, the Solarium was one their earlier DIY projects and it suffered from a lack of thorough construction knowledge, leading to several leaks and rotted areas over time. Our job was to fix the sagging ceiling, rotted areas and overall bad carpentry - change it from a dank abandoned space into a zen-like relaxing retreat...with minimal budget. Problems arose quickly in this Solarium and we did our best to address them. Since the Solarium was an addition and not part of the original structure the original soffit overhang was serving as 1/3 of the solarium ceiling once we ripped out the sagging sheetrock nailed to it. The rafters were in no shape to hold the weight of the roof so we had to improvise to keep the ceiling and roof level. We tore out the sagging drywall ceiling and restored the metal panel roof/ceiling with a chemical wash. We added an engineered 2" x 2" x 24' steel beam to span the width of the room and support the metal panel roof. This beam was unsightly so in honor of the Zen theme we agreed to face (wrap) the steel beam in rough cedar to match the original trim work. The 1/3 of the ceiling which was soffit and bird nesting we obviously tore out but we still had to address every other area of the room and our budget was razor thin at this point. We wanted to add 4-6 can lights in the ceiling since there was no option to install overhead lighting anywhere else in the room. So we did the electrical. At that time we ran into code hazards and those had to be addressed. We got the electrical right but at the expense of our choice of ceiling. So we decided to come back to this part of the ceiling...it was difficult leaving this eyesore because the metal was restored to look so beautiful on the other 2/3 of the ceiling. Customer wanted a Zen feel, floods of maintenance and code issues blew the budget, so Pledge GC donated the materials and ideas for the plank tile wall. We even three in some more elctrical work back in that wall, added coax cables lines, HDMI and re-built a frame and access panel for the A/C window unit. It was unsightly, so we used a 24" HVAC return vent as a dual purpose access panel, vent grille and cover to conceal the older "yellowing" window unit. All of this thought and effort just to have water come in through the floor after a rain. So we tore out all the framing in the wall, reframed it and repaired the exterior wall with hardy board cement lap siding (where the water was entering in from). We used weatherproof cement board down at the retainer wall and filled in with foam gap filler. To rebuild the interior Zen wall we put in upgraded insulation, 1/2" radiant barrier plywood, 3/4" hardy wall board and no-sag LFT mortar to support the 6" x 36" Marrazi porcelain tile mounted vertically. To get the room feeling balanced we needed to replace nearly all of the trim, baseboards, sheetrock, etc. We tore down a wall portion to reveal another window, replaced a rotted window sill, replaced the awkward door molding, added electrical to two additional outdoor motion lights, repaired the sliding glass door, removed the damaged tint from the large glass windows to brighten up the room; and did numerous repairs to the adjacent exterior walls to get the room airtight and holding comfortable temperatures. After all the electrical, carpentry, restoration and tile work, we finished the project off by painting the room a calm sandy beige, after throwing a few ounces of mildew preventative in the paint. This was a multi-stage project that required a lot of knowledge, ingenuity and patience to achieve. The budget was too small by two factors, but we managed to get a lot done with some donations from Pledge and a lot of flexibility from the customer. In the end the last 1/3 of the ceiling was installed using an inexpensive custom method designed to be removable to finish the can lighting upgrade in the future.

$16k

Plano, TX

Mar 2017

This Insurance claim originally had the majority of the needed repairs denied, but after tenaciously pursuing the indemnity of the property, we were able to secure a settlement for completely replacing the roof sheathing. We upgraded to Roy O'Martin radiant barrier decking for pennies on the dollar to offer much better heating and cooling efficiency in the home and attic. Due to the diligence in pursuing this claim , Pledge GC was able to secure $5000 additional for our customer to upgrade the dwelling to meet current IRC and adopted Plano City code requirements.Our original plans to upgrade the shingle to a Lifetime shingle were stifled by the policy limit on building code upgrades. A few rafters were unsecured and needed to be fastened, replaced or braced. A GAF 25 year roofing system with synthetic felt, radiant barrier decking, ice and water shield, lead jacks, 1.5" drip edge and Cobra ridge ventilation complete this simple and quick project, which took all of 1 full day construction.

$13k

Plano, TX

Dec 2016

We completely remodeled the exterior of the Brown's residence. I helped them pick color schemes (they went with my recommendations :). We started by designing the exterior and picking some custom accents to make the dull house stand out a bit. Reface 2 porch posts with cedar, build 2 decorative cedar porch posts - all with cap and base. 8 custom cedar shutters and a 3'x5' custom cedar water-tight window box for flowers. We also custom refaced the exterior exposed beams that were rotten around the gables. We cut and replaced some the the support beams and joists to straighten out the fascia...which is all new TruBoard 4/4" x 6" primed composite fascia board. Replaced plenty of 1x2,1x4 trim board as necessary - including garage , window and door casings. Caulked, washed, primed and painted surfaces. Scrubbed masonry with TSP to remove dirt and efflorescence. Sealed cracks in mortar joints, eliminate mold from brick with weed killer. Painted 3000sf two tone including brick, siding, fascia, soffit, trim, casing and garage. Applied SW 3505 Yankee Barn WoodScapes Semi Trans stain to custom cedar work. Refinished old metal mailbox, replaced flag holder and replaced the entry door with a solid wood and glass door chosen by the customer and custom stained it to the match all the custom cedar pieces we created on the exterior. Last, we capped this gorgeously renovated home off with new 5" off-white seamless gutters around the entire perimeter with 8 downspouts! New GAF Lifetime Roof - upgraded FREE by PLEDGE!! Premium radiant barrier decking, synthetic felt, storm guard, and FREE upgraded HD ZRidge - All GAF product, LIFETIME warranty included at NO COST!!!! That's the PLEDGE GC Way!!! Just ask the Browns. Also had to throw in some honey-do's for their patience and many blessings...installed lighting in kitchen and included several other upgrades throughout construction. Total makeover, now one of the best looking homes on the block - say the Browns

$25k

Richardson, TX

Jul 2016

The interior of this elegant home has been lavished with beautiful sculptures and art, paired with an elegant selection of textiles; mahogany, marble and leather embody the furniture. As with most insurance claims, Pledge GC had to extensively examine the ceilings and walls and file supplements to get the interior areas paid for. As luck would have it, we did have to paint extensively throughout the home, when it was determined that leaks had come in through the roof. Ultimately we contracted the painting out to a family member of the customer, and let him have the liability for the valuables ;) The roof was the easy part. It was a beautiful Texas day when we started and took only that day and part of the next to complete. A lifetime GAF roofing system, with all underlays and accessories you'd expect from a Pledge GC roof. We also replaced a full wrap of 5" seamless gutters, and a 16'x7' insulated Garage Door. There were some critters holes we patched up, sealed and painted in the siding and the soffit. I think one of my roofers busted a fence picket so i stained and replaced that, since it was our bad. The best part of this particular experience was meeting an amazing man; with such a positive outlook and personality it was no wonder he was blessed in his life. In so many ways he was a great and humble man. May God let his soul find the peace he gave others. R.I.P. Roger G.

$21k

Garland, TX

Jun 2016

This roof was a standard Lifetime GAF Roofing System installed by Pledge for a customer in Plano. We also replaced all of the gutters around the home. Unfortunately the customer fell ill and had to move further south to be with family. We were unable to finish the interior and fencing repairs as planned.

$15k

Plano, TX

Apr 2016

A Tornado Restoration project - this was quite an undertaking for us in our infancy as a company. Some completion pictures may not have made it to our hard drives, but there is still plenty to look at! A survivor from the eye of the 2015 Christmas storm, this home had broken windows, debris sticking through the roof, collapsing brick, missing fence, bent chimney flue, leaks all over the interior, and an overall desire to be refreshed. Originally underbid by the insurance company Pledge GC had to fight and claw for a fair settlement for the owners. In the end we were reimbursed more than $20,000 over the original claim amount, enough to do some upgrades and remodel the Master Bath. We started with professionally relocating the family out of the residence with the assistance of Service Master restoration company. We stored furniture in temperature controlled storage units and movable PODS. We replaced the compromised roof with a GAF composition shingle lifetime roofing system, complete with a full wrap of new seamless 5" aluminum gutters. We had to replace drywall in many of the ceilings throughout the home, including some of the sheetrock in the walls. All of the flooring in the entire home needed to be replaced. We went back with carpet in the majority of the home. The customer wanted a hardwood floor but had concerns about future water damage - understandable after what they just went through! So we decided on Marazzi plank tile to give the floors a wood look with the durability of tile. This particular tile ended up going in the wrong direction due to lack of focus on our part. We tore it all out and laid it with the correct orientation, at our expense. It was our mistake, we owned it immediately and remedied the situation. That's what honest contractors do! More tiling was done with the kitchen and laundry room floors, as well as the fireplace. We saved the most difficult and custom tiling job for the Master Bath...back to that in a bit. Due to all the leaks we removed and replaced most of the insulation in the home, blowing nearly 30 bags back in the attic to achieve an R-factor above 30. The fireplace had to removed in order to replace the flue lining, which was damaged up top by flying debris which pierced and tore the chimney siding. We had to re-tile the fireplace, remove the mirror above the mantle and replace moldy sheetrock as well as re-texture areas and paint the entire room two-toned. We did similar repairs throughout every room of the home, carefully replacing damaged smoke alarms, HVAC vents, light fixtures and fans. All of the carpet was replaced in every bedroom as well. Front door was sanded and re-stained. The spare bathroom got remodeled with new hardware, colors and designs. The Master Bathroom was completely redesigned to custom build a privacy shower and more cozy tub for two. The mirrors were re-framed with custom work to complete the new design and existing cabinets. The jacuzzi was a surplus model bought by the owners which came new but non-functional. After getting it repaired, we realized the potential for this problem to re-occur and built a hide-away magnetic access panel on the newly tiled face of the jacuzzi. Any future repairs could be easily done without the need for demolition. After finishing the redesigned and remodeled master bath, just touch ups were left inside. We also had to do several repairs to the exterior, including rebuilding about 50 sf of the exterior garage wall. Multiple siding repairs around the home. New fascia around most of the residence, long with some soffit repairs. New solar screens around the house, a new 16' x 7' insulated garage door, and a custom 6' tall cedar fence with 5' gates wide enough to fit their hog (motorcycle) through. Several glass windows had to be replaced, a storage shed had to be demo'd and overall the re-construction process was difficult given the conditions of the neighborhood and inability to get decent machinery, materials and dump trucks in and out. A very humbling and educating experience as one of Pledge General Contractors very first projects as a company. We are grateful to everyone involved who helped make it a successful restoration!

$60k

Rowlett, TX

Mar 2016

This architecturally gorgeous and custom built home, located in a cove on Lake Ray Hubbard, was lucky to have missed a direct hit from the devastating tornado of 2016. The winds were strong enough, however, to do significant damage. Pledge GC was created by helping our own families and friends in this area after this storm, and this family was in fact our very first customer ever as a company! We began repairs with the exterior, specifically the roof, since the tornado winds had sent flying debris into the home and torn off potions of the roof. On the roof, our standard residential roofing system was used. GAF Lifetime Composition Shingle (Charcoal) with upgraded accessories throughout; synthetic felt, abundance of ice and water barrier in valleys and around all deck openings, lead pipe jacks, 14" turbines, ridge vent, etc. A flat area of the roof had been a leaky area for years which was directly above an enclosed spa room. We used leak barrier rolled roofing and a modified composite on top of the base layer, with double overlapped seams, well sealed and tested with standing water weeks later. Moisture tight! New gutters to match the roof and accent the brick for a beautiful aesthetic appeal! Around the exterior Pledge GC completed numerous repairs after the storm, including deck repairs and painting (some rails, gates and spindles), replaced spa room patio storm door with new Anderson full glass shatter proof model, replaced some sagging and rotted soffit and fascia, replaced a glass window in the locker room of the spa area, fixed the leaky spa, which had a pipe burst from the shifting of the home during the tornado. We also cleaned and balanced the 35,000 gallon pool after storm debris had clogged up pumps and filters. New solar screens in the back elevation also! Inside this lovely home we painted nearly every room in this giant home! Which was necessary due to leaks from the roof and broken windows during the weeks after the storm. We painted a beautiful vaulted entry way and made small repairs to the marble floor, replacing a tile or three. We carefully painted all of the walls and ceiling in the 28' entryway using scaffolding and care! Upstairs in this amazing (and clearly) custom designed home we painted a few bedrooms and living areas. We were careful not to fall when staining the wood ceiling trim, which was difficult to access. Two bathrooms were remodeled - one just had a shower tile makeover, while the other upstairs bathroom needed a new cabinet, mirror and hardware as well as the shower re-tiling. Downstairs we touched up areas FREE at the home owners request (they provided matching paint, hint hint). We also had to repaint the entire master bathroom and a spare washing room converted into a bedroom for an elderly relative. (The Cubs finally did it Johnny! We love you!)... Sidenote: Johnny Bulldog was 85 y/o when we fixed his room up, and all he wanted in life was to see the "cursed" Chicago Cubs win a World Series...we brought him a pennant for Christmas 2016 :) ...back to the project - we finished up inside here a this lovely lakeside residence by replacing some sheetrock in the ceiling of the master bedroom, re-texturing and painting it. It wasn't over there... Because we at Pledge GC are so dedicated to our customers and them getting their value, we fought for months to make sure this wonderful family got the replacement for their content and non-structural losses. The tornado tore down a large basketball goal, threw a trampoline onto a neighbors roof - after crashing through the chain link fence, and destroyed patio furniture and other yard items. All of our diligence paid off in the tune of a new $6500 top of the line basketball goal, with LED lights, new patio furniture and a brand new jungle gym/swingset for the family. We did so much here that i almost forgot about the 340 feet of wrought iron fencing we upgrade them with after donating the chain link fencing. This was a beautiful home, and a beautiful first experience for Pledge General Contractors. We are thrilled to say that it was a shared experience with the customers as well!

$50k

Rowlett, TX