Frequently asked questions

We have been operating since 2007 and have been a Licensed contractor since 2020. We have weathered the housing crash of 2008 and the pandemic of 2020. We have a combined 75 years experience in the construction industry. We have been expanding our business and workforce over the years and have no plans of going anywhere. 

Yes, our contractor number is 85252 in NC and we are also a United States Veterans Affairs Building contractor #12640.

You can verify our license or anyone else's using the link below.

https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search

A contractors license may only have a business name on it but you can easily verify they are what is know as the qualifier or not. The qualifier is the true license holder and the one you should be speaking with. To do this simply go to google and type in (state) contracting board. there you can search for a license and qualifier. If they are not listed, it says anything other than active, or their name is not listed as the qualifier then they are lying to you and you should report them immediately. Links to the NC and VA licensing boards are below.

https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup

A contractor provides the experience to comply with current building codes, permitting, and legal requirements of any project.  Each project has its own set of challenges and we have the experience to overcome the challenges that come with a project and keep things on schedule. Having a contractor makes the process much, much easier. We also offer you protection that your project rests on us and not on you calling 20 people to make sure everything happens the way it should. 

There are a lot of want-to-be contractors out there and verifying your contractor and their insurance is a critical step. The verification is easy. With the window above just type in your contractors name or their business name. If they do not show up with the word valid beside their name they are not a currently licensed contractor.

To verify insurance all you need is for the contractor to issue you a certificate of insurance (COI) and then you call that company to verify it is a valid policy that covers the work being done.

Yes, in most cases there is a marginal price increase compared to an unlicensed person doing your project. A licensed contractor is required to meet many standards, carry insurance policies, and is held to a much higher educational and financial standard than a handyman. With this it requires more costs to be compliant. This added cost is factored into each job throughout the year. This cost also provides you peace of mind that your job will be completed in a timely manner and guaranteed to meet or exceed building codes. When factoring this in you must consider that this cost is far less expensive than having to have your new project repaired should something go wrong.

We generally operate in Alleghany, Ashe, Surry, & Wilkes counties in N.C. 

Carroll & Grayson counties in V.A. 

We do travel outside of these areas so feel free to call us regardless of where you are located.

Yes, within the borders of Alleghany County we offer free estimates. Anything outside the county has a small fee that will be credited to your project estimate should you accept our estimate.

Our free estimate policy consists of a site visit within Alleghany County, collaboration with the homeowner, and a rough idea of estimated cost to complete the project. This does not constitute a contract between Blue Star Home Repair LLC and homeowner(s) this is only a rough idea.

We also offer a professional estimate which consists of the same items in a free estimate along with any not to scale drawings that may be needed to visualize the project, a detailed estimate for the customer that will become the contract between blue star home repair LLC and the homeowner, a material count sheet associated with the project, correspondence with insurance adjusters, loan officers, and building officials. A professional estimate is charged at a rate of $45 per person per hour to complete. The costs paid for the professional estimate will be deducted from the total project costs should we be awarded the job.

All of our estimates are valid for 14 day. This is due to material price fluctuations and wanting to give you the best available prices.

All of our estimates require a deposit to have it scheduled. We have had many unsecured jobs that would cancel at the last minute even as far as when we arrived on site to start work. This leads to a massive amount of work to return materials and reschedule other jobs to keep our crews working and supporting their families. With the way our system works you have a legally binding contract that secures that we will do the work as outlined in the scope of work and we have monetary security upfront to partially pay for the materials and to hold the day you have requested.

All of our estimates require a deposit but depending on the type of work you are needing sets the structure unless requested otherwise.

For repair work: we do 1/2 upfront and 1/2 on the last day of work

For any large scale work lasting over a week our standard is:

1/4 upfront to schedule

1/4 at material delivery on our 1st day of work

1/4 at a significant milestone at least 2/3rds through your project, that is outlined in the estimate.

1/4 due at the last day of work or when we have passed final inspection. Whichever is last

Give us a call. We can come in as a consultant or we can assume your job entirely. It can look easy to make phone calls and get people on a schedule but when you have a 1 and done job it is harder to keep that schedule as time goes on. In every project there are unforeseen things and delays but when you are an owner-contractor, sometimes delays can be nothing more than a company padding their pockets and taking advantage of someone who doesn't know the industry. With years of experience and the intimate knowledge of the industry we are here to help. Feel free to call us, wither it is just questions to ease your mind or a site visit to actively help your project our consulting services can bring thing back in line. If that is not for you we are more than happy to assume the job in its entirety and you sit back and watch your project come to life.

This is a loaded question. The only answer that is correct is "it depends". Several factors go into every job. Elevation changes, ground type, scale of the project, if demolition is needed, materials to be used, change orders, weather, etc. Here is an average for a non complicated build to factor in small to large sizes.

Decks - 2-3 weeks

Home builds 8-14 weeks

Additions - 4-10 weeks

Bathroom renovations 2-6 weeks

Kitchen remodels 2-6 weeks

Basic Flooring 1 day - 2 weeks

Hardwood flooring - 1-3 weeks

If the roads are safe and weather is conducive to the type of work we are doing, we will do all we can to get on site. The rule of thumb we follow most is if Alleghany County Schools are open we are working. If they close for severe weather or hazardous conditions we will ususally follow suit though there are some exceptions.