How is Canopy Different?
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What does Canopy actually do?
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Canopy is an independent advisor for homeowners in Marin, Sonoma and San Francisco. We help you make the big decisions about your home: what to buy, what to build or change, whom to hire, and how to protect its value over time. Every other professional on your project has a specific piece to deliver. Our only job is to look out for you, from the first “should we?” to long after move-in.
Do you do construction or act as a contractor?
Is Canopy an owner’s representative or project manager?
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We can be, and that's only part of what we do. Most owner's reps and project managers are hired once a project is planned and the team is in place, and their work ends at move-in. Canopy starts earlier: before you buy, before you design, before the team is chosen. And we stay with you long after the project is complete. Some clients engage us as advisors. Others also ask us to manage their project as their owner's representative, so the person leading the build is the same one who helped shape it from the start.
It's a fair question, and we'd rather you ask it. If we believe your project needs a dedicated project manager, we'll tell you why, and we'll tell you honestly whether Canopy or another firm is the better fit for your project. Ensuring that a project moves smoothly requires that decisions be made in a timely manner and that a decision maker is readily available to answer questions from the architect, contractor and subs. Your availability and familiarity with construction and design will make it clear whether a project manager is right for you. We're glad to help you interview other firms. Our advisory work never depends on you hiring us for more.
How is Canopy different from my real estate agent?
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A good agent finds properties, negotiates and gets the deal closed, and is usually paid only when it does. Canopy is paid for our time, whether you buy or not. That lets us focus on whether the house is right for you: does it fit your lifestyle, what it will realistically cost to renovate, what the lot will allow, and whether the price reflects the work ahead. Sometimes our most valuable advice is "this one isn't worth it."
How is Canopy different than your architect or designer?
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If you offer project management, how can I trust your advice about whether I need it?
Isn’t this what a home inspector does?
Your architect and designer create the vision for your home. Canopy helps you get the most out of them. We help you choose the right fit, prepare for design meetings, review plans with a builder's eye for cost and practicality, and make sure the design matches how you actually want to live. We don't design, and we never compete with your design team.
An inspector reports on a home's current condition. Canopy looks at the whole picture: what the home could become, what that will cost, what the planning and permitting process will involve, and whether it's the right investment for you. We often recommend an inspection too; the two work well together.
No. Canopy never builds, brokers or designs. When we manage a project, we act as your owner's representative: we coordinate your architect, contractor and consultants on your behalf, but we never hold the construction contract or profit from it. Some of our advisors hold professional licenses from earlier in their careers, and that hands-on experience informs everything we do.