How it runs / kominka renovation

What happens from first contact to handover

The construction itself takes two to four months, but survey and design come before it. Here is how long the whole thing takes and when money moves.

From consultation to handover there are six steps: consultation, on-site survey, proposal, design and quote, construction, handover.
Allow six months to a year in all, with 2–4 months for the construction itself.
The time goes before construction: design and quote take 1–2 months.
Consultation, on-site survey and a rough-estimate proposal are free. Charges start with design and quote.
From consultation to the start of construction takes 3 months at the fastest, and usually about six months.

From first contact to handover there are six stages. Construction is two to four months, but the stages before and after take time too. Allow six months to a year for a plan without strain.

The six stages

1. First contactLINE, phone or the form. A location and photos are enough; no drawings or registry documents. We give a cost range here.

2. Site surveyOne to two hours. Posts and beams, foundation, underfloor, roof, plumbing. Free.

3. Estimate and proposalWithin about a week, the scope and expected cost in writing — including any subsidy that looks usable.

4. Design and quoteWe fix the layout and specification and produce the formal quote. One to two months. Fees start here.

5. ConstructionTwo to four months. Insulation and structure first, finishes last. You can visit the site throughout.

6. HandoverWe explain the equipment and the warranty. It doesn't end here — we are available after you move in.

The time goes before the construction

With a kominka, there are things you can't know until you open it up. That's exactly why we take time over the survey before design, and over the design itself. Rush this and start work early, and this is what happens: partway through, you find out “the sill turned out to be rotten once we opened it up.” The result is extra cost, and the schedule runs long.

Put the other way: look properly beforehand and the extras shrink. Our site survey is free because a miss there hurts everyone later.

When you pay

Consultation, site survey, rough estimateFree
Design and quoteFees start here
ConstructionPaid in instalments: at contract, start, mid-point and completion

* The number and size of instalments depend on the scale of the work. We set them out in writing before the contract.

Handover is where it starts

A house is not finished when it is completed. Some things you notice after moving in; some appear years later. We have been based in Yatsuo for over fifty years, so we can go and see how a house we repaired is doing. If anything comes up, just call.

FAQ

How long from first contact to the start of work?＋−

Three months at the fastest, usually about six. Design and the quote take one to two months; using a subsidy adds the application period. If you have a start date in mind, talk to us and we work back from it.

Can I change the work part way through?＋−

Finishes and fittings can be changed up to a point. Insulation and structure cannot be undone once the work has advanced — which is why we ask you to decide those first.

Can I visit the site during the work?＋−

Any time — we would rather you did. Inside the walls and under the floor will never be visible again once finished. Photos taken then help with maintenance later.

From April 2025, does a kominka renovation need building confirmation?＋−

For a two-storey wooden kominka, work that repairs more than half of any one type of main structural element (floors, posts, walls, roof and so on) needs building confirmation (having the authorities or an inspection body check the drawings before work) if the work starts in or after April 2025. A single-storey house of 200㎡ or less still does not need it. We decide which applies after looking at the drawings and the house. For details, see Does a kominka renovation need building confirmation?.

Preparation is most of the job

First, let us see the house.

The site survey and estimate are free. No drawings needed.

Request a rough estimate Message us on LINE