After
having had a not so great experience with our design & build firm during the architectural and design stage, we went looking for a new contractor for our build portion and interviewed over 6 firms. Out of all the bids we received, Eli's was on the higher end of the range. But it was also the most thorough and detailed bid we had received until that point. He also took the time to drive us around a few of his local to us projects that were in various stages of completion so we could see examples of his work first hand. After a few meetings in person with him and his team going over the detailed proposal, I had no doubt that we had found the right contractor to work with. Having been burned once already, we were very impressed with his honesty, transparency and the high value he placed on direct communication. And this was something we continued to find true in our entire experience working with him and his team. We signed on for a full gut remodel + addition and his team was so fast we went from demo to rough-in stage in under 4 months. If our windows had not been delayed, I'm sure it would have happened even sooner. But as fast his team was, they were very detailed and meticulous as well. I had been designing our dream house in my head for years and had a lot of my finish materials special ordered or custom made. He worked with me patiently to ensure that the work was executed exactly as I had envisioned, even if some of my designs were unusual and required approximately 10,000 tile cuts. In one instance, he personally came with me to a local showroom when I was having trouble getting some material ordered in a timely fashion. He called in favors to his contacts to get us the best discounts possible. It was evident that he was personally invested in the success of our project and wanted to ensure it was executed to our satisfaction at every step.
In a project of this magnitude, there are bound to be some unexpected challenges, deviations and even mishaps. Whenever we hit a snag, he again worked with us to find the best solution and outcome that still respected my original design goal. In one instance when I realized that a mistake was made, I had missed something in my design and didn't catch it until after tiling was done, he was there that night personally working with the plumber to find a solution and had it fixed within 2 hours. This is the kind of partnership and commitment you are looking for in any one you will end up working closely with for months on end and for something that is such a huge investment emotionally and financially.
What sets him apart is that it doesn't just end when the project is complete. It's been a few months since we moved in and his commitment continues to show. Any thing that needs fixing or addressing related to the remodel, his team is prompt in doing so and is respectful of our our time and belongings.
Generally, a lot of reviews are written either very favorably (or negatively) right after project completion when emotions are running high. I specifically waited quite a few months after we moved in to write this review (sorry Eli!) to allow for us to experience living in the house and to see firsthand his team's support of us post project completion and can happily say that I would pick to work with Eli a thousand times over. I highly recommend Eli and his team to anyone interested in seeking a contractor who is as invested as you are in the success of your project and in your satisfaction.
