General Contractor Reviews
We would like to start assembling a more comprehensive library of service provider references than the ad hoc feedback that happens in the Forum. To that end, over the next several weeks, we will solicit your feedback on a variety of services that go into building, restoring and maintaining brownstones (and apartments for that matter)….
We would like to start assembling a more comprehensive library of service provider references than the ad hoc feedback that happens in the Forum. To that end, over the next several weeks, we will solicit your feedback on a variety of services that go into building, restoring and maintaining brownstones (and apartments for that matter). We want to hear the names of the companies/individuals you have used (you can stay anonymous), any contact info you have, how they performed, how were they priced, were they on time, pleasant to deal with? Finally, if you can rate them on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being the best), that would be great too. Hopefully all of this can ultimately result in a comprehensive resource that we can all benefit from.
So we’ll kick it off with General Contractors today. Who wants to go first?
Consider this an enthusiastic referral for Burda Construction. Larry Jr. is doing a full reno of a 3 story/2 family brownstone in Park Slope for me. He is prompt, reliable, easy to work with. He works well with out architect and has even had some great design ideas and practical advice. He has a great team of subs who have worked for him or his father for years. A true class operation. I’ll repot later on final cost relative to bid – but 5 weeks into an estimated 20 week job and so far so good.
First, THANK YOU Brownstoner!
Bonus points for finding a way to address all those unanswered repetitious questions in the Forum…
My short list
RONNIE THE PAINTER (plaster and paint are her main thing, but she does GC work now)
Ronnie Barrow Parodi 718-832-6436
She did 2 excellent GC jobs for 2 of my friends in Park Slope. The gut rehab of a duplex across the street from me was incredibly fast (particularly in contrast to the yearlong disaster of my next door neighbors!) I got to see the progress at every stage. Good work, and she’s pleasant and funny.
RJB Construction
Great for really big jobs – structural stuff like opening up floors and roofs, with a nice eye for carpentry detail – they just did that new Japanese restaurant on Fifth Ave around 6th St. Good with modern work, don’t know him as a restorer so much, but I don’t know his whole portfolio.
He’s pretty well booked up…and rehabing my interior stairs in a few months. I think he’s worth waiting for since he does a great job with honesty and is a sweetheart.
Speak to Richard. 917 804-1886
I can second Chris Marcoux – he (re)did my deck a few years ago. He worked with me to redesign the space, and I remain delighted with the results.
I think it’s important for us to be good consumers — upfront with what we want and discussing the costs. It may be obvious (and if it is, I’m not talking to you!) but I think we get what we put in to these transactions. Not counting the dishonest creeps of course . . .
Our contractor, JCL Construction, has been great. Not perfect, but for the price we couldn’t have asked for a better deal. Unfortunately, this is his last job. He’s retiring when we’re done.
The franklin report can be a great resource for this and other information. check the website: http://franklinreport.com/
If you ever come across Mike Weber, run as fast as you can the other way. I can’t begin to detail the issues we had restoring our CH place.
you first, brownstoner.
I’d like to put in a good word for Tracy and Arthur Sadura of T&A Carpentry in Red Hook. They like to focus on “restorative” work (please Google their website, which has lots of pictures) but they also did a good job on a non-period kitchen and bathroom in our garden level apartment, requiring a gut renovation. The price was right, and though the work was not A++ quality, the workers and Arthur are straightforward, fair, reasonable and honest. The job was completed on time, and Arthur came back personally and fixed the little things the crew got wrong (like recaulking the tub and redoing a door latch that didn’t work). I would use them again.
Thanks, Erin. Do you have a telephone number or email for him?
If anyone ever comes across the contractor Lazslo Baumeister… run!
I’ll kick it off with a heap of praise for Chris Marcoux, a really fabulous contractor with wonderful design ideas. I can’t recommend him highly enough. Unbelievably professional. He did a high-end bathroom renovation for us (which presented more than a few challenges) and I couldn’t be happier. I will not even consider another contractor when the time comes to renovate our monster of a kitchen… He’s very sensitive to period architecture and really experienced with renovating period homes, including those of frame construction (take note all you Ditmas Park types). 5/5!!!