Clinton Hill Design Build
hi brownstoners, i’m not sure quite where to post this, but i’d like to log a shout out for the design/build firm we used: CLINTON HILL DESIGN BUILD. i think we might be one of the few families who actually enjoyed our construction process. CHDB was easy to work with, and took care of everythign…
hi brownstoners,
i’m not sure quite where to post this, but i’d like to log a shout out for the design/build firm we used: CLINTON HILL DESIGN BUILD. i think we might be one of the few families who actually enjoyed our construction process.
CHDB was easy to work with, and took care of everythign from permits to drawings to construction to all the finishing work. even though we did our reno 2 years back, i was thinking about them over the weekend as i looked around our place and realized that everything is still intact and looking great. to me, that’s a real mark of quality.
anyhoo, just waxing nostalgic here, and putting my highest recommendation behing this company.
thanks!
We’re currently in the end stages of a major renovation of our Kensington 1-family detached house with CHDB (soon to be known as Vanderbilt Brownstones, Kitchens, and Baths).
So far, the work has been of very good quality. I haven’t found any problems with the tile, painting or plaster work (other than the fact that it’s going slow as molasses in January). The floors look beautiful. In addition, their price was as good or better than the other three estimates we got for the job. Please note, though, that we don’t live there yet.
However, my main complaints so far are about communication. At first, I liked them because they were the only contractors out of the three we got estimates from who provided a detailed written estimate with everything laid out. Also, they kept in touch while we were struggling through a difficult closing, and once we we closed, they started immediately and worked with us while we waited for our apartment sale to close.
But now that the courtship phase is over, deadlines have been missed (which is to be expected, but a heads-up about what’s going on from the GC would be nice). They are difficult to reach by phone and often don’t answer emails. Often it seems the only time I hear from them is when they need a bill paid. I also agree with the previous poster about project oversight. I feel as if the GC is never there, and that I know more about what’s going on than he does, which is not exactly what I hired a GC for.
I’m reserving further comments until this whole thing is done, after which I’d be happy to show before and after photos and review the whole project from start to finish.
CHDB now is just plain horrible. They do not do quality work, they just create a ton of problems. There is no project management, no oversight with subs so everything is done out of order, work is shoddy so things have to redone multiple times and their quoted “one year warranty” is a joke. Once the paint is dry, they are gone…and you are left dealing with the problems from their and their subs just plain awful work (examples – uneven floors, uneven drywall, horrible taping & painting (so much so that it all has to be redone), crap tile job…I can go on and on.
If you are planning on using them, DON’T!! Use anyone else to save your sanity. The fact they have not received any other positive reviews should speak volumes.
oh and for those who wonder why i would tear out a brand new kitchen, it’s because i didn’t like the black granite counters and the GE appliances. so there!
they are deathly expensive. i had a brand new kitchen, they gave me an estimate of 78,000 to tear it out, and replace it. no gas lines had to be moved.
My only complaint about them is that for a “green” company you’d think that just once in a while they’d turn their effing computers off for the night. Every time I walk past their office after dark the screen savers are all going.