Desperately Seeking: a Contractor Who Actually Returns Calls

Wow, I must be getting old, I remember back in the day when contractors actually returned calls, provided estimates on or about when promised. So far, neither has happened.Desperately a contractor for a bathroom reno, bathroom addition, kitchen reno for a limestone. Someone who knows these buildings and has a good design sense. Fair in price, great with work. Any leads, Brownstoners?

peaceout

in About Brooklyn 9 years and 10 months ago

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stevepower | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Hi, I again came back on this thread. Actually I just found few places which might suit your needs. You can check out sites like: https://www.angieslist.com/ http://www.stonebridgecontracting.com/ http://www.houzz.com/ All these places offer good services. And, I haven’t heard any bad reviews about them. My sister also hire GCs for various purposes from such places. The best thing about them is that they are reliable. Hope you got your work completed on time. 🙂

germaineson73 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Coastal Points Josh 732 489-1360

bryan123 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Hi, I am the guy with the original doors and moldings from the Park Slope brownstone. Are you still interested? Please contact me at Jmoberon@aol.com Thanks!! Jeff

stevepower | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Its true that some GC charge too much and deliver not up to the mark service. I usually look for GC from online sources. I know many will feel that hiring GC from online source might not be good idea, but people who had good experience say this. I too had hired GC from a company which I found online. I must say that they delievered good service.

peaceout | 9 years and 10 months ago

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@Dork, I’m being optimistic that we may have someone soon. 3 out of 5 is a good estimate. It’s a contractors market right now, what we hope we have going for us is this time of year tends to be slow….

peaceout | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Yup, we had one guy who came highly recommended. spent 1.5 hours here, lots of conversation, all good stuff. Promises the estimate within 3 days.That was almost 2 weeks ago, despite being told by his asst, the estimate was coming (a week ago). Done with that guy, on to the next. By the law of averages, there’s someone out there who wants to take our money.

Lurker | 9 years and 10 months ago

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FWIW I’m not a fan of Angie’s list. Too easy to game. We had a terrible experience with a GC from there, and continue to, from a GC who had dozens of positive ratings.

dorkofwindsor | 9 years and 10 months ago

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The truth is that most contractors want to work in manhattan where they charge double. And since many have been forced to live in Staten Island, Brooklyn can sometimes be less of a priority vs. when more contractors lived and worked locally. But your job seems substantial enough to garner at least some interest. If I called five GC’s i’d expect to hear back from at least 2 or 3\. Angies’ list clients will make call backs but since they are so busy i have found they can rarely take the job within a reasonable time frame.

rh | 9 years and 10 months ago

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How about the ones who return the call, show up for the estimate, spend about an hour at your house and then never come back with said estimate? I never chase these guys down because if they are lazy about the quote, I can’t imagine the job would actually get done.

BobMarvin | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Slopefarm, My exchange is “Buckminster 4”, but I don’t actually use it.

peaceout | 9 years and 10 months ago

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To clarify, I do not expect the contractor to be my designer. I’ve been down this miserable path before having gutted a brownstone years back. What is helpful is to have a contractor who understands brownstones, the quirks, and for example not to hear, “the toilet can face the sink, what’s the big deal? you’re the only one who will use this bathroom.” It’s inevitable there will be problems as you go along, it is helpful to work with someone who has a bit of sense how to solve the problem.

slopefarm | 9 years and 10 months ago

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LOL, Bob. Do you still use the exchange name when you give out your phone number?

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I have always found it is much easier to find a contractor that wants to work with you if you the consumer/client have a very good idea of what exactly you want. Looking for a contractor with as you say “a good design sense” is asking for trouble. Never let a contractor make design decisions for you, except if it involves if plumbing can actually work that way! “A customer that does not know what they want will never be satisfied”; Is what I often hear my guys complaining about, when talking of other jobs they are working on, and they often ask me to go to speak to them! So go on house tours, go to open houses etc to look at other peoples bathrooms, work out what you want and it might be easier to get a quote back and co-operation from a contractor, they are not designers or architects.

deancollins | 9 years and 10 months ago

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We used Dan Catalfumo, VP Professional Construction Enterprises Inc. 300 W. Service Rd., Suite 2-A Staten Island, NY 10314 For our last bathroom renovation here at Henry St Brooklyn Heights, happy with the outcome.

BobMarvin | 9 years and 10 months ago

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“when phones were actually attached to walls” BUT, you didn’t have to crank them to contact central, did you? 🙂

peaceout | 9 years and 10 months ago

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We all know the outrageous costs, and the “too good to be true”estimates one can be quoted. We are not under any fantasy that this is a big job. I’m not going to get into the detail of what is needed here, as I think it’s impossible to estimate via a posting. Simply interested in solid recs, good contractors who have an understanding of limestones, and working in brownstone Brooklyn.

greenmountain | 9 years and 10 months ago

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I am traveling today, and won’t be able to spill my guts again on this topic today as much as I would like, but as a bathroom renovator, I would like to reply. I see there was another item today from a dissatisfied consumer. Didn’t we have more contractors, writing here a few years ago? We may be experiencing a shortage of contractors more severe than ever. Would that be because of market conditions or is it just a problem on ‘Stoner? Or do we have a shortage of contractors who explain ourselves in this forum or forums like this? Since, advertising is still cheaper with Blankslate, than some other options, it is probably not a ‘Stoner problem. I don’t think the problem is as old as Bob Marvin, or me, but from an industry standpoint, I am informed by papers from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, there was one a while back called something like “Opportunities for Growth in the Remodeling Industry,” I gave my copy to a city council member, but will have to find another. For now I can find only this more recent report: http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/jchs.harvard.edu/files/jchs_improving_americas_housing_2015_final_0.pdf I am getting a national perspective on what Brooklyn Consumers are complaining about, and how the DCA has failed, or how NYC progressive government failed to develop a comprehensive home improvement policy, in the wake of Sandy, 9/11, and as the efforts to create more affordable housing through new construction, and stabilized rental unit preservation. If you or anybody would like to discuss why contractors don’t return phone calls, produce estimates or finish jobs on time, or at all, with a contractor, you can find me through my website: greenmountainconstructionanddesign.com Green Mountain

ellenlourie | 9 years and 10 months ago

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**”Fair price”** How would you determine a fair price in your opinion?

peaceout | 9 years and 10 months ago

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@Bob, yes a very long time ago…when phones were actually attached to walls.