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Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
Designer Interior Lighting Plan, Outdoor Lighting - Plan and Install, Outdoor Lighting - Repair,
About us
For more than 25 years, Charlie Nathan Builders has built its reputation on quality. From being included in the referral system for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to performing work on some of Seattle's major residential landmarks in the historic neighborhoods of Queen Anne Hill and Capitol Hill, the craftsmanship of Charlie Nathan Builders cannot be overlooked. We are a full disclosure company and open our books to our clients in order for them to see that every penny is allocated appropriately. We are proud that our firm ranks as one of the most trusted construction firms in the region. Additional e-mail - info@nathanconstruction.net.
Business highlights
Emergency services offered
41 years of experience
Services we offer
Additions, Alterations, Construction Management & Complete Construction, Decks, Design, Exterior Patios, Historical Preservation, Home Remodeling & Construction - New Homes, Interior Design & Space Planning, Kitchens, Land Development & Purchase Consultation, Landscape Design
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Reviews
4.763 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 87% | ||
| 3% | ||
| 3% | ||
| 2% | ||
| 5% |
Showing 1-25 of 63 reviews
Gary N.
May 2020
This was to repair original-builder mistakes and more-recent correction done wrong. Charlie figured out how to do it much easier, faster, and effectively than the previous contractor (whose repairs failed), and for half the money. I can't say enough about how thankful I am to have met him.
David H.
May 2018
Awful. Simply awful. Charlie Nathan is an absolute crook. DO NOT HIRE! He runs a pyramid scheme whereby he takes money for one job and buys material for another. My job began on April 5, 2017, and was supposed to be finished no later than August; I kicked his crew out December 1, 2017, and the job is still not finished. I had to hire other contractors to help finish the work, costing me thousands of additional dollars. Did Charlie reimburse me? NO! I'm now about to litigate. Also, please know he owes his subcontractors THOUSANDS of dollars on my job, and they're starting to put liens on my home.
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"We have not performed work for a [Member Name Removed] and do not know this person. However, the address is correct. There is no scheme of any sorts and customer has occupied the space. We had a challenge with a subcontractor and he was replaced by another but job was completed beautifully. This characterization is incorrect."
Susan B.
Oct 2017
It was done on time with ever detail done to perfection.
David S.
Oct 2017
The project came off as planned along with on budget, and took about 12.5 weeks. We had previously had work performed by Nathan Construction under tight circumstances for a previous Thanksgiving get together. My wife of 49 years insisted I write a review last Thanksgiving, and again with recent work. I am out of words to describe work other than we are very pleased, satisfied and proud to show off the additions, accommodation's for guest and family when staying with us which now seems like it will be more often.
Tracy S.
Oct 2017
My partner and I were extremely pleased by the professionalism and quality of work by Charlie Nathan Builders and his entire staff. Claudia, the project manager, was very responsive and attentive. Charlie, with his experience in design and materials took a huge weight off of us in deciding what to pick. We are so pleased with our new living area and look forward to entertaining family and friends in the future.
Thomas B.
Jul 2017
This has been one of the worst experiences of my life. The project is now at week 27 of me sleeping in my kitchen and working from home (kitchen counter) while they refuse to provide me with a timeline for completion (that's 4 times the original timeline...thus far). Weeks go by with no work or less than 6 hours of work. I have worked from home for the last 9 weeks so it's easy to know when work is and isn't being done. The work has been consistently shoddy. His plumber did not clean out the fixture after replacing a segment of pipes which resulting in a nonfunctional shower for 12 weeks (my only shower) until I finally called an outside plumber to look at what was happening...I had begged Charlie to send someone out and he did not come to my aid. Sure enough the fixture had build up from shaking the old pipes and that was an easy fix. The rest of the plumbing had to be completed by the outside company I found. I ALSO had to find an outside company to complete the electrical work. I gave him 17 weeks to find someone else and I am still giving him the option of finding another electrician to finish the job. He has taken my money and I have been more than patient. Within two weeks, I provided him with all of the fixtures and finishes that needed to be ordered. Of the fixtures and cabinets, only half were actually ordered which required me to scramble to find alternative options to what was going to be my dream bathroom. This company is disorganized, provides poor workmanship and Charlie provides AWFUL customer service. This was not the cheapest bid I had but I put a lot of weight into Angie's List reviews because I had a kitchen remodel go bad in the past. They have not completed the job but I cannot sit back idly any longer while he takes advantage of other hardworking people. I am sorry if this review comes too late for some of you but hopefully I can save others the frustration, heartache and sleepless nights this company has caused me.
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"We take pride in over 30 years of serving the Seattle area with quality construction, workmanship, and customer care. There were some miss steps with this project with a lack of shared communication with client and ourselves. We accept full responsibility for our perceived lack of performance and will strive to do better in the future. The quality of work he describes was far from an "F" but rather A- at worst. The overall job probably deserved a score of a B- / C + due to communication. There were some of the complaints customer posted we feel are a stretch in our estimation, but will accept customer's view. With a project where home was built in 1910 there are many unforeseen complications due to age that can be a challenge for the client, as well as a contractor with any remodel, but especially with 100 year old homes. Additionally there were numerous and constant "change orders" which slowed down our process, and changed the original scope of work along with agreed budget. As a spirit of intent additional work was performed, and completed without asking client to spend extra money due to some ongoing changes. A review like this stings the construction staff, and senior management as well. We are committed to doing better, and learning where we could have improved our performance. With 30 years, and 1500 satisfied clients in the Seattle area we have never had a review like this. Charlie Nathan Builders"
Elizabeth K.
Feb 2017
The project went smoothly despite a few delays due to waiting for materials to arrive or workers being sick. Claudia was very responsive to our requests and accommodated and had the work fixed when we pointed out a few defects. Overall, very satisfied and the bathroom looks great and very professional. The cost was also very reasonable.
Donald T.
Dec 2016
This was not an easy job, and this project had many surprises along the way. Charlie Nathan is an excellent problem solver. His unique solutions ended up saving us thousands of dollars while adhering to strict shoreline codes. Nathan Builder's foreman and entire crew were courteous and hardworking. They all take great pride in the quality of their work, and really go the extra mile to make the best decisions for improvements at every phase of the project. No shortcuts in quality at all. The project site was kept clean and organized, and final clean up was perfect.
Gary N.
Dec 2016
Perfect. We signed a standardized "R04 Generalized Renovation" contract. Charlie came out in the morning to make sure his crew understood the details, then came back at the end to check it and to make sure the slider works perfectly, skipping the opportunity to replace the slider at more profit to himself. It turned out some new stain wasn't needed because one of the crew found some replacement siding that was already stained the right color, so my worry about staining the new siding in the rain was gone, and they credited me the price of the stain without my asking for it. I've worked with several contractors, and worked for a couple of them, and Charlie raised the bar. I am grateful to have found such an earnest professional. I really like the guy.
Nancy A.
Oct 2016
Bath and kitchen remodel including design. Charlie Nathan and his crew have provided the best contractor experience we could have dreamed of. He is attentive, he listens, gives exceptional advice and the result is amazing. We are VERY happy with this company.A
Richard K.
Oct 2016
Took 2 1/2 to 3 times longer to complete than originally promised. No one seemed responsible to ensure that the correct material was on hand and when needed.
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"The client is correct. We ran over on the time it took us to complete the job as we had difficulty with some vendors and subcontractors. Ultimately, the job came out fantastic and the client is very satisfied. We did inform the client of the ongoing delays and this occurrence is a rare one for our customers to experience. We apologize for the delay but believe everyone is very happy with the results. Thank you. Charles Nathan"
Lora-Ellen M.
Jun 2016
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Julie W.
May 2016
I ended up hiring Charlie Nathan Construction after doing a lot of estimates with other companies. I tend to be fairly diligent and an "engineer type" (with a computer science background ) on anything that is important to me and especially if they are fairly costly items. <br>The reason I chose CNC was that he was very punctual, And up until the time I hired him, did just what he said he thought was realistic Not what he thought you wanted to hear, in which it appeared I got from others. <br>Beyond basic math, etc. I tend to make decisions base a bit on gut feeling. After I hired this company I got the same treatment. What I learned is that Charlie, the company owner, is a "straight shooter" type of guy that follows through with what he says he can do even at the cost of perhaps not getting hired for a job, which in my opinion says a lot. The kitchen, bath and other various work turned out so beautifully and at a reasonable price, we're thrilled!! We Would and Have already referred him to our friends and family.
Brian A.
May 2016
Attentive and very detail oriented. Charlie and his team were respectful of our needs at all times and brought many creative ideas where we hadn't yet considered all the possibilities. On time, on budget an a clean workplace which we deemed very important. <br />
David S.
May 2016
We have owned vacation home in Puget Sound for many years. Our children are now grown, and we decided to enlarge the structure to accommodate our growing family and our grand children. <br /> We needed to upgrade and add on to our existing home with the addition of build out of loft space, added a bathroom along with another bedroom and remodeling the kitchen and lastly we added a wrap around deck to take advantage of our vista's. <br /> We had 4 bids and Nathan was lower than the others, and this pleased us as we had seen some of Charlie's work and were hopeful he could do the work for us. <br /> Our initial budget was higher that what we finalized, and this included all of the change orders of which there were several. I could have driven Charlie crazy with our changes, but he was gracious, understanding and accommodating.. We finalized home at approximately 165,000.00. . Now that its finished I must confess I would have paid more; we are that pleased. <br /> Charlie had good insights and anticipated our needs even if our ideas were half baked, Charlie made them full baked ! <br /> Charlie from Nathan Construction came under on budget , and on time for Mother's Day family get together.. We have a home in Chicago and we always enjoy going west to relax and see they kids. <br /> Additionally Charlie Nathan Builders was a referral, and I usually never write reviews, but in this instances I felt compelled to do so plus my wife of 40 years is that happy. <br />
Monica T.
Mar 2016
Great ! The job was done in a timely manner with quality workmanship ! Charlie provided not just great work but competitive pricing. His knowledge of the industry is apparent and his suggestions were better than I could have ever imagined. I am so pleased and everyone who sees it wants it too!! Superb.
MICHELLE A.
Mar 2016
Scheduling and a walk through with Charlie happened quickly and efficiently and an estimate was provided about 5 days later. I choose Charlie Nathan Builders not because he was the cheapest (but close!) but because he took the time to hear my concerns and I felt at ease with him and had a sense of comfort with Charlie Nathan Builders that was more than likely due to the enthusiasm and hand holding the company gave to me so willingly. I am a single, 50 something woman that does not have a lot of money to spend and I saved for this upgrade for my home for many, many, many months and I wanted a contractor that I believed respected and understood the sacrifices that I made in order to make my house my home and not someone else's. The project had a couple of hiccups and we ran into a material delivery delay that threatened to blow the budget and time frame out the window, but other than that one hiccup which was handled professionally and swiftly the overall experience and the projects progression went seamlessly and was completed really closed to the time frame estimated. The end result is more than I had anticipated or ever even hoped for. My kitchen is a beautiful replica of what we had talked and planned for it to be and so much more. Charlie took my vision and made it functional, affordable and even more perfect than I had thought it could be. The crew was professional, clean and very respectful of my privacy as I chose to continue to stay in my home while the remodel was underway. They paid special care to ensure that my service dog Peggy was inside and hadn't escaped outside and she certainly enjoyed all the extra attention too. Michelle Auttelet
Cheryl C.
Dec 2015
The change in our bathroom was amazing. Now it is an inviting area to be in. Our only complaint is that we wonder if the wrong counter top was placed. It does not resemble the sample we had for it. I believe that when I made a final choice that it was not documented correctly. We did not detect the difference at once or would have called about it. Over time I realized that it might not be the one I wanted. The choice I wanted would have made a more dramatic impact on the whole room, whereas the one that was placed just blends in to the overall color scheme. <br /> <br /> So my advice is to stay on top of the project and be clear on what you request. When many projects are being done by a company there can be mix-ups.
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"We thank the client for the review. The work was performed 2 years ago and this is the first time we have heard any complaint regarding the job or specifically the countertop. Granite is a natural stone that varies in color and texture and small samples ( depending on the age of the sample) do not always represent the actual stone used because these are mined from a different parts of the mountain. It is best to go to the showroom and choose the actual slab. The client did not do that and gave us the name of the stone which we installed. The job cost was in the $20,000 range."
Annette G.
Oct 2015
All the steps were easy, and accommodating to our schedule. No problems with service, and followed my requests before painting. <br />
Catherine C.
Sep 2015
Charlie's sense of design is excellent and I have entrusted him to turn what I envision into a finished product. <br /> He has created a garage-top garden with a trellis and patio and designed a portion of fence supported by a low concrete wall in another part of the garden. The design often evolves as the work progresses taking into account irregularities and unforeseen features in the landscape. <br /> Charlie's crew is professional and efficient as well as flexible and able to solve problems. I will continue to use Charlie's company for future projects and remodels at this house. <br />
Dennis F.
Aug 2015
Would highly recommend to anyone.
Monica T.
Aug 2015
I love my new space! Charlie's company, Nathan Construction, could not have been any nicer. Not only is the quality of work superior but the crew was punctual, neat, thorough and totally respectful of my home and my time. Had it not been for Charlie's suggestions concerning the design, colors and materials used, i would never have been so completely thrilled with the outcome. Charlie went above and beyond to make sure that everything I wanted was what I got and more! My friends have complimented and admired the work so much that they will be using Nathan Construction for all their upcoming renovations and upgrades. If you are interested in any kind of construction wether it be upgrades or new construction, I highly recommend Nathan Construction for all your needs.
Naren M.
Aug 2015
We signed a contract with Nathan Construction for a 4 month renovation <br /> beginning November 2014 and ending mid-March 2015. We made all weekly payments <br /> without fail, very punctually. Despite our cooperating fully, eight and a half <br /> months later, Nathan Construction has utterly failed to finish the project. On at <br /> least ten occasions, Nathan Construction promised completion by a certain date but <br /> failed to honor every one of those promises. <br /> For the past ten days, Charlie Nathan, the owner, has refused to answer our phone <br /> calls, emails and texts. Prior to this, his communication was very erratic. <br /> All we are asking is that he finish the contract work we <br /> paid for in good faith. After we asked him for weeks, he sent us two schedules, <br /> which he failed to honor. The most recent indicated a completion date, with <br /> final inspections, of July 20, 2015. It is now August, and the house is <br /> currently not even fit for occupancy. The weather has been ideal for the past <br /> two months, so his delays are inexcusable. <br /> The owner consistently feeds us excuses: A month ago, he told us the project <br /> manager left his firm but that was resolved and that the house would be <br /> finished by July 2015. It was not. He promises to finish tiling, painting, and <br /> flooring?every week; then fails to honor each promise?every week. His failure <br /> to honor his promises and his lack of communication is extremely frustrating <br /> and disappointing. It us costing us money. It is not clear why he feels <br /> comfortable accepting 98% of our money for a project, and then refuses to finish <br /> it despite signing a legal instrument which compels him to do so. <br /> There were no delays to justify non-completion, save for a roof issue?which was <br /> resolved and paid for in January. And a <br /> two week delay because Charlie Nathan postponed meetings and decisions about <br /> cabinetry in February. When the cabinets were ready in April, it took us three <br /> months of prompting to finally get him to deliver them to our home?in June. <br /> Despite this, they are still not fully installed. See pictures attached. <br /> A previous Better Business Bureau complaint states Nathan Construction has ?serious financial <br /> issues.? My own research indicates he has numerous legal matters open against his <br /> bond, including one from a client like me. I am extremely concerned he will not <br /> finish my home at all. He appears to have abandoned the project. <br /> What we want: <br /> We want all work completed by end of August 2015. There is no reason it cannot be completed. We <br /> want the owner to communicate and meet with us at least once a week to review <br /> and ensure completion progress by the end of the August 2015. <br /> Seven months ago, we gave the owner an additional $3250 for a coffered <br /> ceiling, alarm system and under cabinet lighting. We want that completed by <br /> August 2015 or we want our money back. <br /> We want back $370 we gave the owner for a garden window that was never <br /> installed. We have also paid, out of personal funds, for multiple plumbing <br /> fixtures within the scope of the contract. We want what we are owed for those <br /> fixtures as agreed to by the owner via several emails. We want him to take back <br /> the ceiling fans we said we would consider using?he has failed to respond to <br /> our email about meeting to return them. <br /> We want assurances that items installed are actually what we agreed upon. <br /> For example, the garage door he approved of in writing was not what was <br /> installed. He assured us wood would be <br /> used for all trim?we discovered he is using MDF. <br /> We want the lien release as stated in the contract. We want assurances we <br /> will not have liens on our property since a previous BBB complaint indicates <br /> Nathan Construction?s subcontractors filed one against them. <br /> One example of unfinished work--see dates on pictures: <br /> <br /> <br />
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"In 30 years of conducting business I have never had a worst experience with a client. 1-The client originally wanted to hire us but did not have enough in the budget to finer the work. 2-We heard from the client months later that he had hired an unlicensed contractor who had left him with an unfinished project. 3-3-3-Client pleaded that we take over the project 4-We met with inspectors to review and inspect work performed 5-All deficient work was corrected and all inspections passed 6- The client was informed that we were extremely busy and that I could help on as "can do" basis 7- The job is beautiful and could be completed in 4 weeks 8- The client makes these outrageous claims about us but just a few months earlier gave us glowing reviews on Angies. I've never had a negative review of our work. 9- The reason we have not continued on the job is because of the continuous harassment by the client. Hundreds of emails, phone calls, threats and yelling. He asks for a meeting and brings his mother. The man is in his fifties. He yells all the time. Finally, after receiving calls from him up to 10 at night and on weekends and holidays, he called me at home at 3 am!!! several times. Yelling and asking questions about his tile and grout. We were very concerned about this behavior. 10-We have filed a notice with the POLICE DEPARTMENT and are concerned for our safety. 11- I have never had to deal with dirt if issue. We are going in 5 years of SUPER SERVICE AWARDS but we have a limit on how we are treated and this client is out emotional control and out to damage my reputation. 12- We welcome prospective clients to review the accurate reporting of our company on this site."
Rebecca P.
May 2015
The crews have all been polite and helpful. The work is still underway but going to schedule. Charlie is easy to deal with. <br />
Timothy R.
May 2015
<p>They did an excellent job in the construction and managing most parts of the remodel. Charlie Nathan obviously has a lot of experience and he has a great team (for the most part), who know their trades, and we had complete confidence in their knowledge and ability to do things well, correctly, and to fix our lame bathroom. The foreman (Ryan?) was a good manager, reliable, and a good communicator. The tiler was awesome. One hiccup included the newbie/inept plumber making a bad diagnosis about water pressure, costing us an extra and unnecessary $200-300 plus extra time to fix the problem he caused. That was eventually worked out.</p> <p>Our biggest issues were common to many contractors, not just Nathan Construction: we did not receive a detailed estimate of the project cost; and the whole project took quite a while to get started because the contractor got back-logged with all the Daily Deal customers. We asked for, more than once, an estimate with line items of the cost of each component, so we could prioritize what we wanted to spend our money on and what we didn't want to spend money on. We never received a line-item estimate. We received something much more general, e.g...cost of materials and labor, but not broken down by component, such as custom cabinetry, etc. To this day, I can't tell you how much the different components of the remodel cost. If we asked *again* what a specific item would cost, we might get an answer for that one item, but nothing else. I don't think we were cheated out of money, but much more could be done to communicate the costs so customers can make informed choices of the work to be done. </p> <p>Another issue here is that the office is not run in a modern fashion, with quick email or other electronic communications, etc. It's more old school, where they prefer phone communications where Charlie's assistant answers the phone and takes messages, but is apparently not given enough authority to answer questions. For the most part, she had to defer answers to Charlie, which of course held up communications because he was busy with a ton of new Daily Deal customers. As a customer paying a lot of money, I prefer email or some other communication that documents my requests and conversations. This way, I have a reliable record of my communications and the contractor's answers.</p> <p>Despite these issues, I would choose to use Nathan Construction again, because of the quality of the construction work and their experience and knowledge. Next time, I would be more forceful about insisting on a detailed estimate up front.<br /> <br /></p> <br />
Response from Charlie Nathan Builders LLC
"Thanks for the comments. Our office is fully equipped and able to handle any communication. I guess "old fashion" means using our original and most useful way to communicate...verbally. We love to talk, because this reduces miscommunication. Once we understand the concerns , we translate those into written documentation. Everyone knows that a 30 second conversation can clear up pages and pages of email. Our office manager is instructed to defer any questions that she is unclear about to any qualified person that is able to answer those correctly. We enjoyed working for the client and are very happy that he is one more of the thousands of satisfied customers we have served over the past 30 years."
Licensing
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FAQ
Charlie Nathan Builders LLC is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
Yes, Charlie Nathan Builders LLC offers free project estimates.
No, Charlie Nathan Builders LLC does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
Yes, Charlie Nathan Builders LLC offers emergency services.
No, Charlie Nathan Builders LLC does not offer warranties.