House Doctors

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The service went fine. I thought the pricing was a little high. I had them do little handyman jobs around the house. The handyman was punctual, professional and did what we asked. He did the work in 4 hours. It was easy to schedule the deal.

The technician seemed really knowledgeable about radon issue and explained things well to me so I understood. He was professional to work with.

You know what I’m wondering if that is the company the handyman company who did my door so I bet this company we are speaking to is the one who did my door.  That would have been a year and a half ago.  It was a purchased on my door so it was $200.  It was completed accurately.

I had a hard time finding someone to do it, he thought about it and put a lot of time and thought into it before he said that he could do it.  They said exactly what they said they were going to do.  They look great.  They stayed within the budget.  I had them come out in September for the estimate and he said he would do it in October, but it was done in November. 

On July 4th 2013 I sent House Doctors a deposit for the installation of cabinets and the installation of a window.  The deposit was in the amount of $1212.00.  I confirmed by email that the lead time for the window was 3 weeks and the work would be completed by August 12th at the latest, but it could be sooner.  After Derek failed to complete the work by the 12th, he finally completed the installation of the cabinets (but not all of the trim) on September 9th.  There were many emails and phone calls regarding the window.  Finally, I told Derek to refund the money to me and he agreed.  The refund would be the difference between the deposit and the cost of the cabinet installation ($1212.00 - $624.00 = $588.00).  On October 18th Derek told me the money House Doctors owes me would be refunded and the check would be mailed ASAP.  After almost 2 months, I have not received the check and he has not responded to my emails. <br />

I've probably said this before, but don't tell anyone how GREAT House Doctor's is! I have used House Doctor's several times in the past year and their work is always fantastic. They are meticulous and detail-oriented on every job. I recently asked Brad to install slate tile in a small half-bath. He worked through installing a level subfloor, then laid down the tile to show me how uneven it was. Thank God for Brad! :-) I immediately scrapped that plan and went with nice flat ceramic tile. That's one of the things I really appreciate about House Doctor's: they have so much experience and they are more than willing to give you their professional opinion or guidance (which, I don't know about you, but for me -- that's something I really appreciate so I don't make very expensive home remodeling mistakes.) I highly recommend them!

Derek was a very nice person. However, he failed to call me to tell me the work would start one week later than planned. I had to call him twice and email him once before he contacted me to apologize. The worker, Jeremy also was a nice person but started work later than I thought, in the morning. First day he came at 8:50 the next time 9:10, the next 9:20 and then 9:50. He also had to leave early to pick his kids up at school between 2:30 and 3:30. The job was started on Mon. and was supposed to be completed by Wed. It took the whole week. After finishing, he never sealed the tile so I had to go out and buy sealer and do it myself. The work was done well and he was neat. Would not use them again. <br />

We are satisfied with the finished product but carpenter was hot here every day, seemed to have too many issues going on <br />

I did not receive the estimate by the date promised, so called. Did not get return call and followed up with email. Finally got estimate for work. Sent in signed contract and 50% deposit of $600. Check cleared my bank on July 30. <br /> Since than, have called twice to find out when I could get on the schedule and sent follow up email on August 16. <br /> The phone message indicates calls will be returned in 24 hours. I wonder if they are still in business??  <br /> The Do's and Don'ts for reviews indicate you should not rate price if no work done, but feel I have a right to rate price when I paid for the work that was not done. <br /> <br /> [10/10/2013 update] - Jeremy did a good job at the painting. I am satisfied with that.

Professional workmanship; personable craftsman; full and satisfactory explanation for change in what was to be done; no adjustment in price even though less wood replacement was done; approximately 12 hours labor over two days; <br />

House Doctors did a terrific job. Brad is extremely detail-oriented, professional and punctual. The kitchen looks amazing! I have used HDs for several projects -- from installing a cat door to custom carpentry -- and they never, ever disappoint! They are lovely to deal with and I will continue to use them for everything. <br />

Inticial  House Doctor and Penguin worked together well.  BUT when the "taping" was done Everything slowed up.  I have called and for the inspection to be done many time.  The feeling I get is that what I have to pay them yet they don't think it is worth it to finish the legal portion.    The job was started fall of 2012 and finished Dec 17.2012.   The banister was instaled in Feb.2013 . <br />

We had an old 1980's drop in stove that finally broke (yes, nice long life!).  The oven was built into the cabinet.  Given the price of drop in ovens, we decided to go with removal and refurbishing the area for a stand alone oven that would be much cheaper.  Since the kitchen was remodeled in the 80's we weren't sure what we would find behind the oven.  Derek provided a comprehensive quote of approximately $600 that included the removal, cabinetry work, dry walling the back and laying additional flooring.  Once removed, the job was much easier than anticipated and much cheaper to, as there was no need for dry wall.  Once the oven was removed, they found that it had been hardwired.  They were able to schedule an electrician for the next day in time for our new oven delivery.  It was delivered and installed that day due to their extra effort.  I was very pleased with their professionalism, promptness and flexibility.  I will definately be calling on them again! <br />

He did a great job!  He was very professional and reliable.

Contact with the office was really good.  The scheduler, Laurie, quickly understood what I needed done.  Their handyman staff was scheduled four weeks out, but Laurie was able to squeeze our work in so we could have appliances delivered.  Brad arrived on time and was obviously experienced with cabinetry work.  Brad was fast yet he was also a perfectionist.  He left the kitchen clean after his work.  We  have other projects requiring a handyman and we have now identified our go to handyman service, House Doctors. <br />

Bad start.  Demo took 2 weeks (actually, for some reason they refused to demo one small section of old plaster wall even though it meant tying it in to the new drywall).  First worker who came out did most of the demo then disappeared for a week.  Second worker completed the demo (except for that one section) in between ciggy and Starbucks breaks and telling me what a wonderful job he was going to do.  That guy also told me that the job wouldn't be done in the 4 to 4.5 week time frame his boss promised. He told me that he hadn't made that promise so it didn't apply to him.  During demo he also cut a hole into the wall of the adjacent room (oops).  Same guy was asked to cut a hole in the adjacent sunroom floor since part of the project involved using the radiator lines to the bathroom to run a radiator to the sunroom.  He cut a hole that took no account of joists or 90 degree angles.  I repaired the hole since I figured I would do the best job of it, but because of his interesting choices I had to sister in some 2 x 4s to make it work. <br /> Finally realized that the workers weren't to be relied upon so I emailed the boss.  He came out and brought his brother and things seemed to get back on track if not exactly back on the original time frame.  Missing the time frame meant that the bathroom wouldn't be finished before Thanksgiving as had been originally promised and with a houseful of people coming that was an issue.  They did get it working with the water hooked up prior to T-day so at least we had that. <br /> Boss's brother started fine, he even brought his son in a few times to help.  Was glad to have some activity.  But it soon became apparent that I had too high of expectations for this crew.  The electrician was in 4 times.  He placed the light switch box so that it would have to be in the tile wainscotting rather than above it as I wanted.  Rather than move it a foot up to where I wanted it the brother told me that it had to be at that height (later found out that it didn't).  Electrician and the brother also placed the outlet boxes on either side of the medicine chest in a place where they would also be half in the tile and would encroach upon the bottom of the medicine chest (which was original to the house and which I had restored).  The solution they proposed was to cut off a portion of the medicine chest.  I made them move the boxes. <br /> When putting up new wall on the outside wall of the bathroom they took a lunch break which gave me the opportunity to go in there and I noticed that they were putting up drywall without putting in insulation.  When they came back I pointed it out to them.  Later noticed that they were stuffing insulation into the wall cavity rather than placing it in (insulation is meant to work best without crushing or folding it) because the distance between the studs was less than the width of the insulation and rather than cut it to fit they simply stuffed it in creating a fold in the middle.  I asked about it and they said it made no difference. <br /> When installing can lights in ceiling they cut the holes too big.  Worker told me that he hadn't expected the lights to come with such skinny trim.  I guess I would have thought that looking at the lights first would have been a good idea.  He slapped some drywall up to fill the gap, but it wasn't terribly smooth and there were still some small gaps.  Ceiling work in general was such that I had to re-sand the joint compound due to unevenness and I had to fill some gaps and small bubble holes. <br /> Plumber didn't like the way he had to install the bathtub pipes.  He was in on the job from the beginning and ought to have been prepared, but a one point he called  me in to tell me that he couldn't give me what I wanted.  I asked him 3 times and each time he told me the same thing.  After the third time I started to thank him and tell him that I'd be calling in someone else and suddenly he decided that maybe he could figure it out.  He made it work but the bathtub faucet is so loose that I can turn it by just nudging it.  I later looked at the instructions that came with the faucet and I can't figure out why he had a problem. <br /> Boss's brother did the tile work.  We used 3 x 6 subway tile as well as some trim tiles.  I have no problem with the trim tiles being a hair different in size than the subway tiles.  A little more grout is expected in those areas.  But the subway tiles come with little bumps on them that automatically space the tiles.  The grout line for these shouldn't have to be more than about 3/16 of an inch.  Some are just that.  Others are twice that.  Very odd to look at.  We also have a half wall that required the trim tile to make an outside corner.  He told me that there wasn't a tool for this and that he could do anything on his very inexpensive, basic tile saw.  I went to a tile store and Home Depot and looked at tile saws that were meant to make outside corners.  I talked with the salespeople at both stores and they showed me how it could be done.  Went home and offered to buy the saw, let him use it, and I'd sell it on Craig's List later.  He maintained that it was impossible to cut an outside corner on a tile saw.  To his credit he was able to make the outside corners by combining his basic saw with a belt sander and it did work. <br /> They grouted the floor with a sanded grout that still feels very gritty and absorbs everything that drops on it.  And either the floor grout is now pulling away from the wall tile or the floor is sinking because a gap has opened up between the floor tile and the wall tile.  They caulked the joint where the toilet meets the floor and where the pedestal sink meets the floor.  But the plumber had insisted on using pennies to level these fixtures rather than nylon shims (less expensive).  Well, the caulk must have reacted with the copper because it tuned a greenish blue where it came in contact with the pennies.  The fix?  Just grout over the whole thing, pennies, caulk and all. <br /> When they first started on this project a worker asked if they could store his tools on my enclosed front porch.  Since it was October I said he could rather than make him haul them home every night.  Soon my porch was a work zone with tools, materials and garbage piled everywhere.  Next to the bathroom is a small sunroom.  The workers asked whether they could store the materials they were working with there since it's right next to the bathroom.  I guess I thought they meant the materials they were working with on any given day.  Soon my sunroom was totally junked up with their stuff.  They even started using it to cut materials and when it came time to tile they used it to cut tile in.  The dust and mess was incredible. <br /> Despite all the issues I have with the work I actually like these guys.   They're nice and they seemed genuinely appalled that their first workers would have done so poorly.  And when they realized they were so far off their schedule they at least worked hard to get us something that worked in time for Thanksgiving.  But use them again?  No, I won't be using them again. <br />

Went well. Good diagnose of problem and professional work to fix and make everything look good

They are slow. He finished and painted it up. He took until Jan to get the banister in. The inspector never came by. They applied for the permit to do upstairs because they were suppose to keep me legal, up to code and arrange for the inspection. They never came by for the inspection. When they came for the next project they told me the permit was still sitting in city hall and not picked up. As far as I know they still have not picked it up and arranged for the inspection.  This is why I have not paid them the rest of the amount. Intially I liked them; they were willing and prompt. I hate to say it but do not use them. They do not follow thru. I have no way of selling my house with that beam showing. They were suppose to keep my legal and did not do it.

They were slow. They never finished it. It took until Jan for the banister to be ready. They applied for the permit to do upstairs to keep it all for code. They never came by with  the inspection. When they came by for the next project they told me the permit was still sitting in city hall and was never picked up. As far as I know it has still not been picked up nor done the inspection. So I have not paid him the last amount.  Initially I liked them well, they were willing, and were prompt. Do not use them, they do not follow thru. I do not have a way to sell me house with that beam showing upstairs. In his job description he said he would keep me legal and he did not do that.

The work went very well.  I couldn't have asked for better service and results.  Brad did excellent work at a reasonable price.

The shelves were installed well.  They are very straight.   <br /> We purchased two door knob assemblies because two of the doors in our house would not close.  To our surprise, the handyman said that he could fix the old door knobs that were on the doors, which would keep with the historic look of the doors.  He made a trip to a hardware store in the area that had pieces to fix old doors, and he was able to fix the door knobs without installing new ones.  We didn't know that was possible, so we are very pleased with that. <br /> We are very impressed with the service from this company.  We would definitely use them again.  <br />

It was great.  The front office folks were very friendly in scheduling the appointment. They came out to look at what we needed and then provided a very reasonable quote. The handyman that came to our home to do the work was Jeremy.  He really knew his stuff!  He got done so quickly that he was able to help with a few additional items around our house.  I would defintely use House Doctors again! <br />

The caulking went great, but it took longer than thought (>48 hrs) to dry.  The caulking around the window cracked and needs to be redone. <br />

I needed a new bathroom fan installed.  I couldn't find one that was the same size as the builder standard, so there was going to be cutting into the ceiling involved.  It's a good thing I didn't try it myself, as the fan that I bought was really designed for new construction, and the hardware included didn't have settings for the distance between the joists.  The gentleman who did the installation had to alter the hardware to get it to fit.  The fan works beautifully, and there's no longer a rattle down the vent when the wind blows. <br />